Earned Media Value Calculator
Use this calculator to estimate the monetary value of your earned media efforts, such as social shares, press mentions, or organic content reach, by comparing it to the cost of equivalent paid advertising.
The total number of times your earned media content was viewed or seen.
The typical cost to get 1000 impressions for a similar paid ad campaign (e.g., $10 for every 1000 views).
The percentage of impressions that resulted in an engagement (e.g., likes, shares, comments, clicks). Enter as a percentage (e.g., 3 for 3%).
A factor reflecting the higher value and credibility of earned media compared to paid media (e.g., 1.5 to 3, as earned media is often seen as more trustworthy).
Estimated Earned Media Value:
$0.00
Understanding Earned Media Value (EMV)
Earned Media Value (EMV) is a metric used to quantify the monetary worth of media mentions, shares, likes, and other forms of organic exposure that a brand receives without directly paying for it. Unlike paid media (advertisements) or owned media (your own website/social channels), earned media is generated through third-party endorsements, word-of-mouth, or editorial coverage. It's essentially free publicity that you've "earned" through your brand's efforts, content quality, or public relations strategies.
Why is EMV Important?
- Quantifies PR & Content ROI: EMV helps marketing and PR professionals demonstrate the tangible value of their non-paid efforts, providing a clear return on investment (ROI) for activities like content marketing, social media engagement, and public relations campaigns.
- Benchmarking & Strategy: By tracking EMV over time, brands can benchmark their performance, identify successful strategies, and understand which types of content or campaigns generate the most valuable organic exposure.
- Budget Justification: It provides a strong argument for allocating resources to activities that generate earned media, as it shows the equivalent cost savings compared to paid advertising.
- Credibility & Trust: Earned media often carries more weight and credibility with audiences than paid advertising because it comes from an independent source. EMV helps put a value on this enhanced trust.
How the EMV Calculator Works
Our calculator uses a common formula to estimate Earned Media Value:
EMV = (Total Impressions / 1000) × Average CPM × (1 + (Engagement Rate / 100)) × Earned Media Multiplier
- Total Impressions/Reach: This is the total number of times your content was displayed or seen. You can typically get this data from social media analytics, website traffic reports, or PR monitoring tools.
- Average CPM (Cost Per 1000 Impressions): CPM stands for "Cost Per Mille" (Mille being Latin for thousands). This is the average cost you would pay to get 1000 impressions if you were running a paid advertising campaign. This value can vary significantly by industry, platform, and target audience.
- Engagement Rate (%): This represents the percentage of people who saw your content and then interacted with it (e.g., liked, shared, commented, clicked). A higher engagement rate suggests more valuable impressions. The calculator converts this percentage to a decimal for the formula.
- Earned Media Multiplier: This factor accounts for the generally higher credibility and impact of earned media compared to paid advertising. Many marketers believe that an earned mention is more valuable than a paid ad impression because it's perceived as more authentic. This multiplier typically ranges from 1.5 to 3, depending on the industry and the perceived quality of the earned media.
Example Calculation:
Let's say you have:
- Total Impressions: 500,000
- Average CPM: $10
- Engagement Rate: 3%
- Earned Media Multiplier: 2
EMV = (500,000 / 1000) × $10 × (1 + (3 / 100)) × 2
EMV = 500 × $10 × (1 + 0.03) × 2
EMV = $5,000 × 1.03 × 2
EMV = $5,150 × 2
EMV = $10,300
Limitations of EMV
While EMV is a valuable metric, it's important to acknowledge its limitations:
- Estimation, Not Exact: EMV is an estimation based on paid media equivalents, which may not perfectly capture the unique value of earned media.
- CPM Variability: Average CPMs can fluctuate widely, making it challenging to pinpoint an exact figure.
- Quality vs. Quantity: The calculator focuses on impressions and engagement but doesn't fully account for the qualitative aspects of media coverage (e.g., positive vs. negative sentiment, influence of the media outlet).
- No Direct Revenue Link: EMV measures brand exposure value, not direct sales or revenue generated. It's a top-of-funnel metric.
Despite these limitations, EMV remains a widely used and effective way to communicate the impact of non-paid marketing and PR efforts in a language that stakeholders often understand: monetary value.