What Does Earned Media Value Mean?

Earned Media Value (EMV) is a marketing metric used to estimate the financial worth of brand exposure gained through non-paid sources - such as influencer posts, viral content, and third-party media coverage.

It helps marketers quantify the impact of organic promotion that contributes to brand awareness, traffic, or sales without incurring direct advertising costs.

Example

"The brand’s hashtag challenge earned over $50,000 in EMV from influencers and viral content."

What Are Ways to Use Earned Media Value on Social Media?

On social media, EMV is commonly used to measure the success of influencer marketing campaigns. It reflects how much value a brand gains from unpaid mentions, shares, and user-generated content.

Brands use EMV to benchmark visibility, assess campaign ROI, and compare performance against competitors based on the value of organic attention.

Pro Tip

Track EMV alongside paid metrics to get a full picture of your campaign’s total value - especially if your strategy relies on influencers or viral content.