Earned Media Value
Estimated advertising equivalent value of earned media coverage.
Definition
Earned Media Value (EMV) is a metric that estimates what it would cost to buy the equivalent exposure through advertising. While controversial among PR measurement purists, EMV provides a way to translate media coverage into financial terms that non-PR stakeholders understand.
EMV calculations typically consider outlet reach, placement prominence, and sometimes message quality. Critics argue EMV oversimplifies media value and creates false equivalence with advertising. Proponents find it useful for executive communication.
Why It Matters
PR impact can be hard to quantify in terms leadership understands. EMV, despite its limitations, provides a financial translation that helps communicate PR value to budget decision-makers.
For PR professionals, understanding both the utility and limitations of EMV enables appropriate use of this metric.
Examples in Practice
A product launch generates $2M in estimated earned media value, providing a tangible measure of PR impact for leadership.
EMV is presented alongside qualitative measures of message quality to give a complete picture of coverage value.
A campaign's EMV is compared to advertising costs that would have been required to reach similar audiences.