State of Earned Media vs. Paid Media
512 business owners who have invested in both paid advertising and earned editorial placements reveal which channel delivers better ROI, higher trust, stronger conversions, and longer-lasting brand value.
The State of Earned Media vs. Paid Media is an annual report commissioned by Baden Bower, a guaranteed PR placement agency founded in 2018. The 2026 edition surveyed 512 business owners who have invested in both paid advertising and earned editorial placements, comparing ROI, lead quality, conversion rates, customer lifetime value, and long-term brand impact across six marketing channels and eight industries.
Key findings
Six headline numbers that redefine how business owners should think about marketing spend.
How does earned media ROI compare to paid ads and wire distribution?
Business owners who have used all three channels rated each on core performance metrics.
| Metric | Earned editorial | Paid ads | Wire distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lead-to-close rate | 31% | 12% | 8% |
| Customer lifetime value (% reporting higher) | 74% | 41% | 29% |
| Brand search lift (% reporting increase) | 68% | 34% | 11% |
| Referral traffic quality (% rating "high") | 71% | 45% | 18% |
How satisfied are business owners with each channel's ROI?
Wire distribution has the highest dissatisfaction rate (47%). Earned editorial has the highest satisfaction (74% positive).
| Channel | Satisfied (very + somewhat) | Dissatisfied |
|---|---|---|
| Earned editorial placements | 74% | 12% |
| Google Ads | 47% | 29% |
| Social media ads | 41% | 33% |
| Wire distribution (PR Newswire etc.) | 25% | 48% |
How do conversions compound over time?
Paid ads spike and fade. Earned media builds slowly but compounds. After month 5, earned overtakes paid and never looks back.
| Time period | Earned editorial | Google Ads | Social ads |
|---|---|---|---|
| Month 1 | 8% | 24% | 18% |
| Month 6 | 41% | 22% | 14% |
| Month 12 | 58% | 16% | 8% |
| Month 24 | 63% | 8% | 3% |
How does each channel affect trust across stakeholder groups?
Earned editorial dominates every category. The gap is widest for investor confidence and partner credibility.
| Stakeholder group | Earned editorial | Paid ad (same pub) | Wire / Press release |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer trust | 87% | 31% | 22% |
| Investor confidence | 82% | 28% | 19% |
| Partner credibility | 84% | 24% | 16% |
| Employee pride | 79% | 35% | 27% |
| Talent attraction | 76% | 32% | 21% |
Swipe left to see all columns →
What outcomes does wire distribution actually produce?
The wire distribution reality check. Businesses that have used both wire and guaranteed editorial compare outcomes head-to-head.
| Outcome | Guaranteed editorial | Wire distribution |
|---|---|---|
| Journalist pickup rate | 100% | 3% |
| Generated inbound leads | 67% | 8% |
| Helped close a deal | 48% | 2% |
| Cited by AI search engines | 44% | 1% |
| Used in visa petition | 72% | 0% |
Which industries see the highest earned media ROI?
Trust-dependent industries see the highest returns. Immigration services leads at 11.4x.
Self-reported ROI multiplier. Immigration services highlighted in green.
| Industry | ROI multiplier |
|---|---|
| Immigration Services | 11.4x |
| Legal | 10.2x |
| Financial Services | 9.1x |
| Healthcare | 7.8x |
| SaaS / Technology | 6.7x |
| Real Estate | 6.3x |
| E-commerce / DTC | 5.4x |
| Professional Services | 8.2x |
Does earned media get cited by AI search engines?
Earned editorial placements are 20x more likely to appear in AI-generated answers than wire distribution.
| AI platform | Earned editorial | Paid ads | Wire distribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cited in Google AI Overviews | 44% | 2% | 1% |
| Mentioned by ChatGPT | 38% | 4% | 2% |
| Cited by Perplexity | 41% | 3% | 1% |
What is the biggest marketing regret?
"Looking back on your marketing spend over the past 3 years, what is your single biggest regret?"
| Regret | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Started earned media sooner | 68% |
| Satisfied with current mix | 19% |
| Spent more on paid ads | 8% |
| Invested in wire distribution | 5% |
Methodology
Study design
The 2026 State of Earned Media vs. Paid Media report was commissioned by Baden Bower and conducted via an online survey of 512 verified business owners across the US, UK, Canada, and Australia between March 4 and 21, 2026.
All respondents were screened to confirm they had personally authorised marketing spend on at least two channels in the prior 24 months: earned editorial placements, paid digital advertising, wire distribution, sponsored content, influencer partnerships, or social media advertising. 73% had used three or more channels.
ROI figures are self-reported perceptions, not audited financial data. Industry breakdown: Professional Services (18%), SaaS/Technology (16%), E-commerce (14%), Financial Services (13%), Healthcare (12%), Real Estate (11%), Legal (9%), Immigration Services (7%). Margin of error: ±4.3% at 95% confidence.
Full survey instrument and data tables available on request. Contact research@badenbower.com.
Frequently asked questions
What is the ROI of earned media compared to paid advertising?
What is the lead-to-close rate for earned media?
How does wire distribution compare to editorial placements?
Do earned media placements get cited by AI search engines?
How long does it take for earned media to outperform paid ads?
What is the biggest marketing regret among business owners?
Stop renting attention. Start earning credibility.
Baden Bower guarantees editorial placements in 700+ publications including Forbes, Bloomberg, and Vogue. The data is clear: earned media delivers 4.7x the ROI. Money-back guarantee.
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Last updated: April 2026 · Baden Bower Research · Founded 2018
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