This article came out of a recent client conversation. They said to us that paid media felt “out of reach” and “probably not necessary”…
After 20 years in marketing, it’s one belief that often causes contention: paid media investment is only for businesses with very big budgets and very big targets.
Of course, it’s not helped by the extreme likes of the gambling sector, which is reported to be spending around £2bn a year on marketing, so it’s easy to see why many leaders assume meaningful media exposure is reserved for those with the deepest pockets.
Our answer to the client was straightforward, big budgets buy scale but smaller budgets still buy effectiveness.
Paid media works when the plan is tight and activity is designed around outcomes and not visibility for its own sake. You are unlikely to win by trying to outspend larger competitors, (nor have the budget to try). But you can win by being clearer about what you need media to do for the business.
That starts with understanding the role of paid, owned and earned media, and how growth can be found when all 3 are used together.
What does paid, owned and earned media mean?
Here’s a simple guide to each:
Paid media
This is any channel where you pay for distribution. For example paid social, search ads, sponsorships or influencer partnerships. The value lies mainly in targeting and control, you choose who sees the message and when.
Owned media
These are the channels you control. Your website, email list, CRM, social channels, blog or community. Owned media builds trust and depth in your brand, the caveat is that it only works once people are there visiting your site or channels.
Earned media
This is exposure you do not pay for directly, such as press coverage, recommendations & reviews or even user-generated content (like someone raving about your product or service on Instagram!). Earned media carries credibility, but can only be partially planned on demand.
Each media type has its strengths and limitations. Sustainable and efficient growth can be found when they work together.
Why paid media matters (even on limited budgets)
Organic reach on social platforms needs constant adjustment to be preferred by the algorithms. Some brands have reported as much as a 30% drop in organic engagement due to algorithm updates (Hootsuite blog, 2025).
On top of this, email remains powerful as long as you have an audience, SEO works over time and earned media is valuable, but unpredictable.
Paid media helps to fill gaps by doing three things reliably:
• Introducing your business to people who do not yet know you
• Accelerating learning through measurable results
• Feeding your owned channels with better engaged audiences
Used well, paid media is an ideal comrade to owned and earned activity.
Where strategy makes a difference
In our (long and varied!) experience, paid media fails less often because of budget and more often because of unclear intent and inconsistent application. This is why it should always form part of a considered strategy.
A strong strategy answers questions like:
• What role does paid media play for us right now and in the future?
• Who are we trying to reach and why?
• What action do we want them to take?
• What should we not do?
• Where does paid activity hand over to owned channels, and what role does earned play?
By answering these questions even modest budgets can deliver meaningful returns.
Businesses gain when different channels work together
Reaching new and relevant audiences
Paid media allows targeted access to people who are already showing intent or interest. Meta reports that seeding content with paid media increases brand recall by up to 59% compared to organic-only distribution.
Stronger engagement across channels
Google research shows that omni-channel shoppers have a 30% higher lifetime value than those who shop using only one channel. Consistency builds familiarity and familiarity builds action.
Clearer measurement
Paid media provides fast feedback because you can see what drives traffic, leads and sales. Nielsen reports that data-led campaigns are 23% more likely to outperform on revenue targets.
Higher conversion through retargeting
People rarely act the first time they see a brand, it’s often said we need 6-7 touchpoints before we will investigate further. Retargeting allows you to follow up with those who have already shown interest. AdRoll data shows retargeted users are up to 70% more likely to convert than first-time visitors.
The takeaway
Businesses shouldn’t discount paid media, it has a key role to play in building awareness and extending reach. When applied with a strategy that connects spend to outcomes it can be a very, very valuable tool.
Even better, pair it up with earned media to build belief and owned media to build relationships. Paid will create the initial momentum to get any campaign or product launch off the ground.
