What is earned media?
Earned media is coverage you did not pay for: articles, reviews, roundups, podcasts and community discussion. AI assistants cite independent pages when they recommend brands, so credible third-party coverage is often what puts a brand into an answer. Your own site alone is rarely enough.
How to earn it
Publish something worth citing, such as original data or a clear guide, and share it with people who write about your category. Respond to journalists and be accurate. Reviews and lists need honest content, not placed posts.
Example: an independent blog compares five invoicing tools and names yours; assistants later cite that comparison.
Measure it
Check which independent domains assistants cite for your questions and whether you appear there. See citation source.
Check it for your brand
Nodpick shows which independent domains assistants cite for your buyer questions, so you know where coverage would count. Run the free AI visibility check to see your own numbers; the method shows how they are made, and pricing lists the plans.
Read more: What is GEO? Generative engine optimization