Not long ago, a potential new client came to me brimming with excitement.
“I did it!” she said. “I got on TV. NBC, ABC, and CBS. I’m thrilled.”
She showed me the clip and I must say it was polished and very professional. She delivered her key messages well, and her hair, makeup, and clothing all looked good. But I have to say, something felt…off.
The segment had that faint but unmistakable tone of advertorial. Milk toast. Fakey. Rehearsed. There were no tough questions or curiosity from the host. Just a friendly nod and a string of softball prompts to the author. It was weird.
I asked gently, “Did you pay for this appearance?”
She hesitated. “Well, yes… but it was a special media opportunity. They told me there was guaranteed placement on all the top networks. They said I was good enough to do it and I would come across great. They told me it was just like earned media, but faster. And they gave me a discount!”
Ah. There it was.
The problem? She thought she was building credibility, but what she actually bought was airtime. It’s really advertising. Industry folks call it “controlled media” or “pay-to-play.” It might look like real publicity to the untrained eye (although I’m not entirely sure about that), but to producers, journalists, publicists, and other seasoned media insiders, it sends a very different signal:
You couldn’t earn the coverage. You had to buy it.
Yikes. This will hurt you, and it’s a bad idea.
It wasn’t long before she pitched a national morning show, and the segment producer wrote back just one line:
“We saw her on that paid spot.”
Ouch.
Now, don’t get me wrong. There’s a time and place for advertising, and sometimes for product brands and lifestyle segments, it can be part of a broader campaign, and should be.
But for authors, experts, and thought leaders, credibility matters. Let me repeat that:
For authors, experts, and thought leaders, credibility matters.
When you blur the lines between paid and earned media, it can backfire big time, both publicly and professionally. You don’t want that, so don’t take the chance.
So let’s take just a moment and talk about what to watch for:
- Any offer that guarantees national TV exposure without a pre-interview, producer meeting, or editorial vetting. (No. Just no.)
- Buzzwords like “controlled media,” “integrated segment,” or “sponsored content” (No again.)
- Pricing tiers that sound like bargain-bin publicity (“3 segments for $999!”) (Landing top-tier media takes some real effort, skill, and talent, which isn’t bottom of the barrel cheap.)
- Promises of appearing on real TV networks without disclosing that it’s an advertorial slot (Yeah. No.)
- A lack of media training or coaching alongside the placement (because real producers do care how you show up.)
When in doubt, just ask: Is this earned media or paid exposure? That will be the end of that. And if you’re not sure, ask someone who knows the difference. (Hi. That’s me.)
Bottom line
Attention gets people to look. Credibility gets them to care, engage, and buy your book. You got this.
To your success!
Joanne
P.S. Have you been tempted by one of these offers? You’re not alone. Don’t let them take the money and run.
#EarnedMediaMatters
#PublicityWithIntegrity
#BookMarketing
#BookPublicity
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