When talking to prospective clients, I often get the question: “So, when you say we’ll get media coverage, what exactly are we getting?”
It’s a fair ask. PR is full of shorthand, like earned placements, media inclusions, media engagement, deliverables, etc. etc., and not all of it is self-explanatory. Since clients are investing real budget and hoping for real results, this initial question often snowballs to: What are we actually delivering? What drives outcomes? And how do I know if the coverage we get is the kind that moves the needle?
Again, totally fair questions. Here’s the earned placements and media inclusions edition of what prospective clients should know before getting pitched by a PR firm.
Are earned placements and media inclusions separate or one and the same?
In our view, they’re essentially the same thing, just different labels for the outcome of a PR strategy. Earned placements and media inclusions both refer to what happens after a journalist decides a story is worth telling. It’s the media coverage, through an article or an interview, that results when the media picks up on something we’ve shared.
The deliverable we provide is any form of content or corporate communications that best serves the needs of our clients. This often takes the shape of a press release, news release, media release, contributed byline or a thought leadership blog. Whatever the format, the idea is the same: give reporters something worth talking about to generate coverage.
We support journalist outreach, media relations and media distribution through channels like press release distribution services, news distribution, media contact lists and social media amplification, all of which help broaden brand publicity.
Sometimes the coverage is connected to a moment in time, such as a product launch, product announcement, brand launch, company announcement, press announcement, media announcement or news announcement. The goal is always to land the right stories with the right media outlets.
What drives the volume of placements?
The number of placements you land can vary, and this is due to all the various factors shaping the outcome.
- The strength of the story: Is it timely? Is there something compelling?
- News quality: Will the audience care? Does it tie into a trend?
- The presence of third‑party quotes, research and data: Reporters love evidence, context and voices beyond you.
- How early we can start pitching: The more lead time we have before a story goes live, the better. It gives us space to build a smart media strategy, personalize outreach and get on reporters’ radars.
- The quantity of competition: Journalists receive between 100 to 200 pitches a day, so the more time and strategic targeting we have, the better chance your story stands out.
If any of those pieces are rushed, coverage tends to shrink, and even strong stories can get lost in the shuffle.
What’s the expected time horizon for placements?
We recommend thinking of this in two phases:
- Initial coverage: Typically, you’ll see the first placements within four to six weeks of our engagement start.
- Ongoing coverage: After that, media pitching doesn’t stop. As we refine angles, deepen relationships and re‑surface the topic in new contexts, you’ll see additional placements month‑to‑month.
In other words: most of the “lift” happens early, but the right PR rhythm cultivates momentum and keeps the story alive beyond week six.
What about Tier 1 and Tier 2 media? How do they factor in?
Tier 1: Outlets with 1 million+ unique visitors per month (UVM). These are the prestigious, high-visibility platforms that offer maximum market validation. These include mainstream business media like The Wall Street Journal or The New York Times, top tech publications like TechCrunch and Fast Company, leading broadcast and cable news such as Bloomberg and NPR and top-tier trade journals in AI and enterprise tech like MIT Technology Review and IEEE Spectrum.
Tier 2: High relevance and depth through specialist outlets, strong verticals and regional business media. Think: advanced AI and data trades, financetech niche outlets, regional business journals, etc.
At Bospar, we also believe there is a third tier…
Tier 3: Smaller reach, but often unique influence through local media, niche newsletters, community media, even forums or podcasts. They aren’t going to move millions of eyeballs but can build credibility among target audiences or early adopters.
Our expectation for media mix is somewhere around 10‑20% Tier 1, 40‑60% Tier 2 and the rest within Tier 3.
Now, there is one caveat. In AI and enterprise tech spaces, some Tier 3 outlets punch above their weight. A niche trade outlet with a small circulation but strong industry influence can meaningfully move the needle (even influence algorithms, SEO signals or analyst uptake). So don’t discount them, just calibrate expectations accordingly.
Why does this all matter?
Simply “getting coverage” isn’t enough. You want the right coverage, in the right outlets, at the right time, with the right story. A Tier 1 placement brings brand prestige and broad exposure. A Tier 2 or 3 placement brings relevance, depth and credibility with your specific audience. If you ignore smaller outlets, you may miss the “grassroots” voices that drive early momentum.
Also, the time‑horizon and story strength matter because unrealistic expectations can lead to disappointment. If you expect 100 Tier 1 hits in two weeks with no lead time, no data or quotes, you’ll likely be disappointed. But if you plan for a strategic timeline, layered pitching cadence and varied media tier targets, you’ll set a plan aligned with observable reality.
So to answer the initial question succinctly: Earned placements and media inclusions refer to the same outcome. The deliverable we provide is the content. What happens after we send it, and how we manage the pitching timeline and media tiering, determines the scale and impact.
Curious how this all plays out in practice? We’d love to show you. If you’re looking for a PR team that doesn’t just pitch stories but helps you understand the why behind the wins, reach out to us at results@bospar.com to set up a time to talk.
