April 2025 Finishing the Series on Types of Marketing Media: Paid Media 

Periodically this spring we’ve started talking about the three classic categories of marketing media – Earned, Owned and Paid. We’ve taken a couple of recent weeks to discuss Earned and Owned media, lots of new avenues to include in the descriptions of the three types, but the definitions have changed surprisingly little in our digital age.

Today we complete the series and talk a bit about Paid Media, which we just used to call advertising.

If you are an experienced marketer, much of the rest of what I’m about to say will be old news to you so feel free to skip this next bit. 

Paid Media can also correctly be called advertising, but the types and form have morphed somewhat in the digital age. 

Let’s explore a bit about why this tool also should be part of your toolbox in promoting your book. 

Before we do that, a quick recap on the three types. 

I felt it was easiest to describe by including both the pre-digital and current definitions for the terms. 

If you can remember before the world was digitally driven, then you remember newspapers that came printed on paper and television where we had just a few channels and some of those went off the air at midnight. And we also had plenty of well-loved and relied upon radio stations. 

But even in those days, one could argue there were those three recognized categories of media. 

Sometimes people have even described these as three legs of a stool. Need all three for a balanced approach. Yet each has different considerations and ways of thinking about communicating. 

If you are familiar with Buoyancy PR, you know our sweet spot is working with the media, the Earned Media of our three types. So that’s what we primarily write about here. 

Earned Media is basically any good exposure that someone else says about your book or project, cause or company. Originally, and in the primary way we at Buoyancy PR still focus most of our work, Earned Media is when the news media decided to cover you at an event, write a story or review of your book or play, or interview you if you had been successful at “earning” their attention. You didn’t pay for the resulting airtime or article space. To update for now, earned media also, and likely more often, includes anything other people say to draw attention to you and your book, such as word of mouth, customer reviews, and social media mentions. 

Owned Media is the content you create and control, primarily your website, blog, and social media posts (though not of course the platforms themselves) and even emails. Back in the dark ages when I was studying this, without knowing this term, Owned Media would also have included brochures, newsletters, and company or ministry annual reports. Those things are still valid and valuable, especially for more local communication. 

That brings us to Paid Media. While for some it still is a good decision to do traditional advertising in print, radio and TV, most of the time as an author you are likely to be considering online advertising. 

According to Google, consumers are 84% more likely to see mobile advertising (remember, that includes YouTube) than a traditional TV ad. 

While you are digesting that, consider also that digital advertising can be tried at amazingly low costs. 

I would argue that advertising draws attention to you, that can then be aided tremendously by the other types of media that allow people to get better acquainted with you and ultimately persuade someone to buy your book or begin to follow you. 

If you read this missive even once in a while, you probably have heard me explain I am not a social media expert, nor do I know much about digital advertising. 

So, for more on digital advertising, I spoke with a colleague in Tennessee, Brianna Sybesma of Unsalted Innovations, LLC, who specializes in working with small businesses. Here’s some of what she has to say on this topic. 

“When it comes to online advertising for authors who are just getting started, the most important thing is to keep it simple and focused. You don’t have to be everywhere—you just need to be where your readers are,” Brianna explains. 

She advises that Facebook might be a great starting point, “especially for authors with an older audience.” 

“Facebook is user-friendly, has a strong community feel, and your ideal readers—especially those over 40—are likely already there. You can begin with something as simple as a boosted post to promote your book or direct people to your website or Amazon listing. It’s a low-risk way to start learning how ads work.” 

She continues. 

“Amazon ads are another solid option. These show your book to readers who are actively browsing for similar titles—so you’re meeting people who are already ready to buy. That said, Amazon’s platform has more of a learning curve, so start small, focus on category targeting, and be patient with the process.” 

If this is starting to put your brain on overload already, and you wonder whether Facebook or Amazon is best for you, she says this. 

“If you’re looking to build awareness and connect with your audience, start with Facebook. If you’re looking to drive book sales directly on Amazon, those ads can be effective—but they require more tweaking and strategy.” 

I would add here that if you really want Amazon ads, you need to learn about it or find someone else who can guide you. It’s quite a bit more nuanced. 

But the amazing thing to me is about the costs. 

Advertising has to be maintained for a while. There are commonly known statistics that people need to hear something six times, now some say seven times, before acting on it. It’s a great reminder in many spheres ranging from communicating with your spouse, to evangelism—to selling books. 

But Brianna mentions that a boosted post on Facebook can cost just $5-10 a day, and should be boosted for at least three days. 

With Amazon ads, she recommends running the same ad for seven-14 days to see if it’s working, but that expenditure might be anywhere from $2-$5 a day. 

That’s a small amount to risk to give something like this a try. 

Brianna encourages with this. 

“Start small, test one platform at a time, and don’t be afraid to ask for help or use tutorials. You don’t have to master it all—you just have to start.” 

And then she adds a note that supports my three-legged stool example about Earned, Owned and Paid Media. 

“Lastly, don’t forget about your own content. Whether you’re running ads or not, having a presence online (even a simple Facebook Page or website) where readers can learn more about you and your book makes a big difference.” 

What I like about her approach is that she speaks about advertising helping to build organic growth and feels slow and steady is the way to build a community of followers and readers. 

What I’ve shared from Brianna is just the tip of the iceberg, so be watching for more from her on these topics and on growing your social media presence. And if you wish to connect with her directly in conjunction with Buoyancy PR, let me know.