Let’s talk about earned media, and why it’s one of the most underrated tools producers have at their fingertips.

This week at the CreativeHQ clinic, producers came together to break down what it really means to build an earned media funnel.

What is Earned Media?
Media that features you without you paying for it or having to build the audience yourself.
✅ Podcasts
✅ Articles
✅ Panels
✅ Guest newsletters

✅ Film Festivals (Q&A)

✅ Work-in-Progress Pitch events
✅ Blogs
✅ Vlogs/YouTube channels

 It’s “earned” because you brought something worth talking about. And it works because it builds trust — fast.

Why It Matters For Producers

Put simply:

“Earned media is a borrowed audience. But it only works to create meaningful opportunities if you give people a direct route route back to you.”

That means:
→ Including a call to action
→ Link to your mailing list, website, socials or premiere
→ Turn every feature and audience-facing opportunity into a traffic driver

Producer Wins From The Clinic

💬 “One article in a newspaper brought in calls from big production companies, commissioners and investors the following week”
💬 “People started tagging me and raising my profile just from one guest podcast appearance”

💬 “From one work-in-progress event, I secured a sales agent and an MG for my documentary”

👀 How to build the funnel

1. Pitch yourself – Reach out to podcasts, publications, community orgs, festivals - find the spaces that your target audience is engaging with.

   • Looking for buyers? Pitch to be on a panel at a festival or market that buyers are attending.

   • Looking for a sales agent? Pitch your work at a festival work-in-progress strand that sales agents scout from.

   • Looking for investors? Pitch to newspapers that the investors are reading or a podcasts they actually listen to.
     

2. Offer value – Don’t just plug your film; offer an angle, insight, or story that will earn the audience’s trust and respect.
   

3. Link it all back – Always drive people to where they can go next - your socials, website, event, even your direct email address.
   
   

📈 This isn’t random visibility — it’s visibility that converts into meaningful progress for your projects and financial stability for your company.

Wish you had been in that clinic?

Join CreativeHQ and get access to:

📚 Workshops & masterclasses to grow your company

🧠 Weekly producer clinics and festival meet-ups to share knowledge and expand your professional network
🎤 Our annual pitch event to secure funds