Paid, earned and sponsored media, and when a feature must be labelled

The short answer

Paid media is advertising you buy. Earned media is coverage an editor chooses to run without payment. A sponsored article sits between them: you pay, but the result is formatted like the outlet's own articles. That format is the reason the FTC's native advertising guide says it must be identifiable as an ad.

Our PR service sells sponsored features, so this page explains the labelling rules we work to and what to check before you buy from anyone. It is a plain-language summary of FTC guidance, not legal advice.

Paid, earned and sponsored: what each one is

• Paid media: a banner, search or social ad. It looks like an ad, and everyone knows it.
• Earned media: a journalist writes about you because the story is worth telling. You do not pay for the article, and you do not control the wording.
• Sponsored content: you pay, usually approve the text, and the publication runs it in the style of its articles, with a label.

The money does not make one better. Earned coverage carries an editor's judgement, which readers trust. A sponsored piece carries certainty: you know it will run, when, and what it says. Many businesses use both.

When the FTC says a feature must be labelled

The FTC's enforcement policy statement on deceptively formatted advertising says an ad is deceptive when its format misleads people about its nature or source, "even if the product claims" are true. The test is the overall net impression, so the layout counts as much as the wording.

The native advertising guide turns that into practical points:

• Wording: it lists "Ad", "Advertisement", "Paid Advertisement" and "Sponsored Advertising Content" as clear. It says "Promoted" can suggest the publisher endorses the content, and that a logo alone is not enough.
• Placement: near the headline, above or in front of it, not below the article where readers may click before seeing it.
• Staying attached: the label should travel when the piece is shared, emailed or shown in search listings.
• Responsibility: advertisers must make sure native ads are identifiable, and anyone who helps create or present them, including agencies, must not mislead people about the commercial nature.

The FTC also says some ads are obviously commercial and need no label. A feature written to read like journalism is not one of them. The FTC's endorsement guidance applies the same idea to payments and free products: if you were paid or given something of value, say so plainly.

How the paid options compare

How the options compare:

Agency and placement figures are everything-pr's 2026 estimates; the same page advises asking how a firm defines a guaranteed placement and what disclosure applies. A retainer firm is the better choice when you want journalists to write about you unprompted.

What to check before you pay for a sponsored article

1. Is the label visible near the headline, in plain words such as "Sponsored" or "Advertisement"?
2. Does the label survive sharing, search listings and the copy of the page you receive?
3. Do you approve the text, and can every claim in it be backed up?
4. Is the price fixed and the timing written down?

A label is not a weakness. A reader who knows a page is sponsored still finds the facts, the name and the credibility signals on it. If you want that kind of page, tell us the angle and the publication you have in mind.