Why Public Relations & Earned Media are the Unsung Heroes of ABM Optimization

Account-Based Marketing (ABM) is a crucial strategy for B2B companies, but public and media relations results remain an undervalued yet powerful component for building trust and credibility.

As someone who’s spent years driving demand and revenue for B2B companies, I’ve seen Account-Based Marketing (ABM) evolve from a niche strategy into a central pillar of modern enterprise marketing. ABM’s “precision” targeting and personalization have transformed how we engage high-value accounts.

But as we optimize ABM models with AI, intent data, and multi-channel orchestration, one element remains consistently undervalued: Earned media, which is the publicity or exposure your brand gets for “free” in publications, analyst reports, online, etc., rather than paying for it or creating it yourself.

It’s time we change that.

NOTE: Public Relations (PR) and media relations professionals are the critical component in getting these “earned” placements. You will often hear marketing professionals say that “media coverage is free.” While the company does not pay for the coverage or the “space,” it does require budget and spending to employ professionals who engage with publications, craft articles, and secure the placement of content.

ABM is Data-Driven and ROI-Focused

ABM is no longer experimental. The 2025 data are exceptionally compelling:

• 67% of brands report having an active ABM program, according to a recent HubSpot report.
• Companies allocate 29% of their marketing budgets to ABM, according to a study from WebFX.
• Organizations using ABM have seen a 208% increase in marketing-generated revenue, per research from Jobera.

While these numbers tell a compelling story, they neglect to point out that ABM’s success depends on trust, credibility, and relevance. These are qualities that PR and media relations deliver better than any paid placement.

Earned Media is The Credibility Engine

Earned media or PR/media coverage from trusted outlets, analyst mentions, and influencer endorsements offer something paid media placements can’t: third-party validation. In a landscape where only 5% of B2B accounts are actively in a buying cycle at any given time, credibility becomes a competitive advantage (and a valuation driver if your company is looking at an exit).

Recent research from Cision and Demand Gen Report shows:

• 90% of B2B marketers rank earned media as effective or very effective for demand generation.
• 48% have increased public and media relations budgets, outpacing growth in paid media budgets.
• B2B marketing and communications budgets now allocate roughly the same amount–24%–to public relations as they do to paid media.

Why the shift? Because media coverage supplements outbound programs, combats ad fatigue, and builds trust with decision-makers who increasingly rely on peer validation and thought leadership. It gives your salesperson who is dealing with a large number of buyers and influencers inside an account more opportunities to connect, build relationships, address objections, empower champions, and close the deal.

In the new ABM optimization model, public/media relations play a strategic role across the funnel:

• Top-of-Funnel Awareness: Media coverage amplifies brand visibility and positions your company as a category leader.
• Mid-Funnel Engagement: Thought leadership in earned channels nurtures trust and accelerates pipeline velocity.
• Bottom-of-Funnel Conversion: Credible third-party validation helps sales teams close deals faster and with greater confidence.
• Revenue Retention: Third party validation reminds the buyer and influencers they made the right decision.

When integrated into ABM execution, media coverage becomes a force multiplier, enhancing personalization, increasing engagement, and improving conversion rates.

PR is A Versatile Tool in the Sales Cycle

One of the most overlooked advantages of public relations is its versatility in the sales cycle. When repurposed strategically, media coverage, analyst quotes, and thought leadership placements become powerful sales enablement tools. Embedding media coverage into outbound emails, sales decks, and nurture sequences creates additional touch points that reinforce credibility and keep prospects engaged.

For example, a well-placed article in a respected industry publication can be used to re-engage dormant accounts or validate a solution during the consideration phase. These assets don’t just inform, they influence, helping sales teams move conversations forward with authority and relevance. A great business article about your company gives the technical buyer ammunition to help overcome potential objections from finance or other stakeholders on the buying committee.

Historically, the Achilles heel of media relations has been the measurement of results. But that’s changing. New frameworks such as “Engagement Value” (placement quality × estimated audience) are helping marketers quantify impact. Modern CRMs are improving their capabilities to track multi-touch campaigns. Salespeople are telling marketing and communications, “thank you” when they can take a quality, objective third-party article to the table during the sales process. And with 70% of marketers saying they’d invest more in earned media if ROI tracking improved, the opportunity is clear.

AI Tools Rely on Earned Media

Finally, in today’s AI-driven world, virtually all AI visibility engines prioritize news coverage over other content. As AI attempts to provide the most valuable and accurate content, information that comes from third parties, such as journalists, customers, and objective influencers, is perceived as more authentic than paid ads or your company’s self-promotion. AI tools often optimize for trust signals, and earned media is full of them.

As ABM matures, we must evolve our thinking. Public and media relations aimed at generating valuable coverage are a strategic opportunity for pipeline acceleration, revenue growth, and retention. In my experience, the most successful ABM programs are those that treat media relations as a core component, not a nice-to-have.

If you’re optimizing your ABM strategy, ask yourself: “Are you earning the trust your buyers need to say yes?”