Why Sponsored Content Isn’t Enough: The Case for Earned Reach

Even if you’re a marketer yourself who champions sponsored content — especially in that coveted top-tier outlet — when you put yourself in a consumer’s shoes, seeing a “sponsored” label on a story can be a little off-putting. That once-engaging story that was worth your time now feels a little “meh.”

You’re not alone. Engagement for sponsored content is falling, and with it, trust. According to a study by sponsored content provider Contently, 54% of readers didn’t trust sponsored content as far back as 2014. This skepticism has only deepened as the landscape evolves.

Despite this, sponsored content and other forms of paid distribution remain everywhere. But today, visibility driven by paid media alone doesn’t deliver what audiences want most — credible, authentic content. The rise of AI-driven search and trust-focused algorithms means earned media and editorial content hold more weight than ever.

Sponsored Content Had Its Moment

Ads really worked for a long time, so it was inevitable that we had to give sponsored content a shot, too. It was once a promising alternative to traditional ads.

Sponsored content offered native storytelling that felt less intrusive, often featuring decent-quality content, all within brand-safe environments. Marketers leaned into it as an alternative to banner ads hoping for better content ROI and engagement.

Example of an early sponsored article circa 2014

The Limits of Sponsored Content

Over time, readers learned to scroll past these sponsored articles just as they did with banner ads. If the article’s message was so critical, why isn’t a third-party, like a journalist, covering it? This rub of low audience trust combined with a pay-to-play ceiling has limited the ROI of sponsored content and paid distribution generally.

Other limitations include:

• High costs: Whether investing in paid campaigns or creative support, results fade fast. The reach of paid content is capped by budget, and stories quickly lose relevance.
• Trust gap: Readers recognize — and commonly dismiss — paid article placements, making it tougher for brands to earn attention, regardless of the quality of their content.
• Low organic discoverability: As AI and search algorithms prioritize credible, trustworthy sources, paid placements are less likely to surface over authentic editorial content.

Source: Native Advertising Institute

Earned Reach: The Antidote to Sponsored Fatigue

Brands can circumvent the shortcomings of paid distribution and earned media with the new antidote: earned reach, which is simply a model where branded content gains scale and trust by being picked up by news outlets.

For example, over 4,000 news outlets, including media giants like McClatchy, now syndicate editorially sound stories produced by brands through platforms like Stacker.

Here’s how SoFi used earned reach to get the attention of AI:

1 📊: SoFi surveyed couples on their financial habits.

2 🔊: The report’s unique findings were summed up in a research article that was published on their blog, and amplified by Stacker’s newswire.

3 📺 : Hundreds of media outlets syndicated the report, including this local TV station.

4 🤖: As a result, AI tools like ChatGPT now cite SoFi’s data; not just from SoFi’s own site, but because authoritative publications amplified it, solidifying SoFi’s credibility and discoverability.

Like earned media, earned reach isn’t something you can buy. It’s based on merit and relevance, and syndication by trusted outlets. Credible stories earn more attention, trust, and long-term value when they’re not only picked up by outlets, but ranked online.

Why Earned Media Wins in an AI-First World

Generative AI amplifies content that is cited by authoritative, trusted sources and niche publications. When editorial content from reputable outlets is picked up, it stands a better chance of being referenced in AI-driven search results and virtual assistants.

AI tools like ChatGPT, Google’s SGE, and Perplexity pull from trustworthy publications, so stories that once had a short shelf-life are more longlasting when they’re cited, giving them the best chance to get resurfaced again and again.

Current research underscores this shift. According to Muck Rack’s new report, in an analysis of over 1 million links from AI responses, 95% of links cited by AI are non-paid; 27% of those are authentic journalistic or editorial sources.

This is a significant jump from Xfunnel’s February 2025 report, showing that more than 70% of AI citations originate from earned media.

Source: What Is AI Reading? report by Muck Rack, accessed in July 2025.

Building an Earned Reach Strategy

Brands that want a formula for scale and credibility in this rapidly-shifting space should:

1. Prioritize published content that upholds journalistic values like timeliness, objectivity, and data-backed insights.
2. Choose syndication partners that facilitate editorial pickup, ensuring stories pass through editorial review before wide distribution, like Stacker does.
3. Measure real-time impact through modern earned media metrics: total readers, pickup volume, and share of voice.

TL;DR Why Earned Reach Is the Smarter Long Game

Where sponsored content eventually reaches the end of the road, earned reach is self-perpetuating, compounding your share of voice and authority.

In an age where trust and discoverability define brand success, prioritizing earned reach provides a lasting competitive advantage for brands seeking sustainable visibility and impact.

Jace Russell is a growth-minded sales and partnerships leader with experience spanning brand journalism, renewable energy, insurance, and media. Currently at Stacker, he helps brands expand their reach by distributing editorial content to thousands of publishers. A former creative in video and photography, Jace brings an entrepreneurial edge, global perspective, and passion for connecting stories with audiences.

Photo Illustration by Stacker // Shutterstock // Canva