EMV inflates value 3-8x versus tracked paid attribution

EMV inflates value 3-8x versus tracked paid attribution

EMV (earned media value) | Tracked CPA — two numbers for one campaign, rarely equal.

EMV estimates 'what this exposure would have cost in ads.' It's a modeled proxy, not money in. Tracked attribution counts sales to a link or code. The gap is the question.

— EMV per post: $1,800-12,000 (multiplier-driven, soft)
— Tracked revenue per post: $200-2,400 (hard, auditable)

Use EMV to compare creators against each other. Never use it to justify budget to finance.

So what: report EMV internally for ranking, tracked CPA externally for renewal decisions.

Benchmark: n=140 posts — median EMV/tracked-revenue ratio 4.6x.