Earned media value is a formula you set.

A clear report

Write the value per engagement next to the total. A reader can redo the math.

DM link taps are a better number when the post exists to send a link. Use DripDM’s click count for that.

Make the valuation assumption visible

Earned media value translates selected engagement into a notional dollar amount. It is not money Instagram pays, revenue booked by your shop, or a replacement for a sponsorship contract. DripDM uses likes plus comments multiplied by a value per engagement that you choose. A competitor may use impressions and a CPM instead. Those are different models. Present the formula with the result so a sponsor or teammate can understand what has actually been valued.

A workflow to try

For a campaign report, define the post sample and collect likes and comments at a consistent point after publication. Choose the unit value before reviewing which assumption makes the biggest headline. Show the engagement count, chosen dollar value, and resulting estimate together. Then report the operational results separately: requested DMs, link taps, captured leads, and any sales confirmed by your destination system. An engagement valuation and a purchase total should not be added together as if they were equivalent receipts.

Checks before you change the setup

If the result looks surprising, inspect the input value and sample before changing your strategy. The default $0.10 is there to demonstrate the arithmetic, not establish a market price. Repeated comments or a giveaway can raise the estimate without increasing commercial value. Keep the same valuation approach when comparing campaigns, and explain any changes. Avoid presenting an EMV figure as audited revenue or a promise of what another brand should pay.

Keep the estimate auditable without making it accounting

Archive the engagement inputs and unit-value assumption with the campaign report. If a sponsor requests a different valuation model, show the revised estimate under a new label instead of replacing the old methodology silently. Use words such as modeled or notional so the figure is not mistaken for payment owed. Keep any signed sponsorship fee and confirmed sales in separate report categories. A transparent small model can help compare similarly structured campaigns, but it cannot establish the financial value of every comment, remove duplication, or prove that another brand received an equivalent benefit from the same audience.