What is earned media value (EMV)?

Earned media value is an estimate of what the attention a piece of content received would have cost if you had bought it with ads. Each impression, like, comment, share, save, click and view is given a dollar value, and the values are added up.

Where do the default values come from?

They are rough figures based on typical paid social ad costs, such as a few dollars per 1,000 impressions and under a dollar per click. They are not an industry standard. For the most useful result, replace them with the CPM, cost per click and cost per engagement from your own ad account.

Is EMV the same as revenue?

No. EMV measures the advertising value of attention, not money earned. A post can have a high EMV and drive no sales. Use it alongside clicks, leads and sales to judge a campaign, not on its own.

Why are comments and shares worth more than likes?

They take more effort and do more for reach. A share puts your content in front of a new audience and a comment often starts a conversation, while a like is a one-tap reaction. Most EMV models weight them higher for that reason.

How do I use EMV for influencer campaigns?

Add up the EMV for every post in the campaign and compare it with what you paid the creators. If the EMV is several times the cost, the content earned more attention than the same budget would have bought in ads.

How can I turn earned attention into leads?

Ask people to comment a keyword to get a link, guide or discount. With Hypello, everyone who comments the keyword gets an instant DM, and an AI agent can collect their name, email or phone number, so the attention turns into contacts you own.

Instagram EMV Calculator

Calculate the earned media value of an Instagram post, Reel or influencer campaign. Enter its reach and interactions, adjust the value of each action, and see what that attention would have cost in ads.

100% free
No sign-up
Runs in your browser

CountValue per action

Impressions

$ per 1,000

Video views

$ per view

Likes

$ per like

Comments

$ per comment

$ per share

Saves

$ per save

Link clicks

$ per click

What the content cost ($, optional)

Creator fee or production cost. Used to work out the return.

Earned media value

$1,878

Estimated ad value of this content

EMV per 1,000 impressions

$37.56

Add the content cost to see the return

From engagement

$928

49% of total, from likes to clicks

From reach and views

$950

51% of total

EMV breakdown

Metric	Count	EMV	Share
Impressions	50,000	$350	19%
Video views	30,000	$600	32%
Likes	2,500	$250	13%
Comments	120	$180	10%
Shares	90	$108	6%
Saves	150	$120	6%
Link clicks	300	$270	14%
Total		$1,878

How EMV is calculated

Earned media value gives a dollar figure to attention you didn't pay for directly. Each metric is multiplied by what the same result would cost in ads, then everything is added together:

EMV = (impressions ÷ 1,000 × CPM) + (views × cost per view) + (likes × value per like) + (comments × value per comment) + (shares × value per share) + (saves × value per save) + (clicks × cost per click)

Choosing your values

The defaults are rough ranges based on typical paid social costs, not an official standard. Different tools and agencies use different values, which is why EMV figures from two platforms rarely match. To make your numbers comparable over time:

Use the CPM and cost per click from your own Instagram ads where you can.
Keep the same values for every campaign you compare.
Write down the values you used next to every EMV figure you report.

Where EMV falls short

EMV values attention, not outcomes. Pair it with metrics that show intent, such as link clicks, DMs and leads, so you can tell a post that got noticed from one that actually moved people to act.

How it works

How to use it

Step 1
Enter the post's results
Copy impressions, likes, comments, shares, saves, link clicks and video views from Instagram Insights.
Step 2
Check the value per action
Keep the default values or replace them with what you pay for the same result in ads.
Step 3
Read the earned media value
See the total EMV, which metrics drive it, and the return compared with what the content cost.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

Answers to common questions about the Instagram EMV Calculator.

: Earned media value is an estimate of what the attention a piece of content received would have cost if you had bought it with ads. Each impression, like, comment, share, save, click and view is given a dollar value, and the values are added up.
: They are rough figures based on typical paid social ad costs, such as a few dollars per 1,000 impressions and under a dollar per click. They are not an industry standard. For the most useful result, replace them with the CPM, cost per click and cost per engagement from your own ad account.
: No. EMV measures the advertising value of attention, not money earned. A post can have a high EMV and drive no sales. Use it alongside clicks, leads and sales to judge a campaign, not on its own.
: They take more effort and do more for reach. A share puts your content in front of a new audience and a comment often starts a conversation, while a like is a one-tap reaction. Most EMV models weight them higher for that reason.
: Add up the EMV for every post in the campaign and compare it with what you paid the creators. If the EMV is several times the cost, the content earned more attention than the same budget would have bought in ads.
: Ask people to comment a keyword to get a link, guide or discount. With Hypello, everyone who comments the keyword gets an instant DM, and an AI agent can collect their name, email or phone number, so the attention turns into contacts you own.

More free tools

Try another tool

View all free tools →

Turn earned attention into leads

Hypello sends an instant DM to everyone who comments your keyword and can collect their email or phone number in the chat. Start free with 1,000 DMs a month.

Get Started For Free View Pricing →