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What Every Marketing Consultant Knows About Media Buying — And You Should, Too

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The whole point of media buying is knowing how best to maximize marketing dollars with the right ad space. This idea seems simple enough until you step back & start realizing what that actually means.

Media buyers need to be able to secure optimal exposure points for the least amount of money. The art comes in knowing which media outlets are best, as well as the best way to shape an ad to net the best results. It can come off as a savvy game of right-place-right-time. In reality, there is a ton of research that goes into every single decision being made.

With so much riding on the precision of the media buying process, companies want to be sure they’ve got a handle on the operation. The last thing they want to do mess up, lose money, and end up with nothing to show for their marketing team’s efforts. While there are no particular “rules” to speak of, there are certainly things to keep in mind when it comes to media buying: 

Zero-Sum Negotiations

When everyone comes to the table only willing to play hardball, nothing gets done. Working with others & developing the right relationships benefits everyone. These integrative interactions lay the groundwork for future campaigns.

Old & New Media

Research will provide insights into what types of media are worth investing in. However, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that a modern audience is only interested in modern media. Traditional & digital/new media are always in play, and the right combination of the two can mean incredible exposure.

Gauging Success of A Campaign

Knowing whether a media buying call was ideal isn’t easy to judge while the campaign is in motion. This is why research plays such a pivotal role before any ink hits the dotted line.

Media Planning Is NOT Media Buying

Though often used interchangeably, media BUYING & media PLANNING are not the same thing. You know that research that is so important? That’s the planning part.

When It’s All Said and Done

If there’s one big takeaway in all of this, it’s that media buying is a lot like marketing as a whole — it’s about building relationships. The better able a marketing team can reach across a proverbial table & make a connection with someone, the further a marketing budget, and message, can go.

Not sure if media buying is the right call? Work with MindEcology, an Austin advertising agency well-versed in all things media.

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