Media Buying and Planning

Media Buying UNALIKE Any Other

Most agencies call themselves media buyers when what they actually run is a Google Ads account and a Meta ad account. Media buying is the bigger discipline: planning channel mix, negotiating direct and programmatic inventory, managing frequency and viewability, pacing budget across flights, and tying every dollar back to a measurable business outcome. That is what we do. We plan and buy paid media across Google, Microsoft, Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn, YouTube and the open programmatic marketplace, connected TV, digital audio, digital out-of-home, print, radio, and traditional television, and we do it with the attribution, reporting, and pacing discipline that a sophisticated buyer expects.

If you already know the difference between CPM, CPP, and incremental lift; between managed-service and self-serve DSPs; between MMM and MTA attribution; and between a direct IO and a private marketplace deal, you are our kind of client. If you don't, we will walk you through every one of those decisions in plain language and show you what each one costs and what each one buys.

Media Buying vs. Media Planning

Media buying and media planning are two important components of the advertising and marketing process. Although they are related, they refer to distinct activities with different goals and responsibilities.

Media planning refers to the process of selecting the most effective media channels and scheduling the placement of advertising messages in order to reach a target audience and achieve specific marketing objectives. Media planners determine the target audience, set marketing objectives, research media options, and create a plan for how and when to place advertising messages.

Media buying, on the other hand, refers to the process of purchasing advertising space or time on various media platforms in order to reach a target audience and achieve specific marketing objectives. Media buyers negotiate prices and contracts with media outlets, purchase advertising space, and manage the delivery and placement of advertising messages.

In general, media planning sets the strategic direction for advertising and marketing efforts, while media buying focuses on the tactical execution of media purchases. Both activities are important for the success of advertising and marketing campaigns, and they often work together to ensure that businesses reach their target audiences, achieve their marketing objectives, and maximize the return on their advertising investment.

Benefits Of Media Planning For A Business

Media planning is the process of selecting the most effective media channels and scheduling the placement of advertising messages in order to reach a target audience and achieve specific marketing objectives. Here are some of the key benefits of media planning for a business:

• Reach and frequency: Media planning allows a business to reach its target audience with a consistent frequency, ensuring that the message is seen and heard by the right people at the right time.
• Cost-effectiveness: By carefully selecting the most cost-effective media channels and optimizing the media schedule, media planning helps a business maximize its advertising budget and get the best return on investment.
• Targeting: Media planning enables a business to target its advertising messages to specific audiences, based on factors such as demographic, geographic, and psychographic characteristics.
• Brand building: Through consistent and strategic media placement, media planning helps a business build its brand by creating a consistent image and message across different media channels.
• Measurement and evaluation: Media planning provides a framework for tracking and measuring the effectiveness of advertising campaigns, allowing a business to make informed decisions about how to optimize its media investments.
• Competitive advantage: By carefully planning and executing its media strategies, a business can gain a competitive advantage over its rivals and reach its marketing goals more effectively.

Overall, media planning provides a structured and strategic approach to advertising and marketing that helps businesses reach their target audiences, build their brands, and achieve their marketing goals.

What Media Platforms Will A Media Buyer Purchase

Media buyers can purchase advertising space or time on a variety of different media platforms, including:

Television

Television is a traditional and widely-used media platform, and media buyers can purchase airtime on national, regional, or local television stations.

Radio

Radio is another traditional media platform that provides a targeted and cost-effective way to reach listeners. Media buyers can purchase airtime on national, regional, or local radio stations.

Print: Print media includes newspapers, magazines, and other print publications, and media buyers can purchase advertising space in these publications.

Outdoor

Outdoor advertising includes billboards, transit ads, and other forms of out-of-home advertising. Media buyers can purchase space on billboards, buses, subways, and other outdoor media platforms.

Digital

Digital media includes online and mobile platforms such as websites, social media, and apps. Media buyers can purchase advertising space and time on these platforms, including display ads, video ads, and sponsored content.

Cinema and TV

Cinema advertising allows businesses to reach movie-goers through pre-feature advertisements, and media buyers can purchase this type of advertising space. While TV has multiple avenues, between regular cable advertising or streaming options, reaching customers on platforms such as Amazon and Crave, with targeted marketing that actually can give you digital level viewership reporting.

Direct Mail

Direct mail is a form of print advertising that is sent directly to potential customers through the mail. Media buyers can purchase direct mail advertising space and time.

These are just a few of the media platforms that media buyers can purchase, and the choice of platform will depend on the target audience, marketing objectives, and budget of the business.

What A Real Media Plan Looks Like

A media plan is not a list of channels. It is a document that names the audience you are buying, the channels you will reach them on, the formats and creative you will serve, the weekly and monthly budget pacing, the KPIs you will measure against, and the decision rules you will use to shift spend mid-flight. We write it before we spend, we share it with you, and we version it as the campaign runs.

• Audience definition: first-party CRM segments, lookalikes, third-party intent data, demographic and geographic targeting, and the exclusion lists we apply.
• Channel mix and rationale: which channels for reach, which for consideration, which for conversion, and why each one earned its share of budget.
• Inventory strategy: managed-service vs self-serve DSPs, private marketplace deals, direct publisher IOs, and the brand-safety filters in place.
• Frequency and viewability: caps by user per week, viewability floors by channel, and the measurement vendors we use to verify both.
• Budget pacing: weekly flighting, day-part weighting, and the thresholds that trigger reallocation.
• Measurement plan: which actions are measured where, which attribution model, and how we reconcile platform-reported numbers against server-side and analytics data.

How Is The Media Purchased

Both algorithms and manual relationships are used in media buying. The approach that a media buyer uses depends on several factors, including the type of media, the target audience, the marketing objectives, and the budget.

Algorithmic media buying uses software and algorithms to automate the process of purchasing media, based on data and performance metrics. This approach is often used for digital media, such as programmatic advertising, and it allows for efficient and targeted media purchases at scale.

Manual media buying, on the other hand, involves the manual selection and purchase of media through established relationships with media outlets and publishers. This approach is often used for traditional media, such as television, radio, and print, and it can provide more flexibility and control over the placement of advertising messages.

In many cases, media buying agencies use a combination of algorithmic and manual methods to plan and purchase media, taking advantage of the benefits of both approaches. For example, they may use algorithms to automate the buying of digital media, while relying on manual relationships to negotiate deals and secure premium placements for traditional media.

Overall, the choice between algorithmic and manual media buying depends on the specific needs and goals of the business, and media buyers will use a combination of methods to achieve the best results for their clients.

How Are Media Costs Calculated

It’s not about throwing darts at a budget dartboard, media cost calculation is both a science and an art. At its core, the process uses industry-standard pricing models to determine how much you’ll pay to reach your audience effectively. Here’s how the math works and how we take it up a notch:

The Basics of Media Pricing

These models are the starting point, but without the right strategy, you could end up paying more than necessary for less impact.

• CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impressions): Ideal for branding campaigns, this metric focuses on how many eyeballs see your ad. A $10 CPM means you’re spending $10 for every 1,000 views.
• CPC (Cost Per Click): Great for performance-driven campaigns, CPC ensures you only pay when someone takes action, clicking on your ad.
• CPP (Cost Per Point): Common in TV and radio advertising, CPP measures the cost to reach 1% of a specific audience in a defined market.

Negotiating the Best Rates

Think of us as your personal dealmakers. Ad rates vary based on timing, demand, and platform competition. We leverage vendor relationships and market insights to lock in the most competitive prices, ensuring your budget stretches further. Whether it’s securing premium placements during off-peak times or bundling buys across platforms for discounts, we’re always on the hunt for value.

Factoring in Creative Needs and Ad Formats

Media costs aren’t just about the space, you also need the right format. Different placements and platforms may require tailored creative assets. We calculate these additional costs upfront, so there are no surprises down the road.

For example, a video ad on YouTube will have a different cost structure than a carousel ad on Instagram or search ad at the top of Google. While high-impact formats, like takeovers or homepage banners, may come with a premium price tag but offer unparalleled visibility.

Data-Driven Decision-Making

We don’t just set a budget and hope for the best. Our team analyzes historical data, industry benchmarks, and audience behaviours to estimate the ROI of each platform. By aligning spend with projected outcomes, we maximize efficiency and ensure your dollars are focused on what works.

Ongoing Optimization

Media buying is not set-it-and-forget-it. Campaigns run against pacing curves and performance thresholds. When a channel clears its threshold and has room to scale, we move budget toward it. When a channel underperforms for long enough to be statistically meaningful, not after two bad days, we cut or rebuild it. Every shift is logged with the reason, the before-and-after numbers, and the expected impact.

Measurement And Attribution

Platform-reported conversions are a starting point, not the finish line. Google will take credit for conversions Meta also claims; Meta will take credit for conversions TikTok also claims; and none of them will tell you the assisted impact of a billboard or a connected-TV spot. We reconcile that. Our default stack: server-side conversion tracking through Google Tag Manager, GA4 for cross-channel attribution, platform pixels with Conversions API integration where available, and, for clients spending enough to justify it, media mix modelling or geo-lift testing for the channels that pixels cannot measure.

The reporting you receive shows platform-reported numbers, analytics-reported numbers, and our reconciliation of the two, every month. You will never see a dashboard that claims 10 conversions when your CRM shows three.

Using An Agency For Media Planning And Buying

Working with a media planning and buying agency provides businesses with access to expertise, cost savings, and increased efficiency, and can help businesses achieve their marketing objectives and maximize the return on their advertising investment.

• Expertise: Agencies have a team of experienced media planners and buyers who have the skills, knowledge, and connections to effectively plan and purchase media. They are up-to-date on the latest industry trends and best practices, and can provide valuable insights and recommendations to businesses.
• Time savings: Working with a marketing agency can save businesses time and resources, as agencies handle the complex and time-consuming process of media planning and buying. This allows businesses to focus on other areas of their operations.
• Cost savings: Agencies have established relationships with media outlets, and they can often negotiate better rates and deals for businesses. This can result in significant cost savings for businesses.
• Targeting and optimization: Agencies use data and insights to plan and purchase media that reaches the right audience, at the right time, and with the right frequency. They continuously monitor and analyze campaign performance, and make data-driven decisions to optimize media plans and improve results.
• Integration and cross-channel planning: Agencies can provide integrated and cross-channel media planning and buying services, ensuring that businesses reach their target audience through the right combination of media channels.
• Accountability and transparency: Agencies provide businesses with regular reports and updates on campaign performance, and they are accountable for the results of their media planning and buying efforts.

Ready For A Media Plan You Can Actually Audit?

Bring us your current media mix, your last twelve months of spend, and your business outcomes. We will tell you what is working, what is being double-counted, and what we would change. The first conversation is free. The plan that comes out of it is the one we run.