Media Buying

Introduction

When a very appealing advertisement or television commercial is presented on a visual display screen yet there’s no audience, then it cannot be construed to be a successful outcomes. It is critical that not only people get to view but most importantly, for the targeted audiences to experience it. This main purpose of media buying is to ensure a particular client achieves the desired feedback from targeted audiences (Thorson & Moore, 2013). This paper seeks to present a description of the 5 steps for media planning that will enable a particular client to get value for money for the purchased media. The paper will also illustrate three critical media buying rules and how these apply to that specific client.

Media Buying and Planning

Media buying is inherently different from owned media as it appertains to a category described as paid media and is a critical aspect of marketing. Media buying is in essence hiring media real estate in an effort to capitalize on the most beneficial timeslots and spaces (Kelley, Sheehan & Jugenheimer, 2015). Media buying options span from online banner adds, prime time television slots to newspaper advertisements.

Media Venue Selection

The initial steps involving a client’s identified target market. This involves understanding who the client aims at reaching out to in an effort to grasp his or her target market (Kelley, Sheehan & Jugenheimer, 2015). This will inform the manner with which an ideal profile is developed to reflect preferences of target consumers. It is important that the media buyer comprehends the targeted audiences’ gender, age and average incomes in determining the appropriate venue for media placement.

The second step will involve primary as well as secondary research to ascertain where the target market’s local and demographics to further inform on the most favorable media buy (Thorson & Moore, 2013). This step will determine whether the target market is mainly online users or TV enthusiasts or magazine readers and thus, allow for the decisions on the best marketing vehicle. Without good understanding of target audience behaviors and preferences, it would be ineffective to achieve identified objectives when purchasing media real estate.

The third step entails setting marketing objectives to be achieved from reaching out to the target market prior to initiating a decisive plan. This informs what the media buyer aims at attaining with respect to a client’s needs and budget (Thorson & Moore, 2013). The fourth step involves defining and forming an ideal strategy with sufficient information and detail towards an optimized media buying initiative. Here, a media buyer will determine why a particular media avenues remain the best buy, particular outlets are favored in accordance to set objectives, budget and components within the plan. (Thorson & Moore, 2013)

The fifth step entails when to execute media buying. Having looked into all critical parameters of the media plan, the media buyer has to work with the client (Kelley, Sheehan & Jugenheimer, 2015). This is towards determining the opportune moment to purchase an identified media avenue and achieve maximum benefits from the proposed budget.

Integral Media Buying Aspect

The process of buying media is governed by three key features which are also of critical significance to the client as these establish the level that set objectives are achieved. Networking as the first aspect that media purchasers have to possess to adequately develop and cultivate associations with noteworthy media owners (Kelley, Sheehan & Jugenheimer, 2015). As such, quality media time slots and spaces are unlimited and having ideal business connections is critical to desired accomplishment. The second aspect is investigative research such that a buyer must have proper knowledge on the most favorable media platforms relative to target audiences to fully benefit the client (Thorson & Moore, 2013). Negotiation is the third aspect that requires the buyer to have requisite dexterity to attain fair pricing as well as have the abilities to locate extras or deals to profit the client.

References

Kelley, L., Sheehan, K., & Jugenheimer, D. W. (2015). Advertising media planning: a brand management approach. New York City, NY: Routledge.

Thorson, E., & Moore, J. (2013). Integrated communication: Synergy of persuasive voices. New York City, NY: Psychology Press.