Media Buy

What Is Media Buying?

Media buying is the purchase of advertising from a media company such as a television station, newspaper, magazine, blog, or website. It involves negotiating price and placement of ads, as well as researching the best new venues for ad placement.

Key Takeaways

• Media buying is the purchase of advertising from a media outlet, including newspapers, blogs, and television stations.
• A media buy is not earned or owned media because it is purchased.

Understanding Media Buying

Media buying is acquiring real estate or inventory for ad placement. In television buying, factors to consider include time, space, rates, lead demand, and more. The price depends on campaign specifics, such as the regional or nationwide reach. On a website, factors determining media buy price are ad placement, number of pages, ad size, duration, website traffic, and user demographics. The more exposure, the higher the cost. Media buying is different from earned and owned media as it is purchased.

Stages of Media Buys

Prior to a media buy, buyers research to optimize return on investment. They study the product’s target audience and determine the best venues. Budgets dictate timing and placement, with bigger budgets accessing regional or national markets, while smaller budgets may target local newspapers or radio. Once the venue is chosen, buyers negotiate price, timing, and terms.

Important aspects of the media buying process include fostering personal relationships with media planners and channel owners, staying updated on market changes, challenging assumptions regarding the best advertising venues, and creating value for clients through deals.

Media Buy and Programmatic Buying

In online and mobile advertising, programmatic buying uses technology to automate the buying process. It utilizes algorithms to enable real-time bidding for ad placement on web pages.