Media Buying Secrets: Things the Media (Or Your Agency) Will Never Tell You

According to research, there is an expose of around 10,000 ads every day in the media. All this attention originates from digital media buying. Media buying strategizes the concept behind ads and makes the ideas a reality. 

During its early years, media buying was a complex strategy. However, media buying has become more accessible and more beneficial to most businesses today.

Media buying agents help businesses advertise their products and services to audiences. However, some agents don’t have their best interests at heart. Companies should ensure they get the best value for their price. 

Before a business partners with a media buying agency, it’s essential to know all the media buying secrets. This way, they will understand how the agency will turn them from a small fish to a big one.

Brand safety should be a top priority.


Any business would not want to have exposure to inappropriate content. This may occur when a media buying strategy goes out of line, damaging the business’s reputation. This can happen, especially if an ad is released in an unfriendly situation. Therefore, companies need to ensure the agency they partner with adheres to brand safety. The agency should ensure the media buying has fewer layers for it to secure and improve the ad.

Media buying is all about supply and demand.


If a station has a strong demand, the agency will find it hard to negotiate the price. This is a basic economic theory that applies to media buying. If the stations have many adverts to air, they will feel secure, making the negotiations harder. However, if there are stations with flexible rates, agencies will run for them. In this case, available stations mean there are more significant discounts. This reduces advertising costs.

Focus on ratings, not programs.


Businesses waste a lot of money by using their biases while making media buying choices. Sadly, there are those agencies that don’t stop these mistakes. For instance, if a client watches football on cable, they may think it’s best if their ads appear there, but in the real sense, they need to appear elsewhere. This is why businesses need to focus on the ratings of programs.

Value-added bonuses aren’t usually a value.


There are those media buying agencies who need to negotiate better. They may need experienced media staffers who would turn the tables around. These new or inexperienced staff might fail to negotiate on schedule. After this, they will press the station for value-added bonuses. This will make them feel like they have earned their commission but have added zero value.

Only advertise if the business’s ad size or media weight is sufficient to reach the target audience.


In case the ad frequency of the business is insufficient to reach the target audience, it’s best to avoid advertising. Few people respond to such adverts. No business would be happy to waste money; hence, avoiding such a black hole would be wise.

Everything is negotiable.

Media buying is negotiable no matter the case. It’s never sold out and always has available space. Therefore, a business can always negotiate for better rates, times, and schedules. 

Entrepreneurs need to know more about media buying to avoid outlets taking advantage. They need to understand media gross rating points and frequency. Whether a business negotiates on behalf of itself or hires a media agency, it’s important to remember the above tips. This way, the company will have great value for its money.