Understanding A Media Buyers Job

A media buyer or planner is the person responsible for placing advertisements for a company. The advertisements can be placed on radio, television, social networks or in newspapers. Media buyers are essential to the companies who employ them as they influence the companies ability to connect to their audience.
Duties And Responsibilities
As part of the planning process, a media buyer will research the kind of the media, be it TV, radio or social networks, most appropriate for the client. They’ll talk with the chosen media outlet to determine the costs involved as well as when the advertisement will air.
Employers
Usually, a media buyer hired by an advertising or PR agency will be responsible for either one client or several clients within a certain geographical area. Otherwise, if the media planner is employed by a corporation or organization, they usually only handle that company’s advertisements. Any organization which advertises itself to the public will usually employ a media buyer.
Skills
Media buyers will use a wide variety of skills to complete their daily tasks. They often excel at handling business dealings as well as negotiating lower prices for the same amount of advertising time. They also need to be able to conduct market research to identify new and better methods to reach an ever-changing audience.
Education
An employer will hire for new media buyer positions in two ways. Firstly, those who have degrees in advertising, marketing, journalism or communication will be considered above anyone else. In addition, a business degree can be a big bonus since this means the media buyer will have a better understanding of how business works. Employers also hire interns who are still in school for the media service field. This can be a great way for aspiring marketers to get their foot in the door.
Average Salary
The amount of money a media buyer will make tends to differ depending on aspects like seniority, the companies and clients involved as well as how well they do their job. They can also increase their income by specializing in a certain market such as internet media etc. According to http://www.stateuniversity.com/, the median salary is approximately $56,279.