Buying Media Intelligently
If you want to get the word out about your company, product, or service, it makes sense to consider advertising in several different venues. This can help with brand exposure and it can help get more people to know about what you have to offer.
However, it is not in your best interest to buy this advertising so broadly and blindly. There’s no sense in wasting hundreds, thousands, or even millions of dollars on advertising that doesn’t target the right demographic.
And that’s where media buying comes into play. According to Wikipedia:
Media Buying is the procurement of the best possible placement and price of a piece of media real-estate within any given media.
In short, it’s about getting the best bang for your marketing buck when it comes to a media-based ad purchase.
Modern Day Media Options
Traditionally, someone hired as a media buyer for a company will go out and optimize the purchased advertising based on budget and scope. These ads would typically be placed on the radio, on TV, or in print.
While all three of these are certainly still viable advertising options today, the concept of media buying has expanded well beyond those traditional media consumption realms. Internet marketing, like buying private ad spots on a website, can undergo much the same kind of research than a traditional media buy may entail.
In fact, given the available metrics for Internet-based advertising, media buying research is even more powerful. You can target for specific demographics, geographic locations, surfing habits, hobbies and interests, and several other criteria.
This pinpoint marketing, along with great metrics to track conversions, makes Internet media buying a powerful tool for business owners and entrepreneurs of all sizes.
The Future of Media Buying
Looking ahead to the days and years to come, there could be another major revolution in the world of media buying.
More specifically, television advertising can become much more affordable and accessible to the general public through Google TV Ads. It uses the same familiar Adwords engine, but in the context of buying national cable television advertising.
Ever wanted to promote your gadget blog on G4TV? With Google TV Ads, you just may. TV commercials can run for as little as $20 per spot. You don’t have to be a Budweiser or McDonald’s to afford that.