{"id":124383,"date":"2022-06-10T10:48:13","date_gmt":"2022-06-10T10:48:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.similarweb.com\/corp\/?p=124383"},"modified":"2025-04-02T13:08:24","modified_gmt":"2025-04-02T13:08:24","slug":"media-planning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.similarweb.com\/blog\/marketing\/advertising\/media-planning\/","title":{"rendered":"What is Media Planning and How Do You Build an Actionable Media Plan?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Advertising is expensive, and media planning isn’t easy. Whether in an agency or in-house, the media planner is the person who makes sure advertising dollars get spent effectively.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Media planning is essential to reach the right audience and get the message in front of them at the right time. But there’s also a huge financial responsibility attached to it. Every bad decision can quickly run up painful costs.<\/p>\n

This article starts with the basics: what is media planning, and then we go on to explain how the digital media planning process works, and how you can build an actionable plan.<\/p>\n

What is media planning?<\/h2>\n

Media planning is the process of determining where, when, and how often an advertisement should run to maximize both engagement and ROI (return on investment). It involves every step from campaign planning, budgeting, and scheduling to launch and even beyond.<\/p>\n

The media planner needs to acquire a solid understanding of the business, the audience, and the messaging. Digital advertising is continuously becoming more complex, and the planner must be familiar with the advantages and disadvantages of the different platforms and methods. The same is true for TV which is moving to CTV (connected television) and for radio which is now being replaced by streaming and budgets have shifted to podcasts etc.<\/p>\n

\"Media<\/p>\n

What is a media plan and what does it include?<\/h2>\n

The media plan is part of the campaign plan. It covers everything related to the distribution of assets through various media channels.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Objectives<\/strong>
    \nA media plan defines the objective or what the campaign is supposed to achieve.<\/strong> It lays out what you expect your audience to get from the campaign or what action you want them to take. A campaign could aim at raising brand awareness<\/a>, or it could promote a holiday deal to increase sales.<\/li>\n
  2. Goals<\/strong>
    \nThe goals of a media plan are derived from the company’s business plan. The media plan specifies the specific campaign goal and describes how you intend to reach the goals. Managers want to see numbers, so the plan should show calculations of estimates and measurable KPIs.<\/li>\n
  3. Target audience<\/strong>
    \nThe plan should include any and all parameters about the     target audience<\/a> relevant to the campaign. It can also present info that isn’t directly connected if it could impact decisions throughout the execution. It’s important to know your target audience, their preferences, and the media on which they are reachable.<\/li>\n
  4. Types of media and media channels<\/strong>
    \nThis is a critical piece for the media planner who needs to work out the specific media mix that will be most effective for the audience, the campaign, and the time.<\/li>\n
  5. Timeline<\/strong>
    \nTo run your ads, you need to determine when and for how long. The media plan sets a clear timeline for when the different assets will be published on which media and for how long the campaign will last. Advertising may begin on one platform only, and other media may follow. Campaign assets may run longer on one platform than on another.<\/li>\n
  6. Frequency<\/strong>
    \nThis is related to the timeline; however, it refers to the individual assets. The idea is that not all ads need to show all the time and you need to determine at which frequency an ad is active.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    \"List<\/p>\n

    What are the different types of media planning?<\/h2>\n

    Advertising campaigns can involve any variety and number of media types and channels. Let\u2019s break down the different types into categories.<\/p>\n

    We look at advertising in two main areas: online media channels and offline media channels. Campaigns can include both, and the media plan determines which channels to employ and how.<\/p>\n

    1. Examples of online media channels:<\/p>\n