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It may seem like a coincidence when a product or service suddenly appears everywhere: on social media, websites, podcasts and even bus benches. However, it is not coincidental at all — it is a media planner’s strategy at work.

Media planners develop strategies to identify and speak to target audiences. They engage consumers and relevant stakeholders through a mix of advertising and promotional channels such as social media and internet advertising, as well as TV, radio, print publications and beyond. Their goal is to optimize marketing budgets to maximize the impact of advertising and marketing campaigns.

When ads convert viewers to buyers, it helps identify a brand’s target audience and where to spend advertising dollars. Media planners analyze campaign performance data to inform short- and long-term brand strategy, and they use their expertise in advertising and marketing to pinpoint their company’s ideal combination of media strategy and audience targeting.

Anyone interested in becoming a media planner should first understand the needed skills, experience and education to pursue the role. Earning a master’s degree in communication management can help those in the field understand the necessary methods and tools to build impactful media plans.

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Media planners help brands find their voice, cultivate brand awareness and inspire consumer loyalty. They are involved in many facets of developing and applying the brand strategy, from market research and campaign implementation to post-campaign assessment. Following are some of the core responsibilities typically outlined in a media planner’s job description.

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A media planner needs a solid grasp of target audiences, media consumption patterns and current advertising trends and analytics tools to help them build media strategies. They gain this understanding through marketing and advertising experience, education and independent research.

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When building a media strategy, media planners take into account the preferences of their target audience. Some different strategies a media planner might use include:

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This strategy focuses on only a few types of media to aim for a more defined audience. A media planner may decide that reaching a population with a niche interest is the most efficient use of their resources. Media concentration may be effective for reaching audiences who have specific interests, such as buying collectibles, or who have hobbies with a small, devoted fan base.

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Media planners may choose to spread their advertising efforts across a range of media to reach a potential customer base that spans different audiences or to engage prospective customers who have varied interests. For ubiquitous products like smartphones or streaming services, the best media strategy may cover a wider range of channels.

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This strategy involves using organic, unpaid product or brand reviews. This includes customer reviews, social media influencers, blog posts and other third-party reviews. Earned media can seem more trustworthy than paid advertisements and can help companies save on their marketing budgets.

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This media strategy relies on paid advertisements and gives a company the most control over its ad content. Paid media includes collaborating with and compensating social media influencers, as well as buying and placing internet advertising, branded content and ads on social media and traditional media outlets.

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A company that promotes its products and news on its own media channels is using an owned media strategy. This practice helps companies reach current customers and others who subscribe to their newsletters, follow them on social media and read their blogs.

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Media planners spend their budgets strategically to get the biggest impact for their money. To accomplish this, they must understand their target audience, have a clear objective and decide which mix of strategies to use based on research, past campaigns and current market trends. Once a campaign is in motion, media planners monitor its ability to capture and engage the target audience and adjust spending as needed.

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A large part of a media planner’s work depends on relationships with other teams and third-party companies. To get the best advertising pricing and placement, they must build and maintain relationships with media contacts. They must also clearly communicate ideas to creative teams, account managers, clients and executives to develop marketing materials and foster buy-in on brand strategy.

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After a campaign is executed, media planners report on its performance, gather insights and make recommendations for future improvements in strategy.

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Becoming a media planner requires a combination of education, experience, technical skills and soft skills.

• Experience and education: Typically, professionals must have a bachelor’s degree and at least a few years of experience in marketing, advertising or communication. Those with a graduate degree in communication management may be able to advance their careers to senior and management roles.
• Technology and trends: Media planners need to learn the most recent software and advertising analytics tools to help them understand and report on campaign performance.
• Soft skills: Communication, emotional intelligence, analytical thinking and time management all help media planners succeed in managing necessary working relationships, planning campaigns and meeting critical deadlines.

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As of June 2023, the median media planner salary was about $54,600, according to the compensation website Payscale. Professional media planners with 10 to 19 years of experience earned a median total compensation of around $82,500. A candidate’s education and experience, as well as the job location and company size, are all factors that can influence earning potential.

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Media planners play a crucial role in developing successful advertising and marketing campaigns that help drive brand awareness, consumer engagement and business growth. If you are interested in a fast-paced, influential career as a media planner, learn how USC’s online Master of Communication Management degree can help you pursue your professional goals in a vibrant industry.