Media buyers are experts who purchase and curate ad spaces using functional blocks of social media to influence the buying process.
Today’s B2B and B2C buying is a fully informed, customer-centric process, empowered by interactive digital marketplaces like Facebook, X, and Instagram. Nearly everyone has access to radio, film, print, television, internet, and social media.
These are all popular platforms through which goods and services are advertised to the consumer. Social media buyers know the best advertising spots, placement strategies, and how to generate the most engagement.
Becoming one requires a mix of skills, certifications, and experience in marketing and digital creative production. Here is what you need to build a career in this highly sought-after occupation.
Understanding the Role
Media buying is a profession built on experience and highly transferable skills. As a result, professionals in the field typically do more than just purchase ad spaces.
You’d have to build strong networks with digital media channels, negotiate placement costs, and book slots to enhance reach and conversion.
That said, the primary day-day roles of a media buyer revolves around creating ad campaigns, launching them on appropriate platforms, and tracking performance metrics. Below is a list of responsibilities that will define your role as social media buyer:
- Identify target audiences.
- Find ad slots, and negotiate airtime and placement costs.
- Create ad copies with appropriate display and click tags that induce a sense of urgency.
- Plan and optimize media budgets.
- Use web-based analytical tools to run ad campaigns.
- Experiment with other social channels to enhance reach.
- Track metrics, monitor performance, and evaluate the return on investment (ROI).
Required Knowledge Areas
The evolution of digital technology has had a dramatic effect on B2C relations. Today, many companies have developed dedicated social media strategies towards customers. Perhaps the biggest players in these novel frameworks are social media buyers.
To become one, however, employers will require you to be adept at key knowledge areas. The basic requirement, though not 100% necessary, is to have a bachelor’s degree in digital marketing or a similar/closely related field. That could include:
- Marketing
- Advertising
- Communications
- Sociology
- English Majors, etc.
A big agency will hardly invite you to an interview if a degree is absent in your resume. So schooling is the first step to gaining deeper insights into the requisite knowledge areas.
Essential Skills and Qualifications
Media buying is a fast-paced world with high demand for soft and technical skills. Once your education needs are taken care of, the next step is to gain experience. Start your career journey by applying to marketing agencies for internships and entry-level positions.
Alternatively, you can do self-practice using easily accessible tools such as Google Ads, or Facebook Ads Manager. Below is the skillset you’d need to succeed in the field:
Soft Skills
- Good communicator
- Creative and good negotiator
- Adaptable to ever-changing market conditions
Technical Skills
- Digital creative production
- Graphic design.
- Data analysis and evaluation.
- Market research and advertising metrics.
- Familiarity with SEO, social media regulations, and tools.
While at it, consider enrolling into popular certification programs such as the Professional Certified Marketer (PCM), Certified Internet Marketer (CIM), or both. That will enhance your qualifications and open avenues into bigger agencies.
Advanced Career Development
A social media buyer has plenty of opportunities to progress their career. For the most part, media buying skills are transferable, but what really speaks for itself is the performance metrics.
With proper qualifications and a proven track record, an entry-level media buying employee can climb the corporate ladder. Performance is the name of the game, so delivering on that front will easily propel you into the C-suite of major companies.
You’ll, therefore, have a better chance of taking on senior roles such as marketing director, media buying manager, marketing supervisor, or senior account manager.
Tools of the Trade
To run successful ad campaigns, track metrics, analyze demographics, or evaluate performance, a social media buying employee should be proficient in using associated tools of trade. These include but are not limited to:
- Google Analytics for site traffic and lead conversion.
- Hootsuite Composer to plan social media content.
- Canva for graphic design.
- Social media benchmarking tool to compare metrics.
Tips for Success
The vast amount of opportunities in the social media buying space are entry-level. If you’re set on a successful career, enroll into higher diplomas or master’s degree programs in digital marketing or related fields.
That’ll not only beef up your resume but also enhance the likelihood of employment into senior media buying and planning positions. Here are the tips and suggestions to help you stay ahead of the curve:
- Build an irresistible portfolio.
- Network with media and sales personnel from top brands.
- Stay up to date with the latest industry trends in marketing, advertising, and digital production.
Conclusion
A career in social media buying can unlock a ton of opportunities in the digital advertising space. To become a social media buyer, you’ll need to study media planning and buying before applying to an ad agency and learning on the job.