Media buyers arrange the ads that run on television and radio.
The ad with the cute little puppy in need of a home, the sales pitch featuring a well-known celebrity, or the retail chain's zero-percent financing promotion---whatever commercial caught your eye most recently, chances are a media buyer made sure it appeared on your television screen. These professionals serve as liaisons between companies with products to promote and media outlets with advertising space to sell.
Function
Media buyers meet with clients to learn about the product they want to sell, their budget and the demographics of their targeted customers. Media buyers use this information to recommend to the client the television and radio networks on which they should advertise and the days and times those ads should run. The buyer also prepares an advertising schedule that suggests how many ads will run per week and how long the advertising campaign will last. The plan may include the purchase of print ads, billboards and Internet-based advertising.
Purchasing and Monitoring
The media buyer contacts the targeted media outlets to purchase the ad space for each customer's campaign and negotiate rates. If an ad does not run as expected, the buyer reschedules the ad or makes sure the customer receives an account credit. The buyer also stays in contact with the customer as the advertising campaign unfolds to determine how it is impacting sales. The buyer may recommend changes to the advertising schedule based on this feedback.
Knowledge and Personal Traits
Employers expect media buyers to be proficient in the use of standard workplace and industry research software. Buyers need to know research station ratings and apply this information to advertising proposals. Because they make presentations to customers, they need excellent written and verbal communication skills. Media buyers are expected to stay abreast of industry trends and new advertising opportunities. They need to be detail-oriented and organized. Those purchasing web-based ads need to understand search engine optimization.
Education and Experience
Employers expect media buyers to have a bachelor's degree in advertising or marketing. Five to seven years of work experience may be required for senior media buyers, while those in non-supervisory positions may not need previous buying experience.
Salary and Job Outlook
Average national salaries for media buyers ranged from $33,025 to $45,514 in May 2010, according to the PayScale website. Location and experience were factors in salary differences. A media buyer with four years of experience and a bachelor's degree earned an average of $35,176 in Kentucky, PayScale reported, while a senior media buyer with the same degree and eight years of experience earned an average of $59,764 in New Jersey.
While the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics does not report specifically on media buyers, it projects that employment in the advertising and public relations services industry will grow 8 percent over the 2008-18 period. The agency predicts the field will be competitive because the number of job seekers in the industry typically exceeds the available job openings.
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