We use cookies to improve and customise your experience, for analytics and metrics, and to track any purchases you make both on this website and on others. To find out more about the cookies we use see our cookie policy
More info
- Negotiate the best rates for advertising spots for your clients
- Work in a fast-paced agency environment
- Progress into media planning or other agency management roles
As a media buyer, you'll play a key role in ensuring that advertising and promotional campaigns reach the highest number of people in your target audience at the lowest possible cost.
Roles tend to be based in advertising and media agencies.
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Book the best advertising spaces or slots for your clients at the best prices you can get
- Identify the target audience and decide how to reach them through advertising
- Keep up with industry research into people's lifestyles
- Build relationships with clients and media sales companies
- Negotiate for the most suitable advertising spots at the best rates
- Prepare costings for clients
- Manage budgets
- Monitor audience figures
- Analyse sales data to judge a campaign's effectiveness
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You could work in an office or at a client's business, and some companies may offer the option of remote working. You will usually be working office hours.
You'll need
There are no set requirements but employers will usually be more interested in your personal qualities like negotiation skills, analytical skills and business sense. Sales and marketing experience will also be useful.
It may help to have a qualification in a relevant subject like advertising, marketing, statistics or operational research, communication, media studies, or business studies. Or, you could work your way up from a junior position in an advertising agency, like administrator.
You'll find it useful to get experience to help you understand the industry and to meet people who may help you find paid work. You could try work experience, internships, temp roles.
You could contact agencies directly to ask about placements, and make industry contacts through social networking sites like Twitter or LinkedIn.
You could also get into this job through an apprenticeship.
CAREER PROSPECTS
You could specialise in buying a particular kind of advertising like radio, online, or television. You could eventually progress to media manager of an agency or you could move into media planning, account planning or account management.