Question 1

What is a media buying agency?

Accepted Answer

A media buying agency is an agency that specializes in planning and purchasing advertising space to help brands reach their target audience effectively. It strategizes, negotiates, and manages ad placements across various channels, including TV, digital, social media, and print. By using audience insights, data analytics, and industry expertise, media buying agencies create targeted campaigns that maximize brand visibility, optimize ad spending, and drive engagement, all while ensuring alignment with the brand’s goals and market standards.

The global media planning and buying market size was valued at $478.07 billion in 2023 and is further projected to grow at a CAGR of 4% between 2024 and 2032.

Question 2

What do media buying companies do?

Accepted Answer

Media buying companies provide services, such as creating and managing strategic ad campaigns for brands. These agencies also plan and purchase ad space across channels like digital, TV, and print, to reach a campaign’s target audience effectively and maximize ROI.

Here’s a breakdown of their key services:

Audience research and segmentation
Analyzing the client’s target audience to understand their pain points, needs, preferences, behaviors, and demographics
Market analysis
Identifying the most promising markets, platforms, and channels where the client’s audience is the most active, so the ads can gain the most engagement
Budget management
Maximizing ad spend to achieve the best possible reach and engagement
Cross-channel integration
Coordinating campaigns across digital, TV, social media, and print
Media planning and implementation
Collaborating with the client to define its core brand messaging, target audience, and budget, develop an effective strategy, and translate it into actionable steps
Compliance and regulatory support
Ensuring campaigns meet advertising standards and regulations
Data analytics and reporting
Tracking campaign performance and providing insights for optimization
Audience targeting
Leveraging data to reach specific audience segments effectively
Real-time campaign adjustments
Monitoring and adjusting campaigns for optimal results
Trend and market analysis
Staying updated on media trends to drive brand visibility and engagement

Question 3

What is the difference between a media buying agency and an advertising agency?

Accepted Answer

The difference between a media buying agency and an advertising agency primarily lies in their focus.

While media buying agencies purchase advertising space and time across different media channels, advertising agencies are focused on the creative side of things. They develop the concepts, messages, and visuals that capture the target audience’s attention. Advertising agencies often collaborate with media buying companies to determine the best channels to feature ads.

Media buying and advertising agencies are both crucial in planning and executing a company’s marketing campaign, but how they achieve that is different:

Media buying agency	Advertising agency
Focuses mainly on media planning and procurement	Develops the overall marketing plan for clients
Can be standalone or as a part of a marketing department	Can be divided into smaller teams including media buying and planning
Identifies the best markets, audience, media, and publications to buy ad space	Establish broad objectives for the client’s products and services
Provides the audience data and other technical requirements for the proposed media based on the media plan	Dictates which media and products to be targeted by the ad buy
Typically, does not produce creatives as one of its core services	Produces the creatives and the messaging behind the ad

Question 4

What is the difference between media buying and media planning?

Accepted Answer

The difference between media buying and media planning lies in their focus; while the first deals with execution, the latter focuses on the strategy. Media buying agencies buy ad space; on the other hand, media planners determine how, when, and where it should be used to achieve maximum audience reach and engagement. They often work together to develop and enact ad campaign strategies.

Here are some of the main differences between a media buying agency and a media planning agency:

Media buying agency	Media planning agency
Uses the research provided by the media planner to optimize ad campaigns	Decides which channels to promote marketing campaigns
Works with advertising channels to find cost-effective advertising solutions	Research where target audiences are most likely to see ads
Consults media planners on the best marketing channel or vendor for a campaign	Works with media buyers to establish marketing channels
Negotiates contracts and costs	Sets ad campaign goals and KPIs

Question 5

How much do ad-buying companies charge for their services?

Accepted Answer

Ad-buying companies typically charge between $1,000 to $10,000 per month, depending on the services included, the project's complexity, and the agency's reputation.

Here is an average cost breakdown for media buying services:

Basic media buying package: $5,000-$15,000 per month
Medium media buying package with intermediate targeting: $15,000-$50,000 per month
Advanced media buying package with custom targeting and optimization: $50,000-$150,000+ per month
Media planning and research: $2,000-$5,000
Target audience analysis and segmentation: $3,000-$8,000
Creative ad development: $5,000-$20,000
TV ad buying (Cost-Per-Point or CPM): $15,000-$50,000
Radio ad buying (Cost-Per-Point or CPM): $3,000-$15,000
Outdoor billboard advertising: $5,000-$25,000
Digital media (social, OTT, display ads): $5,000-$50,000 per month
Data analytics and reporting: $1,000-$3,000 per month
Ongoing campaign optimization: $2,000-$10,000 per month
Post-campaign reporting and recommendations: $1,000-$5,000
Agency management fees: 15% commission or hourly rates $100-$250 per hour

The top 50 media buying companies on DesignRush charge an average of $118/hour. 11.6% of media buying services on DesignRush accept projects with budgets under $1,000, catering to small-scale initiatives. In contrast, 5.2% require a budget of over $50,000, offering clients tailored buying media solutions.

Question 6

Why should I hire a media buying agency?

Accepted Answer

You should hire a media buying agency to create effective, data-driven advertising campaigns that maximize your brand’s reach and optimize your ad spend. Ad-buying companies offer specialized expertise in strategic media planning, ad placement, and campaign optimization to help businesses achieve their advertising goals.

Hire a media buying agency because it:

Has years of experience building relationships in its field allowing it to provide you with connections you otherwise couldn’t access by yourself
Offers specialized expertise in media strategy and ad placement across various platforms
Develops tailored media plans based on target audience and campaign objectives
Provides in-depth data analysis to maximize ROI and campaign performance
Ensures effective media purchases through strategic negotiation and rate optimization
Integrates campaigns across multiple channels (digital, TV, radio, outdoor, etc.)
Implements real-time campaign monitoring and optimization for better results
Tracks and measures performance to ensure goals are being met and makes adjustments as needed
Provides ongoing campaign support and post-campaign analysis to refine future strategies

Success story

Our experts have identified the following case study to showcase the advantages of hiring a professional media buying company:

Challenge: Hyperbaric Medical Solutions (HMS), a multi-location provider of hyperbaric oxygen therapy, needed to drive patient leads across five locations while maximizing return on ad spend (ROAS). HMS faced unique challenges: managing demand per location, tracking leads through complex customer lifecycles, navigating Google’s strict medical advertising policies, and tailoring messaging effectively across diverse audiences.
Solution: OpenMoves implemented a hybrid Google Ads strategy, segmenting campaigns by location to balance control and scalability. Leveraging CRM integration with Salesforce, it tracked leads through to actual patient acquisition, aligning ad spend with high-ROI segments. Campaigns were further segmented by business line, targeting users at different funnel stages with tailored CPA goals and geo-targeting.
Results: HMS achieved a 10x ROAS on Google Ads and 18x on non-brand searches, with a 35% improvement in CTR and a 12% reduction in CPC. This comprehensive approach validated HMS’s investment and strengthened its multi-location performance.

Question 7

How do I choose the best media buying agency for my business?

Accepted Answer

To choose the best media buying agency for your business, consider the following steps:

Set your goals
Define your marketing objectives and key performance indicators (KPIs), such as increasing brand visibility, improving ROI, and reaching specific target audiences.
Research potential agencies
Look for reputable media buying agencies online. Check agency directories like DesignRush and Google to create a list of candidates with experience in your industry and strong track records in media strategy.
Evaluate their portfolio
Review past campaigns to assess the media buying agency’s expertise in managing media buying across different channels (digital, TV, radio, outdoor, etc.). Ensure they have successfully run campaigns similar to yours.
Check reviews and testimonials
Look for client feedback on the agency’s Google Business Profile and trusted agency directories like DesignRush. Ask for case studies to understand their strategies and past successes.
Assess technical skills
Ensure the agency has expertise in digital media, data analytics, and ad platform technologies. Ask about their experience with programmatic buying, audience targeting, and campaign optimization.
Check communication and collaboration
Evaluate how responsive and communicative the agency is. Look for strong project management processes, such as Agile, to ensure smooth collaboration and timely campaign execution.
Consider cost and budget
Compare quotes from multiple agencies, focusing on value over price. Be cautious of significantly low offers, as they could indicate a lack of quality or experience.
Post-campaign support
Confirm that the agency offers post-campaign analysis and optimization services. Ask about their approach to refining campaigns based on performance data.
Legal and security considerations
Ensure the agency is transparent about contracts and is willing to sign NDAs if necessary. Verify their understanding of compliance regulations related to digital advertising.
Conduct interviews
Interview the agency’s team to gauge their understanding of your goals and their enthusiasm for your project. Look for a cultural fit and strong communication.
Shortlist potential partners
Create a shortlist of agencies that meet your requirements and send requests for proposals (RFPs) for detailed service information.
Review contract terms
Carefully examine contract details, including pricing, deliverables, timelines, and KPIs. Clearly define the objectives and expectations for the partnership.
Choose the ideal partner
After evaluating all factors, select the media buying agency that aligns best with your marketing needs and goals.

Still searching for the top media buying agencies? Visit our Marketplace and share your project details with us. We'll recommend the best ad-buying companies suited to your needs — completely free of charge.

Question 8

How do I find the best media buying company on DesignRush that fits my budget?

Accepted Answer

You can find the best media buying company on DesignRush that fits your budget by using our filters. Shortlist the agencies by choosing from those that can cater to projects from $1,000 to above $50,000 based on your budget.

Low Budget: 1k above	Searchbloom Digital Darts Outsource Demand LLC
Mid Budget: 10k above	Neon Growth Online Optimism Elite Information Tech
High Budget: 50k above	3Q/DEPT GKV Ad Results Media

Browse through our agency directory to view agency profiles by location, area of expertise, client reviews, industries catered to, team size, pricing, and hourly rates. This allows you to comprehensively assess media buying companies and select the ideal fit for your project.

Question 9

What red flags to watch out for when hiring media buying agencies?

Accepted Answer

Some red flags to watch out for when hiring media buying agencies include:

Lack of industry experience
Avoid agencies without experience in your industry because they may struggle to understand your target audience or brand positioning.
Vague performance tracking
Be cautious if they can’t clearly explain how they measure campaign success or track results.
No clear media strategy
Steer clear of media buying agencies without a tailored media strategy, as they may waste ad spend without a plan.
Limited transparency in pricing
Watch out for unclear or hidden fees in their pricing structure.
Poor communication
Lack of clear communication can lead to missed opportunities and project delays.
No optimization process
Ensure media buying companies have a plan for continuously optimizing campaigns to improve performance.
Overpromising results
Be wary of agencies promising guaranteed results — successful media buying requires ongoing optimization.
Inflexible contracts
Avoid agencies that lock you into long contracts without flexibility for adjustments or early exits.

In a DesignRush podcast, Andy Willers, co-founder at Favoured, has shared the following insight on how to choose the right agency partner:

“When choosing an agency, I think it really is important to always be pragmatic around an agency decision and not be swayed about the promise of performance because no agency can ever truly promise anything. Listen to sense and, if not data-backed, then strategy-backed insights into how they are going to achieve your goals. But if they're promising you the world, if it sounds too good to be true, often it is. Ultimately, I do think finding an agency that aligns with your goals wholly is important.”

Question 10

What questions should I ask before hiring an ad-buying agency?

Accepted Answer

Before hiring an ad-buying agency make sure to ask the following questions:

Its Relevant Background

What are the certifications each team member holds?
How long have they been in the industry?
Who are the clients you’ve worked with?
Do you have any success stories you could share?
How do you stay updated with the latest trends and improve your skills?

Its Services and Processes

Where do you get your data from?
Does the team have access to the industry research tools?
How do you track campaign metrics and progress?
Do you update your research capabilities regularly?
How often do you meet with data providers?
How do you negotiate your media buys?
What’s your strategy for getting lower rates and added value?
How do you navigate high-traffic periods in the market, like political events and holidays?
Do you meet or exceed industry benchmarks in data analysis and optimizations?

Relevant to Your Project

How ready are you for sudden surges in demand in ad platforms?
What are your reporting expectations for this project?
What are your reporting parameters?
How will I receive reports, and under what format?
Do you have ad hoc capabilities?
Do you also provide insights and recommendations along with your metrics?

These questions will help you assess a media buying agency’s skills, processes, and ability to run efficient and effective advertising campaigns.

Question 11

What are the best media buying companies in the US?

Accepted Answer

The best media buying agencies in the US are:

Propaganda Creative
- 4.9 stars on DesignRush (12 reviews)
- 5.0 stars on Google (62 Reviews)
- Top clients: Cyrus O’Leary’s Pies, Canopy Credit Union, Hoopfest, Pandaz NFT Collection
Rosemont Media
- 4.8 stars on DesignRush (5 reviews)
- 5.0 stars on Google (65 reviews)
- Top clients: McCormack Plastic Surgery, Scripps Center for Dental Care, Richmond Aesthetic Surgery, The Layt Clinic
MAXBURST
- 4.6 stars on DesignRush (5 reviews)
- 5.0 stars on Google (57 reviews)
- Top clients: Threadsy, Maxiam Capital, Spectra Jewelry, Bring Abouts
Moburst
- 4.9 stars on DesignRush (18 reviews)
- 4.0 stars on Google (29 reviews)
- Top clients: Bazz, Gett, Gameit, Calm
Fortuna Media Group
- 4.9 stars on DesignRush (13 reviews)
- Top clients: Agoda, Google, Facebook, Boston Beer Company

Scroll up to learn more about these firms and discover additional leading media buying companies. All of them were chosen based on previous projects, industry repute, client feedback, and team expertise. Sort companies by location, budget size, hourly prices, and reviews to narrow your search.

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