Message to PR pros: Ignore paid media at your own peril!

This was my mantra 10 years ago. And it’s my mantra today.

Simply put, if paid media tactics aren’t in your campaign plans, you may not reach your audience. Or enough of your audience.

I know public relations and communications teams are never given the dollars that the marketing and advertising teams receive, but don’t let budget hold you back. There are a ton of creative ways to use paid media, and the right tactic can give your campaign significant lift.

At 4media, we created the following guide to help agencies and in-house teams organize their thinking around paid media activities. This exercise will help your media buying partners create a plan with the best ROI for the dollars you do have.

For example, if your client is looking for 5,000 clicks to a website, then your money is better spent on digital advertising than on the radio. Or, we might consider streaming radio where audience targeting is available, and a clickable banner ad will get you closer to your KPI.

MEDIA BUYING GUIDE

Define Success:

  • What message do you want delivered?
  • What outcome do you want to achieve?
  • What are the KPIs? For example:
    • Awareness
    • Impressions
    • Clicks
    • Downloads
    • Sign-ups
    • RSVPs
    • Purchases

Targeting:

The best thing about paid media is the ability to target a specific audience with your message.

  • What is the demographic segmentation you are looking to reach: Age? Gender? Race? Education level? Income level? Marital status? Religion? Other?
  • What is the psychographic segmentation: What are their values? Interests? Personality factors? Lifestyle?
  • What is the behavioral segmentation: Purchasing or spending habits? User status?
  • Where do they live:  Across the whole nation? A region? A specific city or cities? Are there specific zip codes?

Timing: 

  • When should this campaign begin?
  • What is the duration of the campaign? Is there an end date?
  • Is there an event you are leading up to?

Content:

  • What medium tells your message best? Video? Imagery? Infographics? Animation?
  • What content do you already have to work with or can easily acquire? (Stock images and stock video can be a lifesaver!)

Placements:

What do you think might work? Here are some options to consider:

  • Out of Home. For example: Billboards, Transit/Subway, Airports, Malls, Bathrooms, Restaurants & Bars, College Campuses, Laundromats, Convenience Stores, Movie Theaters, Doctor’s Offices, Taxis, etc.
  • Broadcast television (national or local)
  • Cable television (national or local)
  • OTT (streaming television)
  • Don’t forget satellite (Sirius XM) and/or streaming (Pandora/iHeart/Spotify)
  • Digital Advertising/Native Advertising
  • Paid Social Media
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • TikTok
    • LinkedIn
    • Snapchat
  • YouTube (Pre-Roll/Mid-Roll ads)
  • Search Engine Advertising

Lastly, how much money do you think your client can spend on the paid media campaign?  If you can let your media buyer know this in advance, they won’t waste time investigating or planning for tactics that aren’t going to make the cut.

To speak to our team about how paid media can work for your organization or brand, please reach out to hello@4media-group.com.