5.03 – Making The Right Media Selections
Even back in the day when advertisers chose from among three TV networks, a couple of local-market AM radio stations, and a single hometown newspaper, deciding where to place ads was a nail-biting proposition.
Now add in cable TV channels, dozens of radio stations in even the smallest market areas, thousands of consumer and online magazines, countless alternative newspapers, and constantly emerging online advertising options, and you can see why placing ads sometimes feels like a roll of the dice.
The upcoming sections help tip the odds in your favor with an overview of today’s advertising channels and advice about how to select the best vehicles for your advertising messages.
Selecting from the Media Menu
Marketing communications are delivered in one of two ways:
- Mass media channels, which reach many people simultaneously.
- One-to-one marketing tools, which reach people individually, usually through direct mail or email.
When people talk about media, it’s usually mass media they’re referring to, traditionally divided into four categories:
- Print media: Includes newspapers, magazines, and print directories.
- Broadcast media: Includes TV and radio.
- Outdoor media: Includes billboards, transit signs, murals, and signage.
- Digital media: Previously referred to as “new media,” this category includes Internet advertising, webcasts, web pages, mobile and text ads, and interactive media, including social media networks.
Each mass-media channel comes with its own set of attributes and considerations, summarized in the table below:
Mass Media Comparisons
| Media Channel | Advantages | Considerations |
| Newspapers | Involve short timelines and low-cost ad production. | You pay to reach the total circulation, even if only a portion fits your prospect profile |
| Magazines | Good for developing awareness and credibility through strong visual presentations. | Require long advance planning and costly production; ads are viewed over long periods of time. |
| Directories | Increasingly available for free in digital versions; good for prompting selection over unlisted competitors. | Print versions are impossible to update between editions and increasingly eclipsed by digital directories. |
| Radio | Cost is often negotiable; good for building immediate interest and response. | You must air ads repeatedly to reach listeners; airtime is most expensive when most people are tuned in. |
| TV | Well-produced ads engage viewer emotions while building awareness and credibility. | Ad production is costly; reaching large audiences is expensive; ads must be aired repeatedly; options such as streaming services erode effectiveness. |
| Digital media | Allows two-way communication with customers; allows convergence of content by linking among digital sources; low cash investment. | Requires targeting of customers and keywords, and a significant time investment to create, monitor, and evaluate online visibility and interaction. |
Deciding Which Media Vehicles to Use and When
Sorting through pitches from local newspapers, radio stations, daily-deal coupon sites, and industry-specific publications can consume entire days. Plus, there’s the elephant in the room – social media.
Your media options are seemingly infinite, but your time and budget aren’t. So before considering media proposals for any given communication or campaign, answer the following questions:
What do you want this marketing effort to accomplish?
If you want to develop general, far-reaching awareness and interest, use mass-media channels that reach a broad and general market.
If you want to talk one-to-one with targeted prospective customers, bypass mass media in favor of targeted online communications and direct mail or other one-to-one communication tools.
Where do the people you want to reach turn for information?
Trying to be all-inclusive is a bankrupting proposition. Define your prospect precisely to determine which media they use.
Ask customers how they prefer to receive marketing messages. Do they read local newspapers, tune in to local broadcast stations, or notice transit or outdoor ads? Do they use social media networks, and which ones? Do they prefer text messages or emails? Use direct surveys or tools like SurveyMonkey to gather this information.
What information do you want to convey and when do you want to convey it?
Be clear about your message urgency and content. Match your objectives with appropriate media channels:
- For a close deadline offer, avoid monthly magazines.
- To show your product in action, use video in TV ads or online platforms like YouTube, directing customers via links in your promotional materials and social media posts.
How much money is in your media budget?
Set your budget before planning your media buy. This ensures realistic media choices and saves time by avoiding pitches outside your budget range.
By answering these questions, you can narrow down the best media channels for your marketing efforts, ensuring a more effective and efficient use of your resources.
