What Does A Digital Media Planner Do?

WHAT DOES A DIGITAL MEDIA PLANNER DO?

Published: Nov 25, 2024 - The Digital Media Planner crafts comprehensive digital media strategies across multiple platforms, focusing on innovative approaches that enhance ROI and meet critical KPIs. Engages deeply with market research and insights, developing and presenting targeted media plans that effectively reach and engage audiences. Manages and optimizes digital campaigns from proposal to reporting, fostering strong vendor relationships and staying updated with the latest industry trends and technologies.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Digital Media Planner

1. Digital Media Planner Duties

Media Strategy Development: Develops media strategy across all forms of digital media
Strategic Innovation: Recommend new strategic approaches and new technologies that can maximize ROI and increase KPIs
Insight Utilization: Incorporation of target insights and research tools
Media Planning and Presentation: Develops and presents media plans to clients
Proposal Management: Requests Proposals, Evaluates and Execution of all digital
Campaign Management: Enters placements and campaigns into Prisma
Campaign Optimization: Optimizes digital campaigns to maximize KPIs
Team Collaboration: Collaborative team player who will work with all internal departments and agency partners
Industry Awareness: Stays apprised of industry standards, benchmarks, and new media technologies to effectively and efficiently reach target audiences
Vendor Relations: Meets with media vendors on a regular basis to learn of new opportunities and trends
Trend Analysis: Keeps abreast of all digital trends and audience measurement research
Reporting: Monthly reporting of digital campaigns
Financial Reconciliation: Reconciles digital billing, tracks digital investment
Strategic Analysis: Evaluate and provide strategic recommendation of innovative channels and tactics that ensure marketing campaigns reach the right target audience in the most effective way possible
Market Understanding: Maintain a strong understanding of the client’s business, the consumer journey and the market landscape
Cross-functional Strategy Integration: Collaborates with cross-functional teams to incorporate the communications strategy into a holistic plan, inclusive of paid, earned, shared, and owned media, to deliver on campaign goals
Client Engagement: In partnership with other cross-functional team members, present solutions recommendations to the client and act as a key lead

2. Digital Media Planner Details

Campaign Management: Planning, executing, managing, and optimizing end-to-end campaigns, including preparing insertion orders, tracking deadlines and timing changes, verifying campaign delivery, updating media plans, and aiding with metrics collection and reporting.
Media Planning: Designing strategic media plans and client presentations.
Tactical Understanding: Understanding upper funnel (brand messaging, calls to action) and lower funnel (direct response, conversion) campaign tactics.
Collaboration: Partnering closely with internal teams including account management, content, and analytics to align content, define metrics, and measure campaign success using internal analytics.
Quality Assurance: Demonstrating diligence, attention to detail, and adherence to best practices throughout the digital campaign process.
Database Management: Managing vendor contact database.
Software Proficiency: Working within all necessary advertising programs.
Organizational Skills: Maintaining clean and clear file organization, adhering to agency and client brand guidelines, and performing data collection and analysis.
Leadership: Leading client meetings with support from Account Managers and Directors.
Professional Development: Showing interest in continuing to grow knowledge of the digital media space.
Document Management: Maintaining and organizing campaign-specific materials in the team’s shared document folders.
Relationship Management: Developing, growing, and maintaining relationships with internal teams through excellent client service and becoming a trusted resource.
Project Oversight: Overseeing the transition from holistic planning to execution by the specialist team.
Strategic Analysis: Developing strategic, outcome-based insights and cross-channel optimization recommendations.
Budget Management: Partaking in the ownership of media budget management and reporting.

3. Digital Media Planner Responsibilities

Presentation Skills: Deliver regular presentations for media landscape reviews, category trends/updates, and technology updates, for both the agency and clients.
Advertising Strategy: Advise the team on advertising strategies and campaigns to reach clients' target markets, create brand awareness, and effectively help them achieve goals.
Client Challenge Analysis: Understand client challenges from an internal perspective.
Client Support: Use understanding to share relevant information with the client and help them navigate challenges.
Consumer Journey Analysis: Analyse all the consumer touchpoints that they have with the client's brand - not just the paid but the whole consumer journey.
Campaign Coordination: Coordinate the production of advertising campaigns, within time and budget constraints.
Ethical Cost Management: Work ethically and transparently to reduce costs, reduce outstanding payments, and seek new business opportunities.
Paperwork Management: Have the ultimate responsibility for all necessary paperwork across client campaigns.
Invoice Management: Ensure that invoices go out on time with proformas checked and that accounts are reconciled.
Budget Reconciliation: Reconciliation of invoices against the media plan to ensure what the client approved via the MBA is correct and accurate - never going over the agreed/approved budget.
Commercial Opportunities: Seek commercial opportunities that are mutually beneficial for Customedia and the client. Help develop a new business pipeline with senior management.
Market Research: Undertake market research to identify market opportunities for Customedia and key clients.
Trend Prediction: Analyse and predict current and future trends to help clients stay ahead of competition.
Budget Documentation: Ensure that all campaign budget forms are completed with all the appropriate documentation.
Process Improvement: Seek and implement more efficient processes across the business.
Culture Development: Help foster a positive business culture.

4. Digital Media Planner Accountabilities

Strategy Development Support: Supports the line manager in the development of the global communication strategy on websites, social media, and all other digital properties.
Strategy Execution: Carries out the execution of the defined strategy on websites, social media, and all other digital properties, monitoring the ongoing process.
Investment Planning: Contributes to the drafting of the Group digital advertisement investments plan.
Investment Monitoring: Manages and monitors the implementation of planned investments, preparing reports regularly.
Cross-Department Collaboration: Liaises with Corporate and Local Marketing Departments to identify global synergies in the drafting and implementation of local digital media plans.
Performance Analysis Support: Supports the line manager in the coordination of KPI analysis and interpretation, and proposes improvement and optimization solutions.
Digitalization Participation: Participates actively in the Group's digitalization process.
Cultural Leadership: Spreads enthusiasm in the Group on digital topics.
Safety Culture Promotion: Promotes a safety-focused corporate culture.
Trend Identification: Identifies emerging digital and cultural trends that support and can integrate into client’s objectives.
Strategic Framework Development: Builds sound strategic frameworks, including media+creative briefs, brand positioning, brand and message architectures, and content strategies.

5. Digital Media Planner Functions

Research and Analysis: Gather and analyze appropriate research to provide sound, strategic, consumer insights-driven media recommendations.
Media Strategy Development: Develop innovative media strategies with a complete understanding of traditional and digital ecosystems.
Media Recommendation Presentation: Formulate, write, and present media recommendations as part of an integrated strategy to clients and internal teams.
Campaign Optimization: Provide transparent media stewardship including on-going campaign optimizations.
Task Management: Work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment and prioritize and juggle multiple tasks.
Media Negotiation: Identify and negotiate cost-effective, scalable, and targeted media agreements that will provide qualified and quantifiable results.
Test and Learn Strategies: Proven track record of developing and executing test and learn strategies.
Media Consulting: Provide general media consulting services to agency staff and clients.
Performance Analysis: Interpret campaign results and communicate the effectiveness of components to clients.
Deliverable Management: Ensure the quality and timeliness of all media deliverables with a keen sense of urgency.
Platform Proficiency: Personal drive to train, certify, and become proficient in all new platforms as opportunities arise.
Digital Media Execution: Assist in digital media strategy development and execution for CPG clients.
Campaign Request Management: Support frontline sales teams and capture campaign requests.
Integrated Strategies: Develop integrated digital media strategies.
Brand Understanding: Understand business, category, and cultural dynamics around clients’ brands to inspire creative media executions.
Actionable Insights: Turn information and knowledge into actionable media strategies.

6. Digital Media Planner Job Description

Partnership Management: Manage, support, and build strategic digital marketing partnerships for new and existing MLSE/Live Nation partners across Ticketmaster.ca and Team ecosystems.
Reporting: Prepare and update reporting to various Live Nation and Ticketmaster stakeholders on deliverables and revenue actualized through completed campaigns.
Strategy Support: Support the Manager, Digital Strategy with Live Nation/Global to understand successful digital products piloted in other markets with the intention of exploring how they can be monetized.
Campaign Leadership: Lead digital-specific projects and campaigns, varying from content marketing and social strategies to digital customer journeys and technology-driven initiatives.
Performance Measurement: Help define success, monitor, and measure the performance of digital strategies and tactics.
Business Development Support: Participate in and support new business pitches.
Collaboration and Ideation: Collaborate, ideate, and prepare briefs for internal and external partners.
Content Monetization: Collaborate with existing publishing partners to monetize new and existing Live Nation content.
Data-Driven Decision Making: Utilize analysis and insights to drive decisions in a way that yields sustained, measurable results.
Strategic Communication: Speak and present to clients and internal departments about strategic recommendations and industry best practices.
Negotiation and Coordination: Negotiate and coordinate with local teams to access ad inventory across the Discovery digital portfolio.
Media Planning: Build integrated media plans and manage campaign budgets.
Inventory Management: Track offers out and manage inventory coordination.
Market Analysis: Monitor market trends and identify new ad opportunities.
Sales Strategy Execution: Liaise with Revenue Management and Head of Digital Sales to execute sales guidelines and commercial strategy.
Ad Operations Coordination: Liaise with Ad Ops to book deals (central and local teams).

7. Digital Media Planner Overview

Digital Campaign Management: Manage the day-to-day digital planning and buying.
Performance Reporting: Report on all campaigns and performance from start to finish.
Campaign Optimization: Optimize all buys to achieve and surpass campaigns’ KPIs.
Brand Safety Compliance: Diligently ensure all campaigns are within Brand safety compliance and fraud-free.
Data Provider Knowledge: Understand the key third-party data providers and relevancy to the target/brand.
Programmatic Updates: Organize internal meetings to update on the latest happenings in the programmatic space.
Creative Collaboration: Brainstorm with agency members to create brilliant concepts for client projects.
Trend Monitoring: Stay on top of all trends in the digital arena.
Analytic Reporting: Perform weekly analytic reports for campaign performance and submit to the client.
Media Planning: Manage the digital media planning process and campaign setup across suppliers.
Data Integration: Execute assigned projects in areas such as analytics implementation, data integration, and tag management.
Data Analysis: Conduct collection, tracking, and analysis of data to measure the effectiveness of campaigns.
Insight Development: Assist in developing media planning insights via past campaign analysis to produce case studies and media offerings.
Stakeholder Reporting: Deliver clear, concise, and reliable reporting on all activities to key stakeholders.
Project Management: Manage multiple simultaneous projects, supplier/agency resources, and project statuses.
Workflow Management: Manage supplier media workflow to ensure processes and procedures are executed.

8. Digital Media Planner Details and Accountabilities

Program Coordination: Coordinate the planning and execution of digital advertising programs for specified clients.
Performance Monitoring: Meet documented media objectives, key performance indicators, and budgets.
Consultation: Consult with account management, creativity, account planning, media, and others when appropriate.
Strategic Development: Develop strategic solutions to clients’ objectives.
Campaign Monitoring: Monitor daily progress of campaigns to ensure deadlines are met.
Problem Resolution: Respond to team counterparts’ problems and questions.
Team Guidance: Work to advise the team’s assistant buyer and/or junior-level staff on projects.
Leadership: Set an example within the agency as a respected problem-solver.
Client Relations: Form a relationship of respect and trust with clients.
Data Analysis: Perform analysis of clients’ campaigns and craft recommendations based on analysis.
Market Insight: Acquire knowledge of the clients’ businesses and customers to stay ahead of needs.
Opportunity Identification: Identify digital opportunities and initiate new strategic projects.
Media Planning and Buying: Execute digital media plans, negotiate and purchase media.
Opinion Leadership: Develop and share POVs on new client opportunities.
Campaign Management: Manage the daily implementation and optimization of campaign activities.
Financial Management: Manage campaign authorizations, budgets, reconciliations.

9. Digital Media Planner Tasks

Digital Media Strategy: Planning, developing, and implementing comprehensive digital media strategies to build brand discovery and increase intent to purchase among target consumer audiences.
Campaign Management: Managing digital media campaigns across all relevant channels, platforms, and systems/tools.
Vendor and Agency Management: Managing all vendor and agency relationships revolving around media strategy, planning/buying, and reporting.
A/B Testing: Creating and implementing campaign A/B test experiments to identify optimal campaign strategies and tactics.
Data-Driven Insights: Using available data inputs, tools, and systems to develop insights and action items intended to improve media performance and meet brand goals.
Budget Management: Forecast spend and manage budget allocations, optimizing based on performance.
Competitor Analysis: Analyze competitor and industry trends.
Tracking and Measurability: Audit tracking and ensure measurability.
Innovative Thinking: Be an idea generator/thought leader on how to increase media impact through non-traditional and/or innovative execution.
Cross-functional Collaboration: Communicating with cross-functional Marketing teams to regularly discuss goals and deliver results.
Global Strategy Development: Partner with CMO and VP, Digital Marketing to develop international digital media capabilities and resources.
Project Liaison: Be a liaison between the media and account team to ensure that project milestones, timelines, and deliverables are met.
Publisher Interaction: Interact daily and maintain rapport with digital media publishers.
Research and Reporting: Analyze research data and media/marketing information, and share information with clients.
Campaign Optimization: Monitor, assess, and recommend optimizations for ongoing campaign performance, and assist in strategic analysis of campaigns.
Spend Monitoring: Monitor and track media spend, compare against client budget, and alert the team of any discrepancies.

10. Digital Media Planner/Buyer Roles

Media Plan Development: Reports to Media Supervisor and/or Director in the development, execution, and post-analysis of media plans.
Platform Expertise: Expertise in utilizing media buying platforms to execute digital channel assignments.
Strategy and Execution: Provide recommendations and execute strategies for specific specialized digital channels, campaign structuring, targeting, and other facets of digital tactics.
Innovation: Continually bring new ideas to the table and drive the business forward.
Industry Leadership: Cause clients and prospects to view as a provider of innovative media solutions by expanding and sharing knowledge of new technologies and business opportunities through industry research, industry events, and vendor offerings.
Campaign Management: Manage day-to-day operations of digital campaigns and accounts.
Media Buying: Strategize, plan, and buy online media for a broad range of digital media channels.
Data Analysis: Perform in-depth analysis of campaigns using internal reporting, DCM & Google Analytics, Facebook Ads, LinkedIn Ads, etc.
Performance Monitoring: Define, monitor, and analyze key performance indicators for continuous improvement of digital media campaigns.
Client Reporting: Provide monthly reporting & analysis to clients; monitor campaign results and analyze/report key metrics; generate quarterly client reports for all major metrics.
Collaboration: Collaborate with Media Supervisor/Director and Client Services on the creation and delivery of campaign overview and analysis.
Client Relations: Maintain a positive and productive relationship with all clients and team.
Client Presentations: Present to clients in a positive, confident, and professional manner - demonstrate a keen understanding of clients’ businesses and industries.