Media Buyer
Job Description
The Media Buyer (MB) is a highly motivated analytical thinker who has the ability and desire to learn quickly and react creatively under pressure. This person needs to have the technical skills to understand the details of digital ad serving, server ad calls, and backend tracking. The MB should know how publishers are monetizing their ad inventory and have the business acumen to negotiate deals to deliver audience segments efficiently to deliver solid profitability across their campaigns. The ability to utilize all branding and direct response tactics and understanding of targeting and tactics is essential. This includes both understand behavioral targeting and predictive targeting technology along with various pricing models (CPM, CPC, CPL, CPA, etc.). It’s very important that this individual have the ability to provide real-time solutions to challenging marketing situations.
The MB will play an important role in ensuring that the media buys exceed company benchmarks which are measured by negotiating competitive rates, ensuring full revenue delivery, driving campaign performance, and executing profitable campaigns. The MB will be involved in the campaign throughout all steps of the campaign life cycle and should have a global understanding of the different steps and all departmental responsibilities across the Goodway job process: Planning, Buying & Execution, Reporting & Optimization, and Administration & Billing. Media responsibilities can include but are not limited to:
Planning:
- Actively participating in campaign input calls to obtain all possible information needed to create the media strategy or plan.
- Researching publisher and digital options using planning resources such as Compete, Quantcast, Google, @Plan, eMarketer, etc.
- Determining which tactics (Auto Intender, Behavior Match, Behavioral Targeting, Auto Channel, CPC, Video, Mobile, Site Direct, etc.) and targeting should be utilized based on the client goals, time frame, market, budget, etc.
- Collecting and organizing appropriate vendor contacts, acquiring publisher rate cards and media kits, and requesting pricing & avails along with publisher collateral.
- Researching and purchasing of audience pixels through a number of Third Party data providers including Clearspring, Quantcast, BlueKai, AlmondNet, etc.
- Preparing custom client site lists using the Goodway Global Site and publisher lists in conjunction with Third Party data or other user profiles or demographics.
- Creating thoughtful media plans based on planning research, market size, and audience availability using tactics and targeting that will reach the right user with the right message at the right time.
- Providing excel proposals that incorporate consistent pricing across all regions per advertiser along with incorporating accurate margins, appropriate ad serving costs, proper creative ad specs, and correct agency fees.
- Completing accurate data entry (or guidance to assistants and contractors) for proposals and insertion orders into Goodway’s contract management system.
Buying & Execution:
- Participating in campaign kickoff calls to ensure all possible information needed to purchase the media is provided along with ensuring that previous plans are revised according to client direction.
- Purchasing media effectively to address client’s needs, wants, and goals along with taking into account our internal Four Corners Goals which include negotiating competitive rates, ensuring ability to deliver budget in full, choosing tactics and optimizing based on performance, and executing profitable campaigns.
- Securing appropriate inventory at competitive rates with vendors and partners along with utilizing and setting up campaigns across DSPs and Exchanges (Google AdX, Invite Media, Right Media Exchange, AOL Ad Desk, adap.tv, etc) directly for inventory purchasing.
- Organizing and creating Buy Matrix documents which summarize and document the details of what specifically is being purchased for the campaign and coordinating appropriate ad tags and ad trafficking with Ad Operations teammate.
- Processing and completing insertion orders, confirmation emails, contractual documents and ensuring these records are saved on the Goodway shared drive.
- Completing accurate data entry (or guidance to assistants and contractors) for client IOs and vendor IOs or RFIOs into Goodway’s contract management system.
- Ensuring generation, placement, and correct pixel targeting (Domain Re-Targeting, Creative Re-Targeting, Conversion Tracking, User Targeting) is implemented according to campaign details and goals.
Reporting & Optimization:
- Confirming that there is no data discrepancy across DART raw data, Goodway’s database-drive reporting platform (Tableau), and Third Party reporting.
- Effectively monitoring and managing campaign and partner performance and budgetary pacing to ensure best possible results are being delivered based on client goals and objectives (CTR, Conversions, Delivery, etc).
- Analyzing Fourth Party Verification reports (Adometry) along with site-by-site reporting platforms and Tableau to ensure media is delivering and performing according to campaign parameters.
- Revising and optimizing campaigns based on measurable results according to analytical support and data findings. This includes adding or removing partners, adjusting bids and budgets, shifting inventory from sizes, sites, or placements, adjusting targeting, etc. to increase performance based on client goals.
Administration & Billing:
- Preparing weekly job summaries and finalizing monthly delivery, accounting, and performance reports.
- Completing accurate data documentation (or guidance to assistants and contractors) for exchange actualization and final monthly delivery into Goodway’s campaign management system.
- Addressing technical problems, client fires, or any issues that arise across campaigns, projects, vendors, or platforms.
- Organizing and saving all appropriate documents (job documents, industry research, etc.) in their corresponding locations and folders within the Goodway shared drive according to the required Naming Conventions.
- Utilizing and training outsourcing partners and media assistants across administrative functions (See Media Admin job description) where assistance is essential.
Qualifications
- A minimum of 2 years of digital media buying experience
- Bachelor’s degree
- Strong long-distance communication skills using email, instant messenger platforms, and phone
- Strong knowledge of digital environment and high technical aptitude for learning and working within desktop and web-based applications (Windows, Microsoft Office, DSPs, Ad Exchanges)
- General internet understanding including ability to calculate and analyze data based on standard digital advertising cost metrics (CPM, CPC, CPA, etc)
- Strong desire and ability to work with large sets of numbers and data and proficient within a database-driven reporting platform
- Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills and multi-tasking ability
- Ability to work efficiently and effectively under tight deadlines and working with a sense of urgency under pressure while remaining calm
- Desire to work from home
