What does a Media Planner do?
A media planner is responsible for managing market campaigns and promotions for clients' advertising needs through various social media platforms and other mediums of communications. Media planners handle the brand's media presence, strategizing its maximum appeal to the target audience. They coordinate closely with the clients for the progress updates, as well as informing them of any adjustments, especially on meeting the public's interests and concerns. A media planner develops innovative techniques, analyzes market data, and manage campaign results, ensuring to meet the clients' objectives and goals.
Media planner responsibilities
Here are examples of responsibilities from real media planner resumes:
- Partner with programmatic buying team to manage DSP campaign and ensure tactics maintain maximum efficiency.
- Lead monthly meetings with each AE to discuss key accounts and strategize for revenue growth.
- Manage multiple inboxes handling numerous RFP inquiries from top tier clients while training new employees on processes.
- Manage multiple million dollar budgets, budget analysis and reconciliations.
- Manage MRI research system generating specific demographic information for media recommendations.
- Experience with Comscore, Nielsen, Kantar & Mediamind.
- Utilize Neilson, Arbitron, SRDS and other demographic research sources.
- Analyze Nielsen rating data to determine performance of current and past campaigns.
- Assist AE's with building client advertising schedules, proposals and pricing.
- Identify and implement new target audiences to improve paid performance of promote content on Facebook.
- Work with an intimate team to brainstorm new content for the organization's YouTube channel.
- Select customer photos, convert to .JPEG for graphics editing and upload to Facebook page daily.
- Generate, review, and communicate DFA reports; develop launch reports for each digital campaign.
- Organize the first DMC YouTube committee and oversee its design and launch of the departmental YouTube channel.
- Investigate relevant media / marketing information and compose POVs for any potential to help elevate the MetroPCS brand.
Media planner skills and personality traits
We calculated that 11% of Media Planners are proficient in Media Planning, PowerPoint, and Campaign Performance. They’re also known for soft skills such as Problem-solving skills, Speaking skills, and Writing skills.
We break down the percentage of Media Planners that have these skills listed on their resume here:
- Media Planning, 11%
Exhibited in depth understanding of strategic development, media planning, negotiations, implementation and performance analysis enhancing all client relationships.
- PowerPoint, 8%
Created a wide variety of interactive PowerPoint presentations for senior executives and clients.
- Campaign Performance, 5%
Analyze data/results and develop insights for campaign performance reporting that leads to actions for future campaign performance improvement.
- MRI, 4%
Utilize all available market research tools; including: MRI, TNS, SQAD, Strata AND Nielsen programs.
- Digital Marketing, 4%
Conducted research on display ad inventory and other forms of digital marketing and how it was applicable to company.
- Nielsen, 4%
Tracked deal delivery utilizing Nielsen Overnights and Stewardship reports to produce quarterly post analysis
"media planning," "powerpoint," and "campaign performance" are among the most common skills that media planners use at work. You can find even more media planner responsibilities below, including:
Problem-solving skills. To carry out their duties, the most important skill for a media planner to have is problem-solving skills. Their role and responsibilities require that "public relations specialists sometimes must explain how a company or client is handling sensitive issues." Media planners often use problem-solving skills in their day-to-day job, as shown by this real resume: "consulted clients on email creative best practices as well as strategic solutions to maximize campaign results. "
Speaking skills. Another soft skill that's essential for fulfilling media planner duties is speaking skills. The role rewards competence in this skill because "public relations specialists regularly speak on behalf of clients or their organization." According to a media planner resume, here's how media planners can utilize speaking skills in their job responsibilities: "assisted in plan development and execution created pov documents for clients compiled, analyzed and presented competitive media research to the client"
Writing skills. This is an important skill for media planners to perform their duties. For an example of how media planner responsibilities depend on this skill, consider that "public relations specialists must be able to write well-organized and clear press releases, speeches, and social media posts." This excerpt from a resume also shows how vital it is to everyday roles and responsibilities of a media planner: "update facebook & twitter for over 30 clients blog writing seo keyword research".
The three companies that hire the most media planners are:
- WWpp Us Holdings Inc28 media planners jobs
- EEssence Global
7 media planners jobs
- FFahlgren Mortine6 media planners jobs
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Compare different media planners
Media planner vs. Communications associate
A communications associate is responsible for assisting with writing and communication projects and tasks within an organization. They are responsible for planning and implementing communication strategies, overseeing the company's media promotion, and editing and proofreading communication materials and texts. As a communications associate, you will be most likely to manage an organization's online presence by developing, updating, or revising its website and creating copy for social media. You also must cultivate and consolidate good media relations, and oversee the company's promotion campaigns and advertising.
There are some key differences in the responsibilities of each position. For example, media planner responsibilities require skills like "media planning," "campaign performance," "mri," and "digital marketing." Meanwhile a typical communications associate has skills in areas such as "customer service," "patients," "project management," and "press releases." This difference in skills reveals the differences in what each career does.
Communications associates really shine in the finance industry with an average salary of $63,395. Comparatively, media planners tend to make the most money in the professional industry with an average salary of $69,565.The education levels that communications associates earn slightly differ from media planners. In particular, communications associates are 3.5% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree than a media planner. Additionally, they're 0.8% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Media planner vs. Communications coordinator
A communications coordinator is responsible for overseeing the communications department's operations, developing the brand image, and monitoring press releases, company articles, and other related marketing materials for business promotion and visibility. Communications coordinators actively interact with existing and potential clients, negotiate contracts, and build profitable partnerships. They also develop strategic procedures for creating the business' online presence, organizing promotional events, and media conferences. A communications coordinator must have excellent communication and organization skills to maintain a good reputation and customer satisfaction.
While some skills are similar in these professions, other skills aren't so similar. For example, resumes show us that media planner responsibilities requires skills like "media planning," "campaign performance," "mri," and "digital marketing." But a communications coordinator might use other skills in their typical duties, such as, "customer service," "web content," "event planning," and "press releases."
Communications coordinators earn a lower average salary than media planners. But communications coordinators earn the highest pay in the government industry, with an average salary of $46,362. Additionally, media planners earn the highest salaries in the professional with average pay of $69,565 annually.communications coordinators earn similar levels of education than media planners in general. They're 4.6% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree and 0.8% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Media Planners in the next 3-5 years?
Seth Bradshaw Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Lewis-Clark State College
Media planner vs. Marketing communications specialist
A marketing communications specialist is an individual who is responsible for creating all the marketing materials that are distributed to customers to increase brand awareness for the company's products or services. To create these materials, marketing communications specialists must collaborate with graphic design teams. They are required to track their marketing performance so that they can identify ways to improve their marketing strategies. Marketing communications specialists must also set up interviews and press conferences as part of their marketing campaign.
Some important key differences between the two careers include a few of the skills necessary to fulfill the responsibilities of each. Some examples from media planner resumes include skills like "campaign performance," "mri," "nielsen," and "povs," whereas a marketing communications specialist is more likely to list skills in "project management," "graphic design," "web content," and "press releases. "
Marketing communications specialists make a very good living in the technology industry with an average annual salary of $70,324. On the other hand, media planners are paid the highest salary in the professional industry, with average annual pay of $69,565.Most marketing communications specialists achieve a similar degree level compared to media planners. For example, they're 2.2% more likely to graduate with a Master's Degree, and 0.0% more likely to earn a Doctoral Degree.Media planner vs. Communications specialist
A communications specialist takes charge of addressing the public by coming up with various strategic campaigns, newsletters, public correspondence, press releases, and advertisements. Their primary role focuses on promoting, shaping, and enhancing a brand's image through public relations. Furthermore, a communications specialist is responsible for handling any complaints or issues, devising and conducting damage control to resolve bad publicity should there be any. It is also essential for a communications specialist to adhere to the company's policies and regulations at all times.
Types of media planner
Updated January 8, 2025
