What is a digital buyer and why are they so important?

Digital Buyers are typically the link between advertiser and media partners. In the marketing world, there are many viable media outlets, however digital is on the constant rise. In 2019 it is projected that digital media will take up 55% of all ad spending.

When engaging in digital it is important to make sure you find the best partner with the best resources and a good digital buyer that knows what they are doing.   The best digital media buyers are vital because they not only give direction and scope to a promotional project, but also make sure that advertisers are getting the best ROI from your campaigns.

An overview of a digital planner and buyer’s approach

1. Goals: Just like with any marketing campaign, marketing should never begin unless goals and objectives are established. Based on this the correct digital channels and approach are established.
2. Target Audience: Parameters need to be established for whom the buyers need to speak to and the type of customer you’re trying to target. An in-depth understanding of your consumer base helps these professionals to determine what kind of digital channels will deliver the best results, and how you should promote your campaigns.

Our very own digital planner Dan Renniger noted,”I handpick the best audience network and user behaviors where our ads will be served to the most relevant audience for potential customers/users.”

1. Campaign Budgets: Once the goals and target audience are identified, digital buyers and planners can offer predictions into the potential cost of a successful strategy based on available ad inventory and targeted audiences. They are also steeped in making sure campaign budgets stay on track and maintain campaign performance.
2. Track and optimize performance: Digital media buyers are continuously monitoring campign performance and use historical performance data to optimize and adjust campaigns to yield positive performance.

Faith Koerner, one of our digital planners and buyers shared some of the science behind Vici’s digital approach. “Once a campaign is live, we monitor the pacing and performance to ensure we’re getting the best results for each client’s needs. Based on their goals, we can make various optimizations to aim to increase clicks, conversions, or other desired metrics. Tracking the pacing and performance of a campaign varies from client to client and often takes time to get down to a science, but is crucial to a building a successful digital advertising campaign.”

Because digital buying is dynamic and constantly changing, it is both an art and a science.  That is why you may see a lot of fluctuations in your ad serving the first few days or even weeks of a campaign as the buyer is working to optimize and get a feel for available impressions and bids needed for ads.

The Vici Team is dedicated to top performance and results. Dan noted, “The thing that excites me the most about digital, is being able to assist small businesses help their local communities. A lot of the clients I work with are small companies who are looking to get a lot more exposure in the local and surrounding area. When I see great ROI indicators such as phone calls, contact form submissions, and contact page views, it shows our work is making a difference for that business.

The fact is digital is a complicated landscape that can take years to perfect and to stay on top of on a continual basis. While a DIY approach can be cheaper, it’s rarely more effective.  Digital Buyers are a KEY component to effective digital campaigns.