Media Buyer
The dealmaker behind the screen—media buyers negotiate, purchase, and place ads across channels to maximize reach and return.
What is a Media Buyer?
The negotiator of attention. Media buyers secure ad placements where they’ll have the biggest impact—without blowing the budget.
What does a Media Buyer do?
They analyze media performance, purchase space across channels, and negotiate rates with platforms and publishers. It’s part numbers, part instinct.
What does this role look like in a creative agency?
At RIOT, media buyers make every dollar count. Their placements elevate our creative and make sure it lands with the right audience, every time.
Dive Deeper
Media Buyers are the dealmakers behind the screens. They negotiate rates, purchase ad space, and strategically place campaigns across digital, social, TV, print, outdoor, and emerging platforms. In creative and media agencies, Media Buyers ensure that the right message lands in the right place at the right time—maximizing both reach and return while keeping budgets sharp and performance strong.
Related Glossary Terms
| Related Glossary Terms | Why It’s Relevant |
|---|---|
| Media Planning and Buying | The overall process that Media Buyers execute—turning plans into placements and media buys into measurable impact. |
| Paid Media Campaigns | Media Buyers activate the paid portion of marketing plans—managing budgets, bids, and delivery schedules across channels. |
| Retargeting Campaigns | They often manage retargeting tactics—buying placements designed to bring users back into the conversion funnel. |
| Programmatic Media Buying | Many Media Buyers operate inside programmatic platforms—automating real-time ad purchases based on audience data. |
| KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) | Campaign success is measured by KPIs like CPM, CPC, CTR, conversion rates, and ROAS—all managed and optimized by Media Buyers. |
Related Job Roles
| Related Job Roles | Why It’s Connected |
|---|---|
| Media Planner | Develops the strategic media plan that Media Buyers bring to life through negotiated placements and scheduling. |
| Performance Marketing Manager | Partners to track performance, optimize live campaigns, and adjust buying strategies based on real-time results. |
| Account Executive | Communicates media plan updates and performance back to the client throughout the campaign lifecycle. |
| Paid Media Specialist | Focuses on the tactical management and optimization of paid media channels that Media Buyers secure and activate. |
