A Bitesize Guide to Digital Media Planning

Just think how much people engage with the internet when making a large purchase or choosing a service. From initial product research, right through to clicking the ‘pay now’ button and beyond, to possibly even leaving a review, the digital world is very much part of the buying process. 

It’s never been easier for a consumer to research a product or service. This is great news for them. But for businesses, this can be an overwhelming thought. So many questions are raised. For instance:

• Is your product or service visible to the right people?
• Are you making the right impression on them?
• Are you investing enough in digital media?

It is crucial that you make the digital world work for your business by formulating an effective digital media plan. This bitesize guide comes from a media planning agency in Dubai. It will explain how digital media plans are created for maximum impact. 

Although it won’t help you sidestep the need for professional expertise, it will mean you know what to expect. By understanding the process, you’ll benefit from a smooth working relationship with your chosen digital media agency. 

Digital media plans: what, when, where, how and why?

Let’s start with the basics. 

What do we mean by digital media? Your digital media is content created by you (or on behalf of you) that appears on the internet in some way. Therefore, it could be videos, podcasts, content for your website, blogs, social media campaigns, digital advertising or even gamified content.

The digital media plan is your strategy for what, when, where and how you upload this content. 

The ‘why’ is taken care of. You have probably already learned that digital media content is vital for boosting brand awareness, increasing customer engagement and setting you apart from your competitors. Ultimately, your digital media content should increase both conversions and revenue. 

A digital media plan is put in place to determine exactly what messages you want to send out, where you would like to send them (the channels), and when. 

Consideration of your goals will be paramount: Are you aiming to increase conversions, build brand awareness, generate leads, or all of the above? 

What considerations should be factored in?

When you begin to build your digital media plan, there will always be some constraints and limitations. It is important to set your budget carefully. 

Budget is a key factor to success. An underfunded campaign is unlikely to succeed. It will limit opportunities. Equally, you don’t want to start formulating a campaign that you have little chance of affording. Try to build some flexibility into your budget so that there is scope for adapting your plan if necessary. 

You need to consider human resources. Who is going to implement your plan? If you use a digital media agency, then this will be taken care of. 

When you begin to devise the content types, the frequency and reach of your message, you should also always have in mind the endgame of your plan. Your plan needs to focus on your target market at all times. This is why the research stage of your planning is crucial. 

If you haven’t already, it is well worth considering the benefits of using a digital media agency. Their experience will be invaluable. They know exactly how to maximize reach, engagement and returns on your investment. 

How to create a digital media plan: four crucial steps

Professional digital media agencies follow the steps below. Understanding how they work will make the process of working with them much smoother. 

1. Research

Data is crucial to good market research. The more information you can gather on your customer base, the more you can understand it. You will be able to create typical customer personas. Who are they? What is their motivation for buying from you?

In addition, have you reached the right audience so far? Do you need to adapt your strategy to find your target market? 

Once you know all this, the agency will be able to tell you exactly where you can find your audience and how you can create content that resonates with your audience.  

2. Set the goals

What objectives will guide the campaign? What will success look like? 

It’s a good idea to make your goals very specific and to set your key performance indicators (KPIs) now. This is something that you can collaborate on with your media planner. 

3. Form and build a strategy

Quite simply, what content do you need to create to meet your objectives?

Media planners will be identifying what type or types of media are suitable for your campaign and what platforms to use to maximize your spending. Your target audience will likely have a typical way of interacting with the internet and a specific set of platforms that they use. They need to devise a plan that suits your target audience and matches your budget. 

Once the initial plan is devised, much of the workload will be passed to content creation teams and media buyers who will launch your digital media campaign.  

4. Monitor and analyze results

Media planners still play an important role after the launch, monitoring results and analyzing progress against your KPIs. They should be asking questions about reach, effectiveness and engagement. 

They may find the content needs to be revised, updated or strategies adapted to meet the intended goals. They will still be working closely with teams implementing the plan and gathering feedback from you. 

How to create a joined-up campaign

A successful digital media campaign will result from excellent collaboration between your organization, your digital media planners, content creators and media buyers. 

Good communication is always vital as will making the effort to understand everyone’s roles. 

While you need a digital and social media agency to help create the right campaign for you, they need your help in understanding your products or services and your customers from the get-go. 

The more information you can provide them with, the better. Your feedback throughout the process will also help everybody get the results you want. This way, you can look forward to optimal results and smashing your goals. 

AUTHOR BIO

Stuart Harris is the Creative Director at Yellow, a Dubai branding agency, digital partner and advertising company working with progressive businesses to build bold, meaningful brands.