By Darren Gilbert

After all, we are talking about building and maintaining good relationships with publishers while also finding your audience. And then providing them with value and something worthwhile. In such a space, you need to know how to best approach that.

Multi-channel plans are the most effective

Similar to any offline communication, you should consider approaching your consumers from more than one angle. After all, your goal is to create a lasting impact. And a positive one at that. It’s also why Webfluential consider multi-channel plans to be the most effective for their clients

“Although our main focus is connecting brands with online influencers, we know that a full scale media plan is best executed across more than one media channel,” says Sharman. “It’s important to look at your consumers’ path to purchase and ensure that the channels you are planning to advertise on, cover their entire journey.”

If they don’t, you need to reconsider where you are advertising and why. As Bianca Quinn-Diavastos, head of Business Solutions and Strategy at 25AM says, it comes down to proper planning. “Over the longer term, it is important to make sure that the selected platforms are working and that we optimise campaigns for better performance.”

Flexibility is key if you are thinking long-term

While long-term media campaigns are worthwhile, you do need to be flexible. “The quick turnaround times and detailed reporting tools offered by most major online channels allow brands to optimise from campaign to campaign,” says Sharman.

“If you’re working on a long-term media plan, it’s essential to have scope to optimise where necessary,” adds Sharman. She is not the only one advocating this point. It’s also a view shared by Brad Page, managing partner at Neo@Ogilvy.

“In the face of constant change, having the foresight to identify and put agile business processes in place to swiftly act on and leverage change is hugely beneficial in future-proofing your ability to consistently create and deliver value,” says Page.

Know your audience

‘Failing to plan is planning to fail’ might be a cliché, but the adage services a purpose. This is especially so when you are considering where to place your advertising online. You can’t simply decide to advertise on a website because it’s popular. What about your audience? Does your target audience even browse that website?

“Many media plans have placements that are broken down into desktop and mobile,” explains Sharman. “Those insights are often brought about by research. It’s important to create and place content in the areas you know you audience sits.”

“We rather add content as an indicator alongside behavioural, contextual, audience, and any other useful data which tells us who the user is and allows us to target our audience,” says Page. “As a result, plans [are] geared towards reaching the target audience, rather than a set of web locations where we’ll be advertising, based on whichever category their content falls into.”

What are your thoughts on online media buying?