Hiring Guide for Media Planning and Buying Specialists in Kansas City
There’s been a 72% rise in the value of marketing positions, such as Media Planning and Buying Specialists. This has made the hunt for top-notch talent even more competitive.
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What are the challenges in hiring and retaining Media Planning and Buying Specialists, and how do top companies solve them?
Recent reports indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly heightened the importance of marketing roles, making them 72% more essential than before. This shift has intensified the competition among companies seeking top marketing talent, prompting many marketers to reevaluate and innovate their hiring strategies to attract the best candidates.
With the demand for experienced professionals soaring, it has become crucial for organizations to create an environment that fosters loyalty and job satisfaction among their marketing teams. In addition to the challenge of acquiring new talent, businesses are also facing difficulties in retaining skilled digital marketers.
To address these challenges, numerous companies in Kansas City are turning to outsourcing as a strategic solution to bridge their talent gaps. By outsourcing, businesses can effectively scale their marketing efforts without experiencing disruptions or delays, allowing them to stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market.
If your organization is considering outsourcing as a viable option, it’s essential to partner with a remote staffing provider that stands out for its affordability and commitment to ethical business practices. Look for a provider that offers attractive perks and cultivates a positive work culture, as these factors can significantly enhance employee satisfaction and productivity.
Additionally, make sure the provider has robust security protocols in place, holds ISO certification, and has developed comprehensive business continuity plans to ensure operations run smoothly, even in unforeseen circumstances. By carefully selecting the right partner, you can optimize your marketing capabilities and drive your company’s success.
A top-notch Media Planning and Buying Specialist needs a diverse skill set to excel in their role
This role involves a thorough understanding of the media buying process, coupled with the ability to craft strategies that align with business objectives and achieve expected outcomes. To succeed, specialists must demonstrate expertise in areas such as:
- Media planning: A media planner should have a proven ability to develop comprehensive media plans that align with clients’ marketing goals and effectively reach the target audience. This includes seamless omni-channel coordination to ensure all consumer touchpoints are optimized.
- Media buying: Demonstrated expertise in purchasing ad space across various platforms, leveraging relationships with media companies and media buyers to secure optimal rates and placements. This involves proficiency with tools like Google Ads, Adobe Advertising Cloud, and demand-side platforms to achieve excellent ROI.
- Media strategy: Strong capability in crafting long-term media strategies that integrate digital channels and traditional outlets. These strategies are informed by market insights, audience behavior analysis, and competitive research to position brands for success.
- Ad placement: Skill in ensuring precise and strategic ad placement across multiple ad formats and platforms to maximize engagement and brand exposure. This is particularly crucial when working with media outlets like Vision Media or Hydrogen Advertising.
- Audience targeting: Proficiency in audience research, utilizing advanced analytics and market insights to identify and target specific audience segments. This includes an understanding of demographics, psychographics, and behaviors for a tailored media campaign.
- Campaign budgeting: Effective management and allocation of campaign budgets across multiple ad exchanges and channels, ensuring a balance between cost-efficiency and high-impact results.
- Advertising platform expertise: Comprehensive knowledge of platforms like Facebook Ads Manager and MediaOcean, enabling seamless execution of media buying and planning strategies.
- Nice-to-Haves for a Media Planning and Buying Kansas City Specialist:
- Creative support: Collaborating with team members, such as a creative director or designer, ensures ad strategies are aligned with compelling creative elements. This approach enhances engagement across diverse ad formats and platforms.
- Regional expertise: A deep understanding of the Pacific Northwest market enables strategies to be tailored to local trends. This ensures campaigns resonate with regional consumer behaviors for maximum impact.
- Partnership building: Building strong relationships with new media buyers helps expand opportunities and resources. Leveraging partnerships with clients like Trustone Financial Credit Union strengthens campaign reach and effectiveness.
- Innovative solutions: Utilizing tools like streaming services and public relations efforts creates innovative media campaigns. These strategies combine modern technology with traditional approaches to achieve broader engagement.
- Reporting and client services: Transparent communication ensures clients are informed and campaigns align with their marketing department goals. Actionable reporting provides insights that drive ongoing improvements.
- Proven success stories: A demonstrated ability to achieve extraordinary outcomes highlights expertise in strategic planning and execution. This includes leveraging creative thinking and collaboration to mobilize results faster.
A guide to interviewing media planning and buying specialists in Kansas City: Key questions and insights
Evaluating both technical expertise and soft skills is critical when interviewing candidates for roles in media planning and buying. To find the ideal candidate, focus on their knowledge of various channels, ability to create an effective strategy, and understanding of the industry. Here are some targeted questions and the reasoning behind them:
- What’s your experience working in media buying agencies? This question helps assess the candidate’s familiarity with the workflows, tools, and collaborative dynamics of a media buying agency. Experience in such settings often indicates a strong understanding of media buying and planning, with the ability to effectively utilize an ad exchange and a demand-side platform.
- What are your main duties in your current role as a media planner? Understanding their responsibilities can reveal their expertise in managing various channels, executing ad campaigns, and aligning projects with goals. Look for mentions of collaboration roles such as the creative director and creative support team, managing each consumer touchpoint, and delivering actionable results.
- How do you see the media buying and planning industry evolving in the future? Are there any trends or formats you think will become more popular? This question evaluates their industry expertise and ability to anticipate changes in media planning buying. Insights into emerging platforms, innovations in communications, or shifts in audience behavior show their strategic thinking and market awareness.
- If you were to design a social media marketing campaign for a company that wants to reach a wide age range, how would you go about it? If you were to design a social media marketing campaign for a company that wants to reach a wide age range, how would you go about it?
- Can you tell me about three of your favorite ads that you’ve created? What makes them stand out for you, and how did they perform? Asking this reveals their practical experience as a media buyer—with ad campaigns and the metrics they prioritize. Strong candidates will highlight their use of effective strategies, collaboration with teams, and alignment with planning services to achieve impactful outcomes.
- What’s your process for determining which media platforms are the best fit for a specific campaign? This evaluates their analytical skills and ability to assess media channels based on campaign goals, audience insights, and cost-effectiveness. Look for mentions of leveraging data, understanding consumer behavior, and considering a campaign’s consumer touchpoints.
- How do you gather customer feedback on your campaigns? What methods do you use? A strong media specialist uses feedback loops to improve strategies. This question tests their ability to use customer feedback to refine communications, enhance campaign performance, and achieve long-term success.
- What do you look for in a media buying agency? This question sheds light on the candidate’s values and expectations when collaborating with a buying agency. Key answers should include industry knowledge, reliable planning services, and a results-driven approach.
- Can you explain your experience with demand-side platforms and ad exchanges? This technical question assesses their proficiency with the tools and platforms crucial for modern media planning and buying. Look for knowledge of automation, bidding strategies, and optimizing campaigns for specific goals.
How much does outsourcing a Media Planning and Buying Specialist for Kansas City cost?
When considering the recruitment of a Media Planning and Buying Specialist, it’s essential to note that the associated expenses can vary considerably based on several factors. These include the candidate’s geographical location, level of experience, and specific skill set.
Taking Kansas City as a case study, the base salary for such a specialist can be substantial, reflective of the city’s competitive job market. However, it’s important to factor in additional costs that can significantly impact your overall budget. Beyond the salary, you will typically need to account for employee benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, and various office-related expenses. These supplementary costs can add approximately 30% to the initial salary figure, making it crucial to budget accordingly.
Moreover, the costs don’t stop at salary and benefits. The process of sourcing and attracting qualified candidates can also bear a financial burden. For instance, utilizing job boards like Seek, Monster.com, or LinkedIn to post job advertisements often comes with fees. In addition, if you choose to engage recruitment agencies to help you find the right talent, their service fees could easily reach up to 20% of the new hire’s first-year salary. This cumulative effect means that hiring locally can become quite expensive.
For businesses looking to mitigate these costs, outsourcing presents a viable alternative. By hiring a Media Planning and Buying Specialist from countries such as the Philippines, Colombia, or India, companies can significantly reduce their overall hiring expenses. Platforms like Cloudstaff’s Teambuilder provide valuable insights into potential savings associated with outsourcing, allowing you to see just how much more affordable it can be.
Opting for an outsourcing approach not only helps in reducing local hiring costs but also streamlines the recruitment process. By tapping into a global talent pool, you can locate highly skilled professionals who are an excellent fit for your organization without incurring the steep price typically associated with local hires. This strategic move enables you to maintain quality while optimizing your budget.
Steps to hiring remote Media Planning and Buying Specialists with Cloudstaff
Take a look at how Cloudstaff can simplify hiring remote Media Planning and Buying Specialists for Kansas City businesses.
Match
We use a database of 700,000 candidates and AI technology to find the right match for you.
Interview
We streamline the selection process to ensure you meet only the best candidates.
Offer
We handle all local employment paperwork, from offers to contracts.
Enable
On day one, your new hires have everything they need, including equipment and secure logins.
Induct
Our thorough legal induction ensures all new hires are compliant from the start.
Train
We provide access to training materials and to our learning platform, CS Academy, for ongoing talent development.
Manage
Our team supports productivity, staff relations, and growth, helping your workforce thrive.
Onboarding & training Media Planning and Buying Specialists at Cloudstaff, your Employer of Record
Are you looking to outsource for your Kansas City-based company but feeling overwhelmed by the complexities of international remote staffing laws? Let Cloudstaff take the worry off your plate. We specialize in managing all the intricate details that come with international staffing, including payroll, tax obligations, and ensuring legal compliance in various countries such as the Philippines, Colombia, and India. This allows you to concentrate on leading your remote Media Planning and Buying Specialists without the typical hassles and headaches associated with overseas staffing.
At Cloudstaff, we place a strong emphasis on cultural compatibility. We understand that finding the right fit goes beyond just technical expertise; it’s essential for new team members to resonate with your Kansas City organizational culture.
Our comprehensive hiring process not only evaluates candidates for their technical skills but also assesses how well they align with your team’s dynamics. We take the time to identify candidates who are fluent in English and possess the interpersonal abilities needed to thrive in your work environment, ensuring they truly complement your existing team.
When it comes to onboarding your new Media Planning and Buying Specialists, we prioritize a smooth and seamless integration into your team from day one. Our onboarding process includes setting clear expectations, providing extensive training, and implementing a supportive, US-style management approach that fosters open communication and collaboration. We recognize that effective onboarding sets the stage for long-term success.
Our dedicated Client Growth Partners also maintain regular communication with you and your new hires. They are here to offer ongoing support, troubleshoot challenges, and identify opportunities for growth, enabling your remote team to continuously develop and succeed in their roles. With Cloudstaff, you can rest easy knowing that your international outsourcing needs are in capable hands, allowing you to drive your business forward with confidence.
What makes Cloudstaff’s remote staffing solutions different from other outsourcing models?
Cloudstaff is changing the face of outsourcing with its advanced take on remote staffing.
Cloudstaff’s remote staffing solutions
Ethical outsourcing
- Committed to safety, employee growth, and a celebrated work culture
- Transparent pricing, and comprehensive benefits
- Robust Business Continuity Planning (BCP)
#1 Workplace
- Your trusted co-pilot to find the best talent
- Our recruitment experts offer access to over 700,000 skilled remote professionals worldwide, supported by our comprehensive Cloudstaff Academy
Operational brilliance
- Dedicated to your remarkable growth, our Client Growth Partners are always there for you whenever you need them
- We provide exceptional staff, mobilize teams, and manage performance to move your business forward
Enterprise-grade outsourcing
- Significant investment in advanced technology and platforms
- Unrivaled security features tailored for enterprise need
- Leading-edge in tech-enabled solutions with top-tier remote work technology and AI talent augmentation
- We have a Google-alum Chief AI Officer who is advancing our proprietary AI to enhance matching accuracy, ensure a private generative AI environment for secure staff usage, and develop specialized AI toolkits for various industries.
Other outsourcing models
Direct contracting
- Compliance issues due to legal concerns
Freelance hiring
- Tax obligations not met
- Lack of full-time commitment
Traditional outsourcing
- Ethical considerations
- Potential business risks
- Limited post-sales support
Establishing a local entity
- Initial investment requirement of approximately $250k
- Additional considerations for local equipment procurement
- Necessitates investment in local human resources and cultural integration
- Local bureaucratic hurdles
Retaining top talent like Media Planning and Buying Specialists goes beyond just acknowledging their skills
It’s about making them feel genuinely valued and essential to your organization. You can achieve this by fostering a people-first environment with awesome perks, a solid rewards system, career growth opportunities, inclusive activities, and strong support for work-life balance. This way, everyone feels they’re a crucial part of the team.
Check out how you can save up to 70% vs traditional hiring costs with our TEAM BUILDER.
Download a custom remote staffing business case tailored to your hiring needs.
Have trouble hiring or are worried about your budget?
We’re here to help you find the perfect staff to elevate your business.
