Media Planning 101 Guide

Big plans look scary and impossible to reach. However, when everything is divided into small stages and created as a step-by-step plan, it is easy to navigate and reach goals, no matter what they are—to increase engagement, boost conversion rate, or improve brand awareness.

We will guide you through every step of the process and explain how to create a media plan that is easy to navigate, produces results, and helps you succeed.

What is Media Planning?

Media planning is the process of selecting and scheduling media interactions with a brand’s audiences. A media plan shows how, when, where, and why a brand’s messages will reach target audiences. It involves analyzing various media platforms, such as television, radio, print, and digital channels, to determine the most efficient way to communicate a message to the intended audience. TV advertising media planning includes information such as the list of channels where the ad will be aired - linear or streaming or both (Brandformance TV approach), local or national, Upfront or Scatter, ad frequency, type of ad (15, 30 or 60 seconds), the list of videos that will be used for this campaign, the list and descriptions of target audiences and other details.

Crafting media plans involves many nuances. The advertiser should not only understand how to cover audiences’ needs and determine the ads’ frequency but also keep up with the latest trends and create up-to-date advertising.

Types of Media Plans

• Public Relations (PR) Media Plan
• Continuous Media Plan
• Flighting Media Plan
• Pulsing Media Plan
• Seasonal Media Plan
• Roadblock Media Plan
• Drip Media Plan

Public Relations (PR) Media Plan

The main target here is to share information about the company’s news, presentations of new products, important hires, etc., with the audience to work on brand awareness and company reputation.

Continuous Media Plan

This type of plan works to show a steady presence in the market. The ad runs over a specific period. The goal of a continuous media plan is to ensure frequent exposure, keeping the brand top-of-mind throughout the year. Key features of continuous media plan:

• ads run consistently;
• non-seasonal product;
• brand reinforcement.

Flighting Media Plan

This type of plan involves alternating between periods of active advertising and periods of no advertising. This works perfectly for seasonal products. For example, garden equipment is usually promoted in spring, just before the gardening season starts. This approach helps to optimize advertising budgets by focusing on times when consumer demand is high.

Pulsing Media Plan

A pulsing media plan is a mix that combines elements of a continuous media plan and a flighting media plan. This means that while the ad is aired throughout the year, during crucial periods such as peak season, special events, holidays, or product launches, the budget for ads increases, and the company can improve its media presence.

Seasonal Media Plan

Advertisers prepare this kind of media plan for specific times of the year, such as the Winter Holidays. This plan assumes that demand is actively growing at this time, so the company's main goal is to maximize brand visibility and sales.

Such plans are usually prepared well in advance; for example, media plans for Winter Holidays advertisers start in summer.

Roadblock Media Plan

This approach assumes that the brand will capture as much media space as possible. The brand purchases all available advertising slots across multiple media channels simultaneously. This approach maximizes impact and reach, as one brand captures the entire media landscape.

The main benefits of such an approach are enhanced recall, increased brand awareness, and competitive advantage, as the entire media landscape is about your brand.

How to Create a Media Plan

To create a media plan that will make TV ad campaigns succeed, a detailed description of the steps of media planning is needed.

The more detailed the media plan, the easier it is to follow and control. The clearer the plan, the more every step is described. Therefore, it’s easier to find mistakes and correct them or update the plan after receiving real-time insights.

So, let’s answer the question: what does a media plan look like?

Stage 1. Pre-plan

Identify the Right Target

It starts with a clear understanding of who the target audiences are. First, marketing research is needed to create buyers’ personas. Some time ago, brands had to provide polls by themselves or rely only on panel data and buy expensive research to build their audience. But now, it is the AI era. Simulmedia uses AI and big data. When crafting media plans for TV ads (for linear or connected TV) with the Simulmedia tool, ad campaigns go beyond typical age, gender, and country; there are more specific identifiers. It is the combination of historical viewership data, audience intelligence, lookalike modeling, and AI that ensures that advertising is seen by an audience interested in a product or brand.

Simulmedia’s TV+ platform helps to find a strategic audience and get better reach and performance outcomes.

Image Source: TV+ Platform

Establish Success Metrics (KPIs)

Success should be measurable. The most common KPIs for TV ads are usually:

• CPM (Cost per Thousand)
• CPA (Cost per Action)
• Unique Reach
• CPR (Cost per Unique Reach)
• ROAS (Return on Ad Spend)
• Conversion in CTV
• Frequency

Each of these metrics has its pros and cons. These metrics help to see the results of media plans, but we need to be careful with them. For example, some advertisers chase lower CPMs. Still, sometimes, it may lead to ineffective placements or over-frequency and ad fatigue. It doesn't work - to look at the numbers separately. The low cost-per-thousand doesn't mean the win; it's better sometimes to have a higher CPM, but be sure that the ad reached the target customer and not just was shown to someone not in the brand’s target for a small price.

A holistic media approach guarantees results.

Set budget and media windows

Creating clear objectives is the next step. Establish specific goals for the TV ad campaign, such as increasing your company's brand awareness.

Next, cost research must be done. Information on production and media buying costs for the brand’s markets should be gathered. Rates from different networks, production companies, and time slots should be compared to identify the best value for the budget.

It is better to divide the budget between production and media buying according to the campaign’s goals. Good production is important, but ensure your ad gets enough airtime to reach your audience. Remember that there are some ways to reduce ad production costs, like AI tools or collaboration with freelancers instead of industry stars.

Utilize historical performance data and industry benchmarks to inform your budget allocation. Channels consistently delivering strong ROI should receive a larger share of the budget.

Optimal timing should also be identified. The best time slots for airing ads should be determined, considering that peak times often come at a higher cost but offer greater visibility. However, the focus should be on reaching an audience with the potential to become customers rather than targeting all audiences.

TV ad schedules should be aligned with seasonal trends or special events related to the product or service. Ads should reach the target audience with sufficient frequency to drive action while avoiding ad fatigue.

Image Source: TV+ Platform

Stage 2. Media planning

Find the right media channels

The selection of channels should align with ad campaign goals, whether they are increasing brand awareness, driving sales, or promoting a new product.

Identify where your target is

The reach and demographic characteristics of various TV channels should be analyzed. Factors such as the number of viewers, age, gender, hobbies, and interests should be considered to ensure alignment with the target audience. For regionally specific products or services, not only national channels but also those with strong local viewership should be selected

Use a data-driven approach to forecast where your audience will be watching

Systems like Automated Content Recognition (ACR) can be utilized similarly to predictive models. Advanced predictive techniques, including regression models, neural networks, and ensemble models, analyze historical data and trends to forecast future viewing patterns.

Seasonal patterns, such as increased viewership during holidays or major events, should be taken into account. Audience segmentation based on demographics, viewing habits, behaviors, and preferences allows for more tailored forecasts.

The influence of TV program content on viewership should be analyzed, considering factors like program genres, attractiveness indices, and competing shows to optimize ad placements.

Cross-platform measurement should be employed to determine which platforms yield the best results.

Data-driven insights. Platforms like Simulmedia provide advertisers with such insights. This data can be used to adjust advertising strategies dynamically based on current trends.

Image Source: TV+ Platform

Look for network efficiencies

A few strategies can help us understand networks’ efficiencies. We should choose the one that best suits our specific needs.

• Media mix modeling (MMM) can be used to understand the impact of TV advertising on overall marketing performance.
• Performance data should be collected and evaluated regularly to identify inefficiencies in current ad placements. This involves analyzing metrics such as cost per thousand impressions (CPM), cost per rating point (CPP), and audience reach to determine where adjustments can be made for better efficiency.
• The effectiveness of ads should be evaluated based on the day of the week and position within commercial breaks.
• The frequency at which ads are shown should be monitored to avoid diminishing returns. Research indicates that after a consumer sees an ad multiple times, its effectiveness declines.
• Different ad formats, such as 30-second spots or 60-second ads, should be considered. Shorter ads can provide higher metrics with fewer expenditures.

Image Source: TV+ Platform

Plan approach for cross-platform reach and efficiency

The Brandformance TV approach, which combines linear and streaming TV advertising, should be used to enhance overall performance and growth. This integration allows for a cohesive brand message across all touchpoints.

Stage 3. Execution

When the media plan is ready, it's time to start airing advertising and tracking metrics. The media plan shouldn't be run as it was created; optimization is the key. Adapt and adjust your ad campaign to improve the results.

Manage reach and frequency.

Unique reach and frequency are the key metrics for expanding brand awareness and growth. Unique reach shows how many new customers saw the ad, while frequency measures how many times the same viewer saw this ad.

Maximizing unique reach allows us to reach more potential buyers, but the weak point - is that this metric doesn't show audience quality.

Be careful with frequency; for most brands, 3 to 7 exposures per campaign would be enough; by making more exposure, advertisers are risking facing ad fatigue.

Cross-platform execution

Not relying only on one channel is the key. Despite the downtrend, linear TV is still a must if broad reach is needed. When advertising on streaming, it’s better not to orient on a few popular channels where brands think their audience is but to use a data-driven approach that will show where and when the audience is actually watching TV. Maybe the ideal customers watch some TV show on HBO at 3 a.m., and brand try to reach them during a football game at prime time. However, to understand this, advertisers need reports from all streaming companies or trusted partners like Simulmedia. The TV+ Cross-channel Delivery Dashboard shows de-duplicated reach across the entire cross-channel campaign, including unique reach from linear TV versus connected TV. Unified reports paint the true picture of how successful a cross-channel campaign is.

Stage 4. Measurement

Tracking success is an equally important part of media planning and strategy as execution or pre-planning. Without a structured approach to measurement, advertisers risk missing valuable insights that could refine future campaigns and improve ROI. The key question at this stage is: Did the media plan deliver on expectations, and were the campaign goals achieved?

Image Source: TV+ Platform

Ensure proper measurement and results insights.

The first step is establishing a clear framework for evaluation. As we said before, advertisers should define key performance indicators (KPIs) when launching campaigns.

What needs to be fixed or modified?

Once data is collected, advertisers need to identify gaps between expectations and actual performance. A few key areas for analysis include:

• Targeting Efficiency: Did the campaign reach the intended audience segments? If not, audience data may need refining using AI-driven insights or lookalike modeling.
• Creative Performance: Which ad variations performed best? A/B testing different creative elements—such as messaging, visuals, or CTAs—can reveal what resonates most with viewers.
• Ad Placement Effectiveness: Did certain networks or platforms drive better engagement? Reviewing dayparting trends and network efficiency can help optimize ad schedules.
• Budget Allocation: Was the budget allocated effectively between linear TV, CTV, and digital channels? If one channel underperformed, shifting budget allocation in future campaigns may yield better results.

Optimize for the next campaign

Data and insights from one campaign could be great insights for the next one. On the basis of current campaigns, advertisers can:

• Adjusting ad frequency to prevent viewer fatigue.
• Refining audience segmentation to enhance targeting precision.
• Reallocating budget to high-performing channels, networks, or ad placements.
• Enhancing cross-channel synergy between linear TV, CTV, and digital platforms.