The Unfiltered Thoughts of Local Media Buyers
by Kym Frank, Global CxO, Motionworks International
The UNC Hussman School of Journalism and Media just released a report that is chock-full of valuable content entitled, “Buyers Unfiltered, Where 2024 local advertising dollars are flowing in North Carolina.” The report is the result of a study conducted by the UNC Center for Innovation and Sustainability in Local Media which garnered feedback from more than 100 advertising buyers across the state of North Carolina. While the findings are isolated to only those buying media within the state, they are directionally valuable to media companies across the country.
Most notably, 27% of ad buyers plan to increase their local spend, with 67% saying they plan to invest the same, and only 6% saying they will spend less.
Last year, buyers reported spending 63% of their budget on digital and social, with the bulk of that going to Meta and Google – and they plan on spending more this year. 55% of ad buyers plan to allocate more in 2024 to digital and social.
They reported spending 11% in out-of-home advertising in 2023, and 25% stated that they plan to allocate more of their budget to local out-of-home.
25% state that they plan to allocate more of their budget to local out-of-home
How can OOH media companies garner their share of that 25%? And even better, how can they increase their chances of getting a piece of the money allocated to online?
Ad buyers note that they are more likely to buy from salespeople who take the time to “understand their businesses and pitch solutions” that are a logical fit. Buyers say they want:
- Case studies demonstrating how your offering is working for other clients
- Creative, customized presentations that are specific to their business
- Information on why it makes sense to shift dollars to your channel from other, well-known properties
- Proof that your offering aligns with their unique business goals
- The ability to target their unique audiences
- Solutions instead of sales
But mostly, they want data. One of the key highlights from the study found that “Content-led pitches grounded in audience insights will close more deals.” Buyers crave a consultative approach – and that includes – insights about the media channel being sold, but also about how to reach their audiences and their media goals utilizing advertising.
Buyers say that it is the quality of the audience, in many cases, and not the quantity. One business owner said, “I would rather spend money with a publication that reaches 5,000 really engaged people than 20,000 people who don’t really give a s*** what I have to say…”
Many publishers have access to robust data about their assets, content, and inventory, but having information about the audiences that a business wants to reach is a key differentiator. Who is visiting their locations today (and who isn’t)? Who is visiting their competitors’ locations? Where do their audience targets live and work? Where are they during the day when they are making purchase decisions? How can you, the publisher, best leverage those insights to reach their target consumers in an impactful way?
Sellers who can answer those questions will have a key advantage over the competition and be able to position themselves positively as a “partner, not a vendor.”
At Motionworks, we frequently function as the research arm for media companies seeking to capitalize on the evolving preferences of local media buyers – especially in the realm of population intelligence. We strive to align our products seamlessly with the unique goals of the OOH industry and beyond through easy-to-use platforms that make location intelligence more accessible and actionable. Motionworks provides our customers with data differentiators that give them an advantage over the competition, establishing enduring partnerships that drive success in the ever-evolving media landscape. For more information, visit mworks.com or reach out to me directly, at kym@mworks.com.
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