The steps of a media plan
We read a guide by the agency Havas Edge, dated 21 August 2024, on 9 October 2026. Its parts are audience analysis and channel choice, then budget split and scheduling. Here they are as steps.
- Set the goal. Do you want people to know you, to visit, or to buy?
- Know the audience. Who are they, where do they live, what language do they use and where do they spend their time?
- Pick the channels. Choose from television, print, radio, outdoor, digital and others.
- Split the budget. Decide how much each channel gets.
- Set the timing. Run all the time, or in bursts around a launch or a festival.
- Decide how to measure. Pick the numbers you will check when the plan ends.
A made-up example in rupees
Say a new tea brand has ₹10,00,000 to launch in one city. This is a made-up example.
- Video and social ads: ₹4,00,000, for the audience that watches on phones.
- Outdoor: ₹3,00,000 for sites near markets and bus routes.
- Radio: ₹2,00,000, in the local language.
- Kept back: ₹1,00,000, to add money to whatever works in the first two weeks.
The brand spends more in the first two weeks of the launch and less after that. The plan says what it will check at the end: shop enquiries, sales in stores and cost per sale.
How media planning works for an Indian business
Language and city matter a great deal in India. A plan for one city, in one language, can be quite different from a plan for another. Think about ATL (above the line, which means mass media such as television, print or radio) and BTL (below the line, which means direct, local work such as events and shop displays). Read our guide on ATL, BTL and TTL (TTL means through the line, a mix of both).
Use ratings and audited figures where they exist. Ask for GRP (gross rating point) when you size a television plan.
Common mistakes
- Picking channels before setting a goal.
- Spreading money so thin that no channel is seen enough.
- Copying a rival's plan for a different audience.
- Forgetting language and local habits.
- No money kept back to adjust, and no numbers to check at the end.
Once the plan is set, the buying starts. Read about media buying.
Related terms
- Media buying: buying the ad space or time that the plan calls for.
- GRP: a score for the size of an ad plan.
- Share of voice: your share of all the advertising in your category.
- Reach and frequency: how many people see the ad, and how often.
- Go-to-market: the plan for taking a product to its first buyers.
To build a plan for your budget, see our communication and media planning work.
Sources
- Havas Edge, "Media Planning vs. Media Buying: What's the Difference?", 21 August 2024 (havasedge.com), read 9 October 2026.
