/ Guide
How to plan an advertising campaign
A media plan is easier to evaluate when the decisions are made in the right order: objective, audience, geography, timing, budget, media roles, creative, delivery and measurement.
Quick facts
- What affects cost
- A budget range lets the planner test what scale is realistic.
- Targeting
- Describe the people or organisations that matter and what makes them relevant.
- Measurement
- Separate media delivery from business outcome.
01
1. Define the commercial objective
State what needs to change in the business. “Run ads” is not an objective; “generate qualified enquiries for service X in region Y during Q1” is much more useful.
02
2. Define the audience
Describe the people or organisations that matter and what makes them relevant. Use geography, need, behaviour, category, role or life stage where appropriate.
03
3. Define the geography
Choose geography around commercial reality: catchment, distribution, service area, travel patterns or market availability.
04
4. Set the budget and dates
A budget range lets the planner test what scale is realistic. Dates must allow for media availability, creative production, approvals and learning.
05
5. Assign media roles
Decide which media will create reach, which will capture intent, which will reinforce the message and which will support conversion.
06
6. Build the schedule
Specify formats, dates, delivery, audience assumptions, costs, production and any dependencies.
07
7. Agree measurement
Separate media delivery from business outcome. Define the data source and success criteria before launch.
Frequently asked
Questions this page answers
- What information should I send an agency?
- Objective, audience, geography, dates, budget, offer, creative status, previous performance and any fixed requirements are enough to begin.
Sources and review
Last reviewed 28 September 2026. Figures affected by current inventory, supplier data or regulation should be checked at the point of planning.
Next step
Not sure where to advertise your business? Tell us what you sell, who your customers are and roughly what you want to spend.