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Hiring a media buyer: in-house, freelance or agency
Hiring a media buyer on staff, working with a freelancer or handing campaigns to an agency: what each option really costs, and which businesses it suits best.
Published on · Joh · 6 min read
When advertising becomes important for a business, the question comes quickly: should we hire a media buyer? There are three options: an employee, a freelancer, an agency. None is better in the abstract. They don't cost the same, and they don't ask the same of you.
What you expect from a media buyer
- Running campaigns on Meta, Google or other platforms.
- Setting up and checking conversion tracking.
- Testing creatives, reading results, cutting and scaling.
- Linking spend to real sales. The cost of a signed job.
And, increasingly, producing or directing the videos: on Meta, the creative does the targeting.
Hiring in-house
For: someone full-time, who knows your offer inside out, available every day.
Against: the full cost of a salary with employer charges, recruitment time, a profile that is hard to assess when you aren't in the trade yourself, and often only one area mastered. A good media buyer who can also edit videos is rare. And you need to provide tools, training, and a second opinion.
It makes sense when the ad budget is large and permanent, and advertising is at the heart of the business model.
Working with a freelancer
For: an experienced specialist without the cost of an employee, operational straight away, who has seen other accounts and other sectors. You talk to them directly.
Against: they aren't yours full-time, and their capacity is limited. A good freelancer limits the number of clients anyway.
That is what I do: I create the videos and run Meta and Google campaigns for a limited number of businesses that sell to consumers.
Handing it to an agency
For: a team, several platforms, continuity.
Against: several intermediaries, time shared across many accounts, and often creative on the side. Media buying agency: how to choose.
How to decide
| Your situation | Rather |
|---|---|
| Modest or test budget, need fast results | Freelancer |
| Small business wanting one contact, videos included | Freelancer |
| Many channels, large volumes, need for a team | Agency |
| Advertising at the core, high and permanent budget | In-house, often with an outside view |
Many businesses start with a freelancer, learn what works, then decide with full knowledge whether to hire.
If you hire anyway
Run a practical test: a real account, or anonymised screenshots, and ask what they would change first. A good media buyer talks about conversion tracking, creatives and cost per customer before talking about audiences. Learn it yourself or delegate.
Further reading: Freelance media buyer: definition and How media buyers charge.
Torn between hiring and outsourcing? . We look at what your budget and organisation allow.