What is media buying and how does it work?
How media buying works, the difference between direct and programmatic buying, and what buyers look for when they choose publishers.
Written by Samhub with the help of AI·Updated 13 Oct 2026·3 min readMedia buying is negotiating, booking and running the advertising in a media plan: choosing publishers and platforms, agreeing prices and making sure the campaign delivers.
Direct vs programmatic buying
| Direct | Programmatic | |
|---|---|---|
| How | Negotiated with the publisher | Bought automatically through a DSP |
| Contract | Insertion order | Deal ID or open auction |
| Best for | Large, custom campaigns | Scale and audience targeting |
What buyers look for
The right audience
Who the publisher reaches, in numbers.
Price and value
A competitive CPM for the audience delivered.
Proof
Reports and results from earlier campaigns.
Ease
Simple booking and the same audiences in every channel.
16 pages for publishers, with a checklist for data, programmatic and direct sales.
Make your inventory easy to buy
Buyers choose partners who make planning, booking and reporting simple. Audiences named in their language, deal IDs ready in their DSP and fast reports all help you win the budget.
More ad sales with data at Stampen Media, using Samhub.
Frequently asked questions
Planning decides where and when to advertise. Buying negotiates and books it.
Media agencies for most large advertisers, in-house teams for some brands.
They work side by side. Many direct deals now run through programmatic guaranteed.
On audience, price, quality signals such as viewability, and proven results.
Related terms
Plan, report and validate campaigns on your own audience data, and win back direct deals.
- A walkthrough with your own data
- Built for publishers and media houses
- 30 minutes, no commitment
Turn your audience data into more revenue
Get the Media Monetization Playbook: how media houses turn first-party data into higher CPMs, data deals and direct sales. With checklists for every step.
