The Perfect Media Mix for Display Advertising: How to Balance Your Channels

Today, we have more opportunities than ever to reach people with our ads, and that’s exciting - and overwhelming. How can we choose the right media mix to make our message cut through the noise? The key is like always knowing our audience and balancing the budget effectively across channels. But how many channels give the best results?

What is a Media Mix?

A media mix is simply the combination of the different channels you chose to maximize the impact of your marketing campaign. It could include a mix of both digital and traditional channels, everything from social media and online newspapers to email marketing and even TV or radio. The goal is to reach the right people, in the right place, at the right time.

Most SMBs (small and medium businesses) rely heavily on digital channels, primarily social media. Research shows that using 3–4 digital channels provides the best return on investment (ROI). If you exceed 4 channels, the impact gets diluted, and ROI will fall.

Why is the Media Mix Important?

We often pick one main channel, but no single channel can do everything – and that’s actually an advantage if you use each one correctly! For instance, social media is great for engaging your audience and building excitement, while online newspapers add credibility and reach.

By combining channels, you can:

☑️ Reinforce your message: Seeing your ad in multiple places makes people remember you better. Studies suggest a person needs to see your ad 8–12 times before becoming a customer.

☑️ Reach different audiences: Some people read newspapers; others scroll Instagram.

☑️ Maximize your budget: Spend where it makes the most sense for your business. If you’re recruiting for a prestigious C-suit position, you would want to advertise on the ft.com/ in the UK or spiegel.de/ in Germany.

How to Create a Media Mix That Works

1. Always Start with Your Goal

Do you want to increase brand awareness, drive more people to your store, or boost online sales? Knowing your goal makes it easier to decide where to run campaigns.

Differentiate between sales campaigns, which are often short-term, and branding campaigns, which are long-term. The latter one is the one that secures future growth.

The recommendation? Invest the majority of your budget in branding campaigns. Long-term brand building is what drives the strongest growth and helps you steal marketshares from your competitors.

2. Know Your Audience

Who are they? Where do they spend their time? What do they like?

For example, if you’re targeting younger people, TikTok and Instagram are great places to start and they love videos. If you want to reach people who love news and facts, online newspapers will be ideal.

3. Choose the Channels That Suit You Best

There are so many possibilities!

Some examples:

🌾 Digital Ads: Easy to create and with a good copy you get attention from the right audience.

🌾 Owned Channels: Email, newsletter and your website are excellent for building strong relationships with people that know you and love you.

🌾 Online Newspapers: Perfect context for adding credibility to your brand and reaching a broader audiences.

4. Use Your Budget Wisely

You don’t need to spend a fortune, it’s about placing your money where it makes the most impact. Start small, test, and scale up what works.

Experimentation is key! Use data to see what works and make adjustments along the way. Small tweaks can make a big difference. Sometimes it’s the words that grab attention; other times, it’s the colors or formats.

Monitor your website traffic and, if possible, track brand awareness over time.

An Example

Let’s say you’re launching a new product. You can combine online newspapers to achieve broad reach, social media to build engagement, and email marketing to stay in touch with existing customers. This way, you get reach, credibility, and relationships in one effective mix.

We trust online newspapers more than social media, and trust converts into sales. Online newspapers can therefore be a “shortcut” to increased revenue since we only buy from providers we trust.

Many small businesses assume that advertising in online newspapers is too expensive, but the cost per ad view is similar to social media when you use Lyll.

Trends to Keep an Eye On

🌷 Advertising on online newspapers/magazines: Use customer insights to reach them where they read news and lifestyle content.

🌷 Content marketing: Create valuable content that people enjoy and trust. Show them you are an expert.

🌷 Omnichannel strategy: Ensure a consistent brand experience across all channels. Always stay relevant, unique, and consistent in your communication. Eventually you get top of mind with your customer group.

Growth Always Comes from New Customers!

You don’t need to be everywhere, and you can’t be. Show up where it matters most for your audience, and stay visible over time. Combine channels smartly, and remember to have fun along the way!

This is an exciting journey, and who knows?

You might discover new, creative ways to connect with your audience! 🌱💚