Before a company gets very far into designing a new ad campaign, it's critical that they receive the best media market intelligence available. By learning how to find this media market research info, you will have an invaluable skill that will make you much more marketable in your career.

Media market research companies are in demand since the information they provide is so critical to almost any company that wants to advertise. If you're able to find the information on markets and present it in a way that can be understood by most business people, you'll help either your clients or your own company in innumerable ways. Media market analysis education and training can be obtained in a variety of ways, including:

1. Learning the basics of media market analysis through articles.

2. Taking online training courses covering media research information.

3. Finding seminars to attend on media market research.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Read basic information on media market research

Before you can study in-depth media research information, you must first ensure that you understand the basics of the field. If your foundation knowledge is not solid, you're likely to misapply details and cause problems for yourself and your company.

I recommend: Free Management Library offers several articles on the basics of market research. It's important to understand how the basics of market research apply to the various media outlets. Content Marketing Today offers a blog that covers the basics of various media marketing efforts and applies them to current media events.

Find online training in media research info that you can take in your own time

One of the most convenient ways to learn the tricks of the media market research firms is to find online training that you can do from you own desk. By attending a webinar or following along with a training program, you can gain more in-depth knowledge into media market research information.

I recommend: Nielsen Claritas presents regular webinars that can help you learn more about media market research information. Webucator offers an online training series on how to understand and research Internet marketing as a media for your company.

Travel to locations where in-person training on analysis of media markets is conducted

Sometimes the best way to learn the nuances of media market analysis is to hear the details straight from an expert. Often this means you'll need to travel to a seminar or training location. However, you can combine this travel with other business-related travel to reduce the cost related solely to training.

I recommend: Larson NW Research & Consulting offers seminars on how to research and enter the burgeoning Hispanic media markets in the Pacific Northwest. You can take a workshop on social media market analysis through Symetri Internet Marketing.

Once you have market research to determine your customer demographic, you must research the media market. When expanding a marketing effort or launching a new product, customer analysis lets you uncover what your customers want, while media market analysis allows you to determine how to best communicate with your customers. Social media research helps you understand how to use social media networks effectively.

Media market research can help you decide whether you want to market your company on radio, television, through print or on the Internet. Whether you do your own analysis or hire media market research companies, the facts you glean can help you determine where to put your advertising money for maximum impact. When trying to determine your media market, consider:

1. Conducting demographic media market analysis to determine who your customers are;

2. Gathering media research information from media market research companies;

3. Analyzing your demographic and market research together.

Media market research firms can help you find information about media market segmentation, size and growth so you can determine which growing media markets appeal to your targeted customers. With good media market analysis, you can decide exactly how to spend your advertising dollars.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Order competitive media market monitoring services

Competitive media market monitoring services track what your competitors are offering in specific markets. If you are in a very competitive industry -- such as retail or restaurants -- this sort of analysis is important because your marketing strategy needs to change as the media market does. Monitoring services can help you understand what competitors are spending, what media they are using and other strategic details.

I recommend: Mintel Comperemedia lets companies access market and media research monitoring services. Burrelles Luce can customize your monitoring service so that you get the exact information you need.

Hire a media market research company to run a customized analysis of media markets

While advertising media research reports are useful, hiring a media market research firm to conduct media market intelligence on your behalf yields even better results. A company can analyze several types of media and make recommendations based on your company information. Some companies even conduct customer market research with potential customers and present the information in easy-to-understand formats.

I recommend: Monroe Mendelsohn Research, Inc. offers custom media market research services. Jupiter Research offers media assessment as well as media market research solutions.

Hire social media market research firms

While most media market research firms focus on traditional media, social media such as blogs, web 2.0, and social networking sites are becoming more important in advertising. If your company plans to advertise heavily online, it may be worthwhile to hire a social media marketing research company. Such a company can help you determine best branding practices for social media and can help you get social media market research information, which may be hard to find through other sources.

I recommend: Umbria analyzes social media and offers social media market information. BuzzLogic offers media market research applications for marketers and advertisers.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Media market research firms publish up-to-date reports that detail specific media markets but also outline market research. Before you conduct media research, you need to find out as much as you can about your market and your customers. You can accomplish this by ordering targeted market reports.
• •  You can also find some media market research information yourself at no cost. Consider setting up Google Alerts for keywords that relate to media and your industry. Every time an article is printed about the marketing strategies your competitors are using, you will get an email.

Media market analysis helps companies evaluate the results of media market research. This analysis can help you determine which route to take with your company's marketing. When searching for a media marketing analysis company, many come across terms or phrases that they don't understand. Becoming familiar with media market analysis key terms will help you narrow down potential analysis companies and locate the ones that will best meet the marketing needs of your business.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Partnership marketing

Partnership marketing is a program where two or more companies combine products or services to appeal to a larger group of customers. This type of marketing allows companies to share advertising costs.

I recommend: CBS Interactive provides more information about partnership marketing. Learn how partnership marketing works at Receptional.

Product positioning

Product positioning refers to how customers see your company in terms of price, quality, competitors or other factors.

I recommend: American City Business Journals supplies more information about product positioning. Visit SharewarePromotions for an article about product positioning. QuickMBA also has more information about product positioning.

Social media

Social media refers to informational content that is interactive or has high visibility without using traditional media routes. Some examples of social media are blogs, forums, videos, 'crowdsourcing,' email and social Web sites like MySpace, Facebook and YouTube.

I recommend: Read more about social media at BusinessWeek. Advanced Media Productions has information regarding the benefits of social media.

Blogosphere

Blogosphere is a term that refers to all the blogs and their interconnections on the Internet. There are companies that track blogs and all of their connections. This allows companies to track their social media in the blogosphere.

I recommend: Read more about the growth of the blogosphere at ClickZ. Discover Magazine provides information for those new to the blogosphere.

KPI

KPI, or key performance indicator, includes selected information and measurements that loosely predict how a company will perform in the future. KPIs are used for management and stockholders to evaluate and change products or services.

I recommend: Ibis Associates has information about KPIs. Chief Marketer looks at how to effectively use KPIs.

Demographic

A demographic is a section of the population that buys a specific product or service. Demographics are used in marketing to identify how companies need to market their products and services.

I recommend: Market Bearing has information about demographic marketing.