A media buyer runs serious performance budgets. Google Ads, Meta, TikTok, DSPs, programmatic. Unlike a targetologist, you're dealing with six-figure monthly spend, advanced tracking (S2S, postback), complex bidding strategies and constant fraud pressure. Performance agencies, affiliate teams, arbitrage operations and product companies with large budgets hire for this role. This template helps you frame your work like you're playing in a higher league.
Copy these as starting points and swap in your own numbers.
2024-2025 estimates. Wide ranges by experience and seniority.
Scale and complexity. A targetologist runs budgets up to ~$50k/month, usually on Meta. A media buyer handles $100k+ across multiple platforms with their own tracking, anti-fraud and advanced bidding. Different bands, different ownership.
Depends on the target. For white-hat product roles, mention it carefully and emphasise the technical skills (S2S, anti-fraud) over the vertical. For affiliate teams it's a strong positive signal.
Use ranges and verticals: '$200k-500k/month in e-commerce' instead of brand names. It's standard. If you want to go deeper, show a Loom of a Voluum or dashboard with names blurred in the interview.
At senior level effectively yes. With 5+ traffic sources and your own tracker, without SQL you wait on analysts and lose velocity. Basic is enough, but missing it costs you 30-40% on the band.
Yes, it's common at senior level: 0.5-2% of spend, or % of profit in affiliate. Standard for agencies and arbitrage teams. In-house typically pays fixed plus quarterly ROAS bonus.