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The differences between digital media strategists and media planners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a digital media strategist and a media planner. Additionally, a digital media strategist has an average salary of $62,947, which is higher than the $58,044 average annual salary of a media planner.
The top three skills for a digital media strategist include digital marketing, client facing and search engine marketing. The most important skills for a media planner are media planning, powerpoint, and campaign performance.
| Digital Media Strategist | Media Planner | |
| Yearly salary | $62,947 | $58,044 |
| Hourly rate | $30.26 | $27.91 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 31,387 | 24,126 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 87% | Bachelor's Degree, 89% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
Digital media strategists assist in building ad campaigns outlined to catch potential clients' awareness and keep existing customers' fealty. Their responsibilities include determining the campaign's target demographic, assessing the best time to run the campaign, and figuring out which medium to use. Also, they analyze data from surveys, develop a budget-friendly ad campaign media, as well as assessing the effect a campaign's online presence will have on its selected audience. Skills required include strong critical and analytical skills, creativity, and excellent communication skills.
A media planner is responsible for managing market campaigns and promotions for clients' advertising needs through various social media platforms and other mediums of communications. Media planners handle the brand's media presence, strategizing its maximum appeal to the target audience. They coordinate closely with the clients for the progress updates, as well as informing them of any adjustments, especially on meeting the public's interests and concerns. A media planner develops innovative techniques, analyzes market data, and manage campaign results, ensuring to meet the clients' objectives and goals.
Digital media strategists and media planners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Digital Media Strategist | Media Planner | |
| Average salary | $62,947 | $58,044 |
| Salary range | Between $44,000 And $89,000 | Between $48,000 And $69,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | RPA | |
| Best paying industry | Media | Professional |
There are a few differences between a digital media strategist and a media planner in terms of educational background:
| Digital Media Strategist | Media Planner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 87% | Bachelor's Degree, 89% |
| Most common major | Communication | Communication |
| Most common college | Northwestern University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between digital media strategists' and media planners' demographics:
| Digital Media Strategist | Media Planner | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.2% Female, 57.8% | Male, 39.2% Female, 60.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 5.3% White, 66.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 5.4% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 12% |