Think about how many ads you scrolled past today without even noticing.
Now, think about the handful of ones that caught your attention.
What made the difference?
This is one of the biggest problems that almost every other startup and business is facing in an oversaturated media ecosystem.
While media buying has gradually evolved into being the backbone of successful marketing campaigns, cutting through the noise and tight budgets are making it increasingly difficult. The ones standing out are only able to do so by combining precise ad placements, cross-channel strategies, AI, and programmatic technology — together.
Yet, achieving success in media buying isn’t as straightforward as it once was. Businesses now need to face the challenge of ensuring their ads appear in the right places, at the right times, and to the right audiences — all while maximizing their ROI.
In this blog we have listed the top media buying agencies in 2025, key trends shaping the industry, and suggestions for finding the right agency for your marketing requirements.
Top media buying agencies for digital campaigns in 2025
1. MediaBoost
MediaBoost focuses on programmatic buying and retargeting for eCommerce businesses, leveraging AI-driven tools to optimize bids and improve ROI. Their services cater to brands looking to increase sales with highly personalized ad strategies. The company is well known for competitive pricing and efficient execution of eCommerce campaigns.
- Best for: eCommerce
- Core service: Programmatic buying, retargeting (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)
- Additional service: AI-driven bid optimization, efficient execution, personalized ad strategies
- Pricing: From $99.95/ month for 12,000 guaranteed views
2. Visionary Media Group
Visionary Media Group excels at crafting cross-channel campaigns for startups and direct-to-consumer brands. Specializing in over-the-top (OTT) advertising and influencer marketing, the agency delivers tailored solutions that drive measurable results. They are well known for their flexible pricing and consultative approach.
- Best for: Direct-to-consumer (DTC) and startups
- Core service: Over-the-top (OTT) advertising and influencer marketing
- Additional service: Cross-channel campaigns, consultancy
- Pricing: Quote-based
3. Kaya (Yes, that’s us!)
Kaya has already earned its name as a startup marketing agency specializing in AI-powered performance marketing that is cost-effective and brings ROI-driven results.
What makes Kaya special from others in the market are its end-to-end campaign management services and a proprietary marketing analytics platform. Kaya’s advanced marketing analytics dashboard brings together all the paid marketing data in a single space — from competitor analysis to campaign performance, and provides actionable insights that directly contribute to your business growth and ROI.
Here is an excerpt from Kieran Flanagan, the CMO of Zapier:
This is one of the examples that came up in that LinkedIn thread I really like, it’s a company called Kaya. They’re a startup marketing agency that has AI deeply integrated into how they work.
Kieran Flanagan
Chief Marketing Officer, Zapier
By combining the expertise of a team of marketers specializing in search, socials, product, and growth marketing with an advanced tech stack, Kaya offers you a service that you won’t get anywhere else.
Another thing about Kaya that is often mentioned by our customers is our commitment to transparency and performance. Offering fixed-rate pricing starting at $3,000 per month with no hidden charges, Kaya provides a win-win solution for startups and SMBs that are just starting out. Our team of agile marketers combined with cutting-edge tech makes sure that you see visible results from your campaign performance within 2 weeks.
Some of the notable projects include:
- Vault: By taking up Kaya’s assistance with Google Ads and campaign reiteration, they saw a 10x increment in the ROAS. This allowed them to scale their budget further by 2x with Kaya.
- Hona: Kaya helped Hona with fixing their landing page messaging and optimizing the overall site, besides running ads, which led to a 62% increase in conversion rate or CVR and a 64% decrease in cost-per-lead or CPL.
Kaya’s Competitor Ad Intelligence tool
So whether you plan on scaling marketing operations or refining your strategy, you can put your trust in Kaya.
- Best for: Startups and SMBs
- Core service: Paid ads (Google, Meta, LinkedIn, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram); performance marketing
- Additional service: Competitor Ad Intelligence Tool - COIN, AI-backed reporting and analysis, creative and content planning
- Pricing: From $3,000/month
4. NextWave Advertising
NextWave Advertising is known for its creative-first approach to social campaigns. Serving lifestyle and retail brands, the agency combines data-backed insights with visually engaging creatives to deliver high-performing campaigns. Their focus on storytelling helps brands connect deeply with their audience while achieving measurable engagement growth.
- Best for: Lifestyle and retail brands
- Core service: Paid socials
- Additional service: Creative storytelling
- Pricing: Quote-based
5. Socially Media
Socially Media specializes in social-first strategies, offering content creation, ad management, and audience targeting for startups and small businesses. Their campaigns are designed to maximize engagement across platforms, making them an ideal partner for brands looking to enhance their digital presence.
- Best for: Startups and small businesses
- Core service: Paid social
- Additional service: Content creation
- Pricing: Not specified
6. Single Grain
Single Grain is a full-service digital marketing agency that delivers tailored media buying strategies, specializing in paid advertising, programmatic buying, and Spotify and Hulu ads. The agency has helped eCommerce and tech brands significantly boost ROI with dynamic and data-driven campaigns.
- Best for: eCommerce and tech brands
- Core service: Paid ads, programmatic buying, Spotify, Hulu
- Additional service: Content planning
- Pricing: Quote-based
7. Media Matters Worldwide (MMWW)
Media Matters Worldwide is a women-led agency excelling in cross-platform media buying and planning. Offering customized strategies, MMWW combines media analytics and creativity to help B2B and B2C brands drive ROI. They are known for their precision and innovative use of cutting-edge tools to manage complex campaigns.
- Best for: B2B and B2C brands
- Core service: Cross-platform media
- Additional service: Custom campaign management
- Pricing: Quote-based
8. E29 Marketing
E29 Marketing is celebrated for delivering innovative, result-oriented campaigns. From Tiger Balm to startups, E29’s media planning and buying expertise has made them California’s leading ad agency. They focus on aligning creativity with data, ensuring impactful campaigns tailored to their diverse clientele.
- Best for: Legacy brands
- Core service: Paid ads
- Additional service: Content creation
- Pricing: Quote-based
9. Dragon360
Dragon360 is a Google Partner agency specializing in holistic media strategies. They integrate paid social, SEO, and PPC campaigns to provide unified marketing solutions. Known for its people-first approach, Dragon360 excels in crafting campaigns that drive audience engagement and brand growth.
- Best for: Brands seeking integrated strategies
- Core service: Paid social, SEO, PPC
- Additional service: Audience-engagement focused solution.
- Pricing: Quote-based
10. Straight North
Straight North is a data-driven marketing agency offering media planning, web development, and SEO services. Their expertise in paid media and their focus on measurable results make them a preferred choice for brands looking for reliable, scalable advertising solutions.
- Best for: Brands looking for data-driven, scalable solutions
- Core service: Search, shopping, display, social
- Additional service: Media planning, web development, SEO
- Pricing: Quote-based
Agency match guide
| Best for you... | If you are... |
|---|---|
| Kaya | A startup or SMB looking for cost-effective, AI-powered performance marketing |
| MediaBoost | An eCommerce business aiming to boost sales |
| Visionary Media Group | A DTC brand or startup needing influencer campaigns |
| NextWave Advertising | A lifestyle or retail brand seeking creative ads |
| Socially Media | A small business focused on social engagement |
| Single Grain | An eCommerce or tech brand wanting streaming ads |
| Media Matters Worldwide (MMWW) | A B2B or B2C brand needing cross-platform strategies |
| E29 Marketing | A brand needing innovative campaigns |
| Dragon360 | A brand seeking integrated media strategies |
| Straight North | A data-driven company wanting scalable solutions |
What is digital media buying?
Digital media buying is the process of purchasing ad placements on online platforms to reach specific target audiences in the digital space. It includes securing advertising inventory on channels such as social media, search engines, websites, streaming services, and apps.
The goal is to strategically position your message where it will make the most impact. This involves researching and selecting the appropriate channels, negotiating costs, and optimizing campaigns for maximum ROI.
The key difference between media buying and digital media buying lies in the platform that you choose. While media buying can take place on television, radio, billboards, and even on wall posters, digital media buying only happens on the Internet.
What is a digital media buying agency and why it matters in 2025
A media buying agency (or a digital media buying agency) manages the process of planning, purchasing, and optimizing ad placements on behalf of businesses. These agencies act as intermediaries between your brand brands and advertising platforms, ensuring your campaigns are executed efficiently and effectively.
Picture this: your latest campaign is live, but it’s not performing. Costs are climbing, engagement is flat, and you’re left wondering, “Where are we going wrong?”
This is where media-buying agencies come as rescuers. They assist you with not only creating and strategizing campaigns but also making sure that they bring in the results that can cause growth to your business.
Here are a few more reasons why identifying the right digital media buying agency for your startup matters in 2025:
- Expertise + results: Agencies have insider knowledge of platform algorithms, ad formats, and consumer behavior. They don’t just run campaigns, they engineer them for impact.
- Proprietary technology: Some agencies, like Kaya, come with their own tech stacks, such as personalized AI reporting, analytics dashboard, and competitor ad intelligence tool. These agencies, using their own tools can deliver unparalleled performance.
- Creativity meets data: The best agencies blend creativity with data to design ads that not only capture attention but drive measurable outcomes.
Unless your chosen agency meets at least 2 of the 3 reasons stated above, your business might be at risk of wasting budgets on ineffective placements that fail to connect with your audience.
How to choose the right media buying agency
Finding the right media buying agency for your business isn’t as easy as it seems.
However, finding answers to the following questions might help you navigate this tricky job:
| Question | Rationale |
|
Do they understand your industry? |
Look for agencies that have a rich portfolio in your niche. Look at the results they have brought in. Ask your community for further recommendations. |
| How transparent are they? |
Transparency is the key to successful partnerships. When asking for proposals, check their reporting style. See whether they are setting clear ETAs, KPIs, and metrics. |
| What’s their approach to underperforming campaigns? |
The best agencies adapt quickly, reallocate budgets, and iterate creatively. Clarify all these before signing up for a deal. |
Besides the above factors, always watch out for red flags like vague promises, surface-level contracts, or a one-size-fits-all approach.
Key trends in media buying for 2025
If we had to compare how media buying trends evolved in 2025, it can be easily labeled as a roller coaster ride — quick but full of ups and downs. With Google releasing frequent updates along with the incorporation of AI, there were a lot of learning curves
Finding success in 2025 isn’t going to be an easy nut to crack either. Here are 3 trends that will be transmitted from 2024 to 2025:
1. AI-driven programmatic buying
What if you had a system that knows your audience better than you do?
That’s exactly what AI-powered programmatic buying offers. These systems make real-time decisions, bidding for ad placements while adjusting to audience behavior.
Let’s take a food delivery app as an example: programmatic buying can make sure that ads are displayed exactly during lunch hours, targeting office workers who are most likely to convert at that time. This removes the guesswork, optimizes ad spend, and maximizes ROI, shifting the focus from broad strategies to hyper-personalized precision.
But this also raises questions: as AI takes over decision-making, where does creativity fit?
In 2025, the winners will be those who can combine programmatic buying with ad narratives that resonate.
2. Cross-channel advertising
Today’s consumers interact with brands across multiple touchpoints. They might hear about you on a podcast, see your ad on Instagram, and Google your product before buying. A single-channel strategy no longer cuts it.
Cross-channel advertising creates a unified brand experience across all these touchpoints.
Let’s consider a luxury fashion retailer: while their Instagram ads showcase visually stunning product shots, their Google Search ads answer specific queries like “best designer handbags for 2025.” This reiteration builds trust and reinforces brand identity.
3. Transparency in reporting
Gone are the days when businesses thought that their job was done once a deal was signed. Nowadays, companies are demanding to see where every dollar goes and the impact it has.
This is where agencies that are offering real-time dashboards and performance reports getting ahead in the race. By setting the expectations rightly to meet them through actions, modern media buying agencies, like Kaya, are setting a new standard.
Transparency is no longer about trust only. It now involves visibility. And when brands have visibility to even the smallest data or insights into their campaigns, they will trust the process.
Best practices when working with media buying agencies
Here are some additional tips that can set you up for success when working with media buying agencies.
| Do | Rationale |
| Ask for a proposal |
You won’t have to ask a good media buying agency — they themselves will provide it to you. But just in case yours doesn’t, always ask for a proposal. When you are proposed a set of actions, ask for a hypothesis and rationale. |
| Align your KPIs | Before launching a campaign, make sure that you and your agency are aligned on the key success metrics like ROAS, CAC, and anything else that might be relevant to your campaign. |
| Stay involved |
Don’t outsource and forget. You won’t have to schedule regular check-ins with an ideal media buying agency — they will ensure instead! However, it is recommended that you ask for full visibility into the campaign performance and provide input regularly. This will further help the end result to meet your expectations. |
| Assess their tech stack | The best campaigns combine human creativity with data-driven decisions. Invest in media buying agencies that offer you a tech stack that helps you monitor your campaign performance without much of a learning curve. |
FAQ
What is digital media buying?
What is a digital media buying agency?
How to choose the right media buying agency?
Final thoughts
If you’ve had a successful media buying experience in 2024, congratulations! You might have picked up a strategy or two.
But media buying in 2025 will demand data-driven accuracy, humane- creativity, and Artificial Intelligence’s adaptability.
The right agency won’t only manage your campaigns. They will ensure your business’s growth through increased revenue. By staying informed about the updates and best practices, leveraging the latest trends, and partnering with experts, you can turn media buying into your competitive advantage.
When spotLESS Materials (YCs19) came to us, they needed a cohesive and cost-effective marketing strategy for their innovative B2M product. They had already worked with separate agencies for different ad platforms like Google, Facebook, and Instagram. However, this had led to fragmented strategies and slow results, on top of hefty price tags.
Kaya’s performance marketers and proprietary AI solutions allowed us to develop a cohesive ad strategy across Google and Meta that aligned with spotLESS Materials' bottom line. This helped to bring their CAC down by 72%, increase conversion rate by 8x, and make the Meta campaigns profitable.
Marketing an innovative product to consumers is no easy feat. Kaya has been great in strategizing new approaches and leveraging a multichannel strategy to increase overall revenue.
Birgitt Boschitsch
Cofounder & CEO, spotLESS Materials
If you’re looking for a media buying agency that will bring in similar results for you, you’ve come to the right spot!