The 2026 Laier study: where media teams' time really goes
Activity journals from 48 media consultants and managers, a 12-account audit: optimisation isn't neglected. It's crowded out. The numbers.
Published on
Where does a media team's week go? We measured the real work of 48 media consultants and managers, agency-side and in-house: five-day activity journals, a questionnaire, and an audit of 12 ad accounts' history.
The four numbers
| Measure | Result |
|---|---|
| Share of the week on monitoring, reporting and client relations | 60% |
| Time spent on human optimisation | 11% (8% beyond 70% automated budget) |
| Latency between a drift signal and an action on the accounts | 11 days |
| Acquisition overspend, measured over 90 days | 4.1% of budget |
What it means
Optimisation isn't neglected: it's crowded out by everything that has a deadline. Reporting has a slot in the calendar; budget arbitration doesn't. By the time of the weekly meeting, the best decision has often already passed.
The method
- 48 media consultants and managers, agency-side and in-house.
- Five-business-day activity journal, in half-hour increments.
- Questionnaire on decision rituals and delays.
- Audit of 12 ad accounts' history (Google Ads, Meta).
The full report (detailed methodology, distribution by profile, verbatims) is available on request: hello@laier.io.
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