Top 12 Paid Media Agencies in NYC for 2026

New York City is one of the most competitive advertising markets in the world. If you’re looking to scale quickly, drive measurable growth, and outperform crowded verticals, the right paid media agency in NYC can be a serious advantage.

Digital now accounts for over three-quarters of total U.S. media ad spend, which shows just how critical performance-driven paid media has become. In a fast-moving market like NYC, smart media buying and ongoing optimization are foundational to sustainable growth.

That said, paid media is a diverse space and can include anything from performance-driven social campaigns to high-budget programmatic buys. To find the best NYC-based agency partner for paid media planning and buying, you must know what you actually want to accomplish. 

Our list of paid media agencies in New York offers the best options for all kinds of brands and provides a blueprint for choosing the right one. 

Top NYC Paid Media Agencies: A Quick Comparison

Our Vetting Methodology

To identify the top paid media agencies in NYC, we evaluated firms using performance-driven criteria specific to modern media buying. That includes: 

• Platform specialization (Meta, TikTok, Google, programmatic, CTV) 
• Creative testing velocity
• Audience segmentation depth
• Measurement and attribution modeling sophistication
• Proven return on ad spend (ROAS)

We reviewed case studies for measurable growth metrics and looked for agencies that demonstrate incrementality testing, structured A/B frameworks, and budget scalability across multiple channels. In addition, we looked at what makes an agency unique for paid media work, so there are specific options for every type of brand or paid media goal. 

Transparency in reporting, data ownership, and clarity around optimization processes were also key factors.

Finally, we benchmarked each agency against how we run campaigns for our clients. For us, paid media is never siloed from creative, data, and revenue outcomes. We prioritize rapid creative iteration, documented testing roadmaps, full-funnel measurement, and real-time performance dashboards. And that’s the standard we measured other agencies against. 

How to Choose a Paid Media Agency in NYC

Besides the typical factors like reputation, experience, and scope of services, you must consider other important criteria, particularly related to paid media. 

Let’s go over those: 

Ability to Optimize “High-CAC” Categories

NYC is packed with brands competing in pricey auctions (DTC, apps, fintech, fashion, food, and so on). You want an agency that can prove it can lower acquisition costs through disciplined testing and optimization. 

This is all the more important in current times, where media inflation, channel sprawl, tariffs, and unpredictable consumer spending are impacting operational spending (including marketing). 

As BCG notes,

“Generate growth in challenging market conditions. Launch new products. Reposition to capitalize on disruptions. Do it all with a flat, or maybe a shrinking, budget. CMOs are being squeezed by a set of objectives seemingly at odds with one another.”

That’s exactly why optimization expertise matters. In NYC’s high-CAC environment, efficiency is a must-have. Therefore, we suggest considering a partner who can really stretch the dollar and deliver results without going over budget. 

Impact Measurement and Attribution

Whether you’re based in NYC or are simply targeting the city’s massive population, chances are you’re running an omnichannel campaign. This makes attribution and measurement absolutely necessary, so you can optimize spend based on channel or touchpoint-specific outcomes. 

In fact, about 75 % of marketers now run multi-channel campaigns, which makes clear measurement across all channels critical for accurate performance insights.

Still, many paid media agencies in NYC focus too much on execution and not enough on measurement. The agency you choose should have a clear plan for incrementality: holdouts, lift tests, or geo tests. This matters because controlled experiments are widely recognized as the gold standard for incrementality measurement in advertising.

Channel Depth Beyond “We do Everything”

Many NYC agencies claim full-funnel omnichannel, but you should verify real depth in the channels you need most. This may include Meta, TikTok, Google Search/Shopping, YouTube, programmatic advertising, or CTV, whichever you’re planning on using. 

One practical tell: do they describe platform-specific mechanics (e.g., catalog strategy, feed optimization, value-based bidding, conversion APIs, offline events) or do they stay generic? 

Also, make sure they can explain how budgets move between channels as performance shifts. Again, this ties back to measurement and attribution. 

Creative Testing Engine

An idea paid media agency should operate like a creative lab: fast briefs, high-volume iteration, structured A/B frameworks, and clear learning agendas. 

If they can’t explain how many new concepts they test per month, how they refresh creative to avoid creative fatigue, and how they turn insights into the next wave of ads, that’s a red flag. 

Creative velocity matters because platform performance increasingly depends on experimentation. For instance, Meta’s case studies show how systematic creative experimentation and automation can lift outcomes. Gap reported a 20% increase in website purchases using an Advantage+ catalog approach with Advantage+ creative.

Transparent Reporting and Detailed Insights

NYC moves fast, and founders, marketing leads, and finance teams want clarity. The agency should provide you with a clean measurement plan, a predictable reporting cadence, and dashboards that tie spend to outcomes (with KPIs that actually matter, such as revenue, CAC, MER, and LTV signals). 

If you can’t see what changed week to week and why, you’ll struggle to scale confidently. In practice, we believe the best agencies document everything: tests, learnings, and next steps. That way, performance isn’t dependent on one media buyer’s instincts.

12 Best Paid Media Agencies in NYC

After careful search and analysis, here are the top picks for agencies in New York for paid media strategy and management: 

1. inBeat Agency - Best for Social-First Paid Media and Performance Creative Testing

Website: https://inbeat.agency/locations/new-york/paid-media-agency-in-nyc

Location: 90 Broad St, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10004, United States

Core Services: Paid media management, creator-driven content, performance creative, cross-platform ads

Rating: 4.9/5 (Clutch)

inBeat Agency (part of Fieldtrip) combines precision paid media buying with creator-centric content to deliver ads that resonate and convert at scale. Our approach is social-centric, with data-driven targeting across Meta, TikTok, Google, and programmatic buys and performance creative generated by highly vetted creators. 

This fusion helps you lower CAC and increase conversion rates while maintaining cultural relevance in a diverse market like NYC. We’ve worked with numerous brands that call the city home and managed over $20 million in monthly media spending across our portfolio.

Our paid media services are ideal for fast-growing DTC, mobile app, SaaS, and lifestyle brands that want every dollar to work toward their goals. 

For example, we helped Nurse.com scale paid media reach using an influencer-led creative strategy. Creator content was amplified through paid social to reach the right audience. As a result, the campaign generated over 200k+ new users, 5M+ impressions, and a 4%+ click-through rate.

Explore more of our work here.

2. Socium Media - Best for Data-Driven Paid Search

Website: sociummedia.com 

Location: 251 W 30th St Office 501, Floor 5, New York, NY 10001, United States

Core Services: Paid search, paid social, shopping & feeds, analytics & performance creative

Rating: 4.9/5 (Clutch)

Socium Media is a New York performance marketing agency specializing in paid search, paid social, and performance creative backed by analytics and reporting. They’ve managed over $100M in ad spend across platforms by targeting various digital media like SEM, Meta, TikTok, YouTube, and Connected TV. 

They offer paid search and paid social as distinct services, so campaigns and budgets can be optimized according to channels. In fact, for paid search, they’ve won numerous awards, like the US Search Awards in 2020 and 2022. 

Socium is all about marrying creative testing with tight performance measurement, much like inBeat. 

3. CB/I - Best for AI-Driven eCommerce Paid Media

Website: cbidigital.com 

Location: 85 Broad Street, 17th floor, New York, NY 10004, United States

Core Services:  Paid media strategy, AI/ML optimization, PPC & performance analytics

Rating: 5.0/5 (Clutch)

CB/I Digital uses proprietary AI and machine learning technology to maximize paid search and performance media outcomes, particularly for e-commerce brands. Their “Playmaker” optimization engine is designed to outperform benchmarks by continually refining bidding, creative, and targeting using machine learning. 

If you are seeking advanced technology-enhanced media strategies, you’ll find CB/I’s data-centric system particularly valuable. Previous clients include LVMH, Annmarie, Super Jeweler, and Art & Eden. 

Notably, their teams spend over 150 hours on training annually, a good practice that helps ensure marketers stay on top of the latest paid media trends. 

4. 9AM - Best for Paid Media Measurement and Attribution

Website: nine.am 

Location: New York, NY

Core Services: Media buying, analytics, creative strategy, influencer integration

Rating: 4.9/5 (G2)

9AM, a sister agency of inBeat, focuses on strategic media buying with a strong emphasis on measurement and attribution. It supports full-funnel frameworks that unite media buying, analytics, and creative into repeatable performance systems. 

With an average ROAS life of 3.2X, 9AM is the best fit for enterprises struggling to achieve ROI goals with paid media. With access to proprietary dashboards, you get visibility into how media spend is distributed across channels (and why) and how it’s performing in real time. 

9AM’s media buying services include paid social, search, shopping, programmatic, and CTV. So far, it has managed over $250 million in ad spend, all backed with strong analytics, of course. 

5. Power - Best for PPC Performance & Paid Search

Website: powerdigitalmarketing.com 

Location: 407 Broome St, New York, NY 10013 United States

Core Services: PPC/paid search, paid social, SEO, data & analytics

Rating: 4.8/5 (Clutch)

Power is known for driving measurable results through highly optimized PPC and paid search campaigns. Within paid search, they offer keyword strategy, conversion rate optimization, and bid optimization across Google Ads, Bing, and shopping feeds, so clients see tangible ROI from paid search investments. 

Their expertise in this niche makes them a good fit if you are selling products and services directly to consumers, as well as large retailers. The proprietary Nova data platform is what powers all their campaigns. 

They pair paid search with complementary channels (paid social, SEO, and analytics) to maximize visibility and conversions. In addition to data-backed manual ad set-ups, Power also specializes in AI-driven search and display media tools such as Google’s Performance Max. 

6. Stella Rising - Best for Full-Funnel Digital Media Activation for B2C

Website: stellarising.com 

Location: 920 Broadway, New York, NY 10010, United States

Core Services: Paid social, paid search, video ads, analytics & audience strategy for beauty, lifestyle, health, and food brands

Rating: 4.9/5 (Clutch)

Stella Rising is a women-led agency that specializes in unified performance media strategies. It helps balance immediate revenue impact with broader brand goals. Their work spans paid social, search, and traditional media, and includes marketing mix modeling (MMM) frameworks tailored for beauty, health, and lifestyle brands. 

Stella’s integrated approach helps you convert and retain customers across channels. They handle the entire paid media project, from start to finish. That can be more impactful because of consistency in planning, execution, and measurement. And their expertise in this area has even been recognized with an award from the US Agency Awards. 

7. The Influence Agency - Best for Paid Search + Influencer Marketing

Website: theinfluenceagency.com 

Location: 213 Sterling Rd Unit 214, Toronto, ON M6R 2B2, Canada

Core Services: Paid media (Google, Meta, programmatic, CTV), influencer & branded content

Rating: 4.9/5 (Google)

The Influence Agency combines paid media campaigns with rich creative and influencer support to elevate brand presence and conversion performance. They execute tailored ads across Meta, TikTok, Google, LinkedIn, and programmatic channels, while also aligning those efforts with broader content and SEO strategies (360-degree elevation is what they call it). 

This makes them a fit for brands looking for comprehensive digital presence and paid amplification. However, unlike our approach of mixing in performance data, this agency focuses more on execution. While they’re headquartered in Toronto, NYC is a focus area. 

The brands in their client roster are impressive, with names like Rakuten, Dole, Ford, and Crave. In fact, they’ve also worked with brands that have collaborated with us, like New Balance and Puma.

8. Main Street ROI - Best for Small Business Paid Search & Social

Website: mainstreetroi.com 

Location: 80 Orville Drive, Suite 100 - #207, Bohemia, NY 11716

Core Services: Google Ads, Facebook/Instagram ads, LinkedIn ads, PPC optimization

Rating: 4.3/5 (Yelp)

Main Street ROI helps small businesses leverage paid search and social advertising without overhead. They focus on Google Ads and Facebook/Instagram campaigns that generate leads, sales, and ROI while prioritizing transparency and strategic optimization. Their additional training and consulting services also help clients build an internal understanding of performance media fundamentals. 

Because paid media services are packaged by channel type, they may be cost-effective for small businesses looking to run campaigns on specific platforms like Meta or Google. For small B2B companies, they can run LinkedIn campaigns to get leads. After all, LinkedIn is the leading platform for B2B marketers worldwide. 

10. Team Lewis - Best for Integrated Paid Media & PR-Driven Growth

Website: teamlewis.com 

Location: New York, NY

Core Services: Paid media (search/social/OTT/CTV), PR, content, influencer strategy

Rating: 3.8/5 (TrustPilot)

Team Lewis is a global marketing agency with a strong presence in the U.S., including in NYC. It helps brands in highly competitive and regulated industries like automotive, technology, cybersecurity, healthcare, and media ace paid advertising. It handles a variety of secondary paid media-linked operations, like content, influencer engagement, and PR. 

With over 20 years of experience, they’ve largely worked with enterprise-grade brands (Palo Alto Networks, VMWare, and American Express). That shows they have the expertise and scale to manage multimillion-dollar paid media projects. 

Their paid media practice is unique in that it includes campaigns across Meta, Google, programmatic, CTV, and Amazon Ads anchored by narrative-driven creative and audience insights derived from earned media performance. 

10. Fishbat Media - Best for ROI-Driven Digital Strategy

Website: fishbat.com

Location: 260 Madison Ave, 8th floor, New York, NY 10016, United States

Core Services:  Paid media strategy, SEO & content, paid social & PPC

Rating: 4.8/5 (Clutch)

Fishbat Media delivers comprehensive digital marketing with a focus on ROI. Their paid media services include PPC, paid social, and programmatic, all of which are grounded in strategic audience segmentation and conversion optimization. Fishbat’s mixed approach between creative and performance ensures aligned campaigns that serve both awareness and direct response goals. 

It has been featured on Forbes and has been a top contender on Clutch. They cater to both B2C and B2B brands. Unlike our creator-led approach, they focus more on branded creatives for paid campaigns. In fact, influencer marketing is offered as a separate, standalone service, not necessarily blended into paid media. 

Still, the numbers show they’re good at what they do (600% average increase in social media engagement for clients). 

11. Avenue Z - Best for AI-Optimized Media Buying and PR

Website: avenuez.com

Location: 156, 5th Avenue, New York, NY, 10010, United States

Core Services: AI-enabled media buying, optimization, creative testing, and PR

Rating: 4.7/5 (Clutch)

Avenue Z is a PR and digital marketing agency that leans heavily on technology for its media-buying services. Like most agencies on this list, they primarily cover digital ad channels such as Google, YouTube, Meta, Shopify, and LinkedIn. Their performance creatives for paid media are tested rigorously to deliver ROI-focused results. 

With the PR wing of the agency incorporated with paid media, Avenue Z can be a viable option for increasing brand visibility and maintaining reputation. Their paid media clients include well-known names like Unilever, Klora, and Nuwave. Besides CPG brands, the agency actively works with upcoming startups in the AI and FinTech spaces. 

12. Direct Response Group - Best for Paid + Organic Search

Website: directresponsegroup.com 

Location: 201 Old Country Rd, Suite 204, Melville, NY 11747, United States

Core Services: Paid media planning, display advertising, strategic ad placement, SEO

Rating: 5.0/5 (Google)

Direct Response Group offers paid media tactics geared toward measurable outcomes such as lead generation and sales. Their strategic placement and timing optimization make them a good fit for brands focused on (as their name says) direct response, high-conversion campaigns. 

While they cover both paid search and social advertising, they also do SEO. For many of their clients, they cover organic reach and paid amplification. As we’ve seen in our own work combining organic creator partnerships with paid social distribution, a well-executed hybrid strategy can drive stronger performance and lower acquisition costs. 

Benefits of Working with a Paid Media Agency from NYC

If you’re on the fence about hiring a paid media agency from New York, consider the many advantages such a partnership brings, like: 

Avoid costly paid media mistakes

Managing paid media internally can be a tall order, especially without a dedicated team fluent in attribution, testing frameworks, and real-time optimization. Research shows that over 40% of digital ad spend is wasted due to inefficient strategies and incomplete analytics. NYC agencies bring disciplined processes, experienced media buyers, and performance tooling to reduce budget leakage.

Access to top-tier advertising talent

New York City has long been a global advertising capital. The density of media buyers, strategists, analysts, and creative directors creates a highly competitive talent ecosystem. Even brands outside NYC can benefit from partnering with a paid media agency in the Big Apple. 

Stronger creative + performance integration

NYC’s proximity to production studios, creators, and media companies fosters tighter creative collaboration. Paid media teams can iterate quickly with fresh ad concepts, UGC, and brand assets. Faster creative velocity typically translates into longer performance lifecycles and improved efficiency.

National and global market perspective

NYC agencies frequently manage campaigns across the U.S. and internationally. They understand how to scale budgets geographically while adapting messaging to regional nuances. You don’t need to be based in New York to benefit from its global advertising mindset.

Paid Media Agency Cost and Budget Considerations

Most paid media agencies in the New York metro area charge either:

• A monthly retainer,
• A percentage of your ad spend,
• Or a hybrid model combining both. 

Management fees for paid media can range from around $1,200 to $8,000+ per month, depending on agency experience and the complexity of your campaigns. As for  percentages of ad spend, those commonly fall between 10-20% of your media budget. 

This means if your monthly ad spend is $50,000, the agency fee could be several thousand dollars on top of that spend.

Budgeting for paid media in NYC also means accounting for the competitive nature of the market. Higher ad costs in local categories like finance, e-commerce, and tech can push daily and monthly budgets up quickly. That’s why we double down on strategic allocation and continuous optimization to protect your spend and maximize ROI. 

Because fees vary with scope and goals, brands should align their growth targets with corresponding budget tiers. 

Pro Tip: Clear contracts, transparent pricing, and regularly reviewed performance benchmarks help ensure your partnership drives measurable growth without unexpected expenses.

Paid Media or Influencer Marketing: Which Is Better in NYC?

In NYC, both paid media and influencer marketing can drive serious results. However, they serve slightly different purposes. 

Paid media (especially digital) offers predictable scaling, structured testing, and clear performance metrics like CAC and ROAS. It’s ideal for brands that want direct response outcomes and measurable revenue growth. 

Influencer marketing, on the other hand, is great for building trust, social proof, and cultural relevance, especially in lifestyle-heavy industries like fashion, beauty, food, and fitness.

That said, NYC is an ecosystem of creators, micro-influencers, and content producers across every niche imaginable. This makes influencer marketing particularly powerful in the city, whether you’re targeting local audiences or producing content with a distinct “New York” edge.

But the real advantage comes when you don’t treat influencer and paid media as separate channels.

Influencer collaborations can become high-performing paid ad assets. Instead of running creator content organically and hoping it performs, you can repurpose that content into conversion-focused paid campaigns across Meta, TikTok, and other digital platforms. This blends authenticity with performance optimization.

That’s exactly how we approach it at inBeat Agency. We combine creator-led content with structured paid media amplification. We’ve done it for New York-based brands like Prose and Mindbloom, and the results were stellar. 

Win Paid Media with inBeat Agency

Paid media, particularly digital and paid social, have become indispensable for companies across the board. Whether you’re a small business trying to attract the local NYC crowd or an enterprise eyeing national or even global coverage, you have to invest in ads to get the ball rolling. 

More importantly, you don’t want any money wasted, especially with media prices rising and marketing budgets tightening. 

inBeat Agency brings the tried and tested formula of creator-driven paid media that helps lower costs and delivers the ROI stakeholders expect. Across social and search space, we deliver optimized performance creatives (including influencer and UGC assets) that convert well. 

As campaigns run, we analyze data to fine-tune creatives and targeting, ensuring paid media efforts remain cost-effective. 

Book a call today to learn how inBeat can actually move the needle for your brand. 

FAQs

Are NYC paid media agencies only suitable for New York–based brands?

No. Many NYC agencies manage national and international campaigns. The benefit of working with a New York agency is access to high-level advertising talent and experience in competitive markets. Even brands based elsewhere can benefit from NYC-level performance standards and media sophistication.

What platforms do paid media agencies in NYC typically manage?

Most agencies manage campaigns across Meta (Facebook/Instagram), Google Ads (Search, Shopping, YouTube), TikTok Ads, LinkedIn Ads, and programmatic/CTV platforms. More advanced agencies also handle conversion tracking, attribution modeling, incrementality testing, and creative performance optimization.

What makes inBeat different from other paid media agencies in NYC?

inBeat combines micro-creator collaborations with structured paid media amplification. Instead of treating influencer marketing and paid ads as separate tactics, inBeat integrates creator-generated content directly into performance campaigns. This approach allows brands to combine authenticity with data-driven optimization, helping improve conversion rates and scale efficiently.

What is a good ROAS in paid media?

A “good” return on ad spend (ROAS) depends on your margins and growth stage. Generally, a 3:1 to 4:1 ROAS is considered healthy. However, brands with higher margins may scale at lower ROAS to gain market share, while low-margin businesses may require 5:1 or higher to remain profitable. 

Is it better to work with a paid media agency on retainer?

For most brands, yes. A retainer model creates consistency, structured testing, and long-term optimization rather than short bursts of campaign management. Remember, paid media performance improves over time as data accumulates and creative iterations occur. A retainer relationship allows agencies to build learning frameworks, scale winning campaigns, and continuously improve efficiency instead of operating on a one-off project basis.