IELTS collocations

Media and advertising collocations for IELTS

15 media and advertising collocations for questions about news, social media, celebrities and advertising. Each one has its meaning, an exam-style example and a register note.

Example

target audience

Advertisers choose images that appeal to their target audience.

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Written byFizza Butool ZaidiandAli ZaidiUpdated 11 November 2026

15 collocations

Media and advertising collocations with examples

Formal pairs suit Writing Task 2. Neutral ones work anywhere. Informal ones belong in Speaking.

  1. 1.target audience

    neutral

    the group of people a product or message is aimed at

    Advertisers choose images that appeal to their target audience.

    Reach and appeal to collocate with it.

  2. 2.launch an advertising campaign

    neutral

    start an organised series of adverts

    The company launched an advertising campaign aimed at teenagers.

    Run an advertising campaign is also natural.

  3. 3.the mass media

    formal

    television, newspapers, radio and the internet that reach large audiences

    The mass media shapes how people see politics.

    Takes a singular or plural verb; be consistent.

  4. 4.spread misinformation

    formal

    pass on false or misleading information

    Social media allows anyone to spread misinformation faster than journalists can correct it.

    Spread fake news is more informal.

  5. 5.media coverage

    neutral

    the reporting of an event by newspapers, television and websites

    The floods received extensive media coverage.

    Receive, attract and extensive collocate with it.

  6. 6.hit the headlines

    informal

    suddenly become an important news story

    The scandal hit the headlines within hours.

    Good in Speaking. Make headlines is equally common.

  7. 7.freedom of the press

    formal

    the right of journalists to report news without government control

    Freedom of the press is essential for holding governments to account.

    Press freedom is the shorter form.

  8. 8.an invasion of privacy

    neutral

    an unwelcome intrusion into someone's private life

    Photographing celebrities' children is an invasion of privacy.

    Invade someone's privacy is the verb form.

  9. 9.influence consumer behaviour

    formal

    change how people decide what to buy

    Online reviews influence consumer behaviour more than traditional adverts.

    British spelling: behaviour.

  10. 10.brand loyalty

    neutral

    a customer's habit of buying the same brand

    Supermarkets use reward cards to build brand loyalty.

    Build and create collocate with it.

  11. 11.misleading claims

    formal

    statements that give a false impression

    Adverts for diet products often contain misleading claims.

    Make misleading claims; misleading advertising is the general term.

  12. 12.impulse buying

    neutral

    buying things suddenly without planning

    Bright displays near the checkout encourage impulse buying.

    An impulse purchase is a single item.

  13. 13.go viral

    informal

    spread very quickly online

    A short video can go viral and make an unknown singer famous overnight.

    Speaking only, or in quotation marks in an essay.

  14. 14.a reliable source of information

    neutral

    a source you can trust to be accurate

    Many teenagers do not see television news as a reliable source of information any more.

    Trustworthy is a close alternative to reliable.

  15. 15.news outlets

    neutral

    organisations that publish or broadcast news

    Independent news outlets struggle to compete with free content online.

    Media outlets is the broader term.

Band tip

Media questions often mix advertising and journalism. Precise collocations such as media coverage and misleading claims stop you writing vague sentences about 'the media' and show the range that Lexical Resource rewards.

Source: the public IELTS band descriptors, summarised on ielts.org. Using these collocations will not by itself guarantee a band; accuracy and relevance matter most.

Speaking Part 3

Use it in an answer

An excerpt we wrote to show these collocations working together. Collocations from this page are in bold.

Speaking Part 3Sample excerpt

Do you think people trust the news less than they used to?

Yes, I think trust has fallen, mainly because of social media. Anyone can spread misinformation, and a false story can go viral before news outlets have a chance to check it. People also notice that media coverage can be quite one-sided. That said, I don't think most people have given up. They just look harder for a reliable source of information, such as public broadcasters, and compare a few before they believe something.

Say these collocations out loud

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Frequently asked questions

Is "go viral" acceptable in Writing Task 2?+

It is informal. In an essay, write spread rapidly online instead, and keep go viral for Speaking.

Is "media" singular or plural?+

Both are accepted. Many writers treat the media as singular in general use. Pick one and use it consistently in the same essay.

What collocations suit advertising essays?+

Target audience, launch an advertising campaign, misleading claims, influence consumer behaviour and impulse buying cover most advertising questions.

What is the difference between advertising and an advertisement?+

Advertising is the uncountable activity or industry. An advertisement, or an advert, is one example. Avoid "an advertising".

Keep going

More collocations

Practise in context

Real IELTS questions to try them on

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