In a world where people are being constantly bombarded with information and ads, is it possible that what you are trying to say is actually getting lost in the crowd? Brands need to direct their message to the right people so that their content is relevant. Otherwise, they risk talking to an audience that’s too broad, which will not generate results.
What is a Target Audience?
A Target Audience is the specific group of customers who are most likely to respond positively to your products or services. A target audience is usually built by using several aspects like demographics, personal interests and purchase intentions, with data gathered from your website, your competition and social channels.
Target audiences are developed using your brand’s persona. A brand’s persona, besides being a fictional character, is the closest to your real life customer. The more specific you get at creating one, the more defined your target audience will become and the more your message will be directed to the right people.
How to set your target audience
- Identify the needs of your target audience
It is important to ask how your product or service fills their needs. The more you understand, the more you can sell solutions.
2. Examine your existing customers
Asking for your current customers’ feedback can help you understand and gather relevant information about who you should be targeting.
3. Analyze your competition
Research who your competition is and who they are targeting. Try to understand if there are any gaps that you can fill, as well as where their customers are interacting and how that communication is being held.
4. Build a community
Building an online community is imperative to getting your brand out there. There is a lot that can be learnt from your community online and offline. The more your brand connects with your customers the more loyal and advocate they will become – it’s all about creating that emotional connection. Events, polls and giveaways are a great form of interacting and start building that relationship with your customers.
As much as having repeating customers sounds great, your objective will be to look for customers that will be your brand ambassadors and that can support your brand in the long run. That’s why trust is key – no one buys from a brand they do not trust and that trust is built on relationships and word of mouth. Take the time to research and understand your customers that are visiting your website and interacting on your social channels so you can develop marketing campaigns based on this data.
Once you have a target audience defined, then you can start designing your targeted ads that will reach the right person or customer, which is the one that your product or service fills their needs.
Determining your target audience will be one of your brand’s marketing foundations that should not be overlooked. It will help you develop your brand’s message and marketing strategy; one that can be adjusted with new and relevant data. In a world where customers are more demanding in their needs, their expectations towards brands are high, so there is no wonder why brands need to dedicate and focus their efforts to gather in-depth knowledge of their customers.
