Have you ever encountered an ad and wondered, “Why am I seeing this?” That’s because many marketing campaigns fail to appropriately target and resonate with their intended audiences. As a result, the customer experience suffers.
According to a Zendesk report, 68 percent of consumers expect all experiences to be personalized. But how can you achieve that if you don’t know who you’re catering to?
If you struggle to connect with consumers, here’s a breakdown of how to build your target audience and enhance your digital marketing plan.
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According to the online course Digital Marketing Strategy, target audience refers to the group of consumers most likely interested in your products or services and who should be the focus of your marketing campaign.
While you can identify your target audience in several ways, doing so without customer data can be extremely difficult. According to a HubSpot survey, 82 percent of marketers say high-quality customer data is important to succeed in their roles.
Digital Marketing Strategy offers three categories of customer data you should consider collecting: demographic, customer behavior, and consumer motivations.
This first set of data focuses on your typical customer’s demographic information, which can include:
This data can be especially useful when making implicit assumptions about your customers. For example, if your business mostly sells to millennial women, preferences such as business sustainability typically align with that demographic.
Your customers’ personal details can provide valuable insights when building and executing your marketing plan. Yet, many marketers struggle to collect it. According to HubSpot, 42 percent of marketers know their audience’s demographic information, and less than half know their interests and hobbies.
Analyzing customer behavior is another method for determining your target audience. Unlike preferences and lifestyle information, this category focuses on behavior related to your products or services.
Examples of customer behavior include:
By examining these behaviors, you can gain invaluable insights into your target audience and learn how to best engage them through email marketing, online ads, and blog content.
The final approach to identifying your target audience is focusing on consumers’ primary motivations, which often requires asking, “What are they searching for?”
When it comes to products, consumers often seek:
One of the best ways to determine your customers’ motivations is by conducting market research using surveys and focus groups. The information you gather can help you group your consumers and understand their purchasing motives.
Understanding your target audience is essential to successful digital marketing. Here are the top benefits of identifying who your customers are and what they need.
Segmentation is vital to your digital marketing plan. It entails organizing consumers with similar needs and preferences into groups called “segments,” enabling you to provide them with personalized experiences.
“While you can try and market a product to everyone, consumers have different needs and preferences,” says Harvard Business School Professor Sunil Gupta, who teaches Digital Marketing Strategy. “What appeals to one group of consumers may not appeal to another group.”
Consider Nike’s segmentation of its audience, 40 percent of which is female. To cater to that group, Nike implements messaging around female athlete endorsements, inclusive models, and holistic health in its ads. At the same time, the company successfully connects with its other target audiences—male fitness enthusiasts and youth athletes.
In addition to ensuring customer personalization, segmentation offers financial benefits and can increase revenue by up to 760 percent.
Identifying your target audience doesn’t just inform current marketing initiatives; it also helps you adapt to changes your customers may experience.
For example, if most of your consumers aren’t price sensitive, your communications don’t have to focus on value proposition.
Consider fast-food chain McDonald’s adaptability among increased price sensitivity during the 2008 financial crisis. While many businesses struggled as consumers tightened their belts, McDonald’s modified its marketing strategy to highlight its offerings’ value and affordability. It ramped up Dollar Menu ads and introduced value meals and promotional deals via online platforms its target audience commonly used.
By understanding your target audience, you can modify your marketing strategy to meet customers’ evolving needs.
You must spend money efficiently to ensure your marketing plan stays on budget and generates a return on investment. That means your marketing efforts need to be focused and relevant.
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Consider HelloFresh's marketing communications. While some food companies pride themselves on quality ingredients, HelloFresh customers primarily want the convenience of a healthy, prepackaged delivery service.
As a result, the company has invested in advertisements for young consumers searching for cost-effective food options, including streaming ads to reach the gaming community and YouTube videos to appeal to young home chefs.
HelloFresh highlights why you should leverage your target audience’s preferred publications and platforms: To ensure the money you spend on advertising reaches the right people.
Consumer relationships are crucial to your company’s success. According to a McKinsey report, word of mouth is the primary factor behind 20 to 50 percent of all purchasing decisions.
Fitness apparel company GymShark is one example of how strong relationships with your target audience can lead to long-term success. Despite fierce competition in the athletic market, GymShark has achieved record-breaking sales.
Its secret? Strong relationships with athletic influencers who promote, wear, and even design clothing lines with the brand. Through its partnerships, GymShark gets cost-effective advertising from those its target audience trusts.
“In general, influencers have a significant following on social media and have the power to influence purchase decisions of their followers,” Gupta says in Digital Marketing Strategy. “Some research studies show that 82 percent of people are highly likely to act upon the recommendation of an influencer, and 92 percent of consumers trust the recommendations of people they follow on social media more than they trust commercial messages from companies.”
While working with influencers may not be the right choice for your business, GymShark exemplifies how engaging with your target audience can benefit your marketing strategy.
Choosing the right target audience can pay dividends for your digital marketing strategy. To ensure you’re equipped to reach your desired customers, developing digital marketing skills is critical.
One of the most effective ways to do so is by enrolling in an online marketing course, such as Digital Marketing Strategy. Through real-world case studies, you can learn how to leverage your target audience in your marketing plan.
Do you need help identifying your target audience? Explore Digital Marketing Strategy to discover how. If you’re interested in exploring online education but aren’t sure where to start, download our free guide to online learning success.
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Our easy online application is free, and no special documentation is required. All participants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the program.
Updates to your application and enrollment status will be shown on your account page. We confirm enrollment eligibility within one week of your application for CORe and three weeks for CLIMB. HBS Online does not use race, gender, ethnicity, or any protected class as criteria for admissions for any HBS Online program.
