Knowing your audience is not a formality, it is a necessity. 

As an essential marketing tool, audience research is the process of collecting information as it relates to your target audience. In order to truly grasp the needs, wants, and preferences of specific market segments it is critical to customize your marketing strategies to the intended audience - this is the magic sauce that makes it all work. The effectiveness is heightened when audience research is conducted, a common methodology involved within such research is the creation of buyer personas. 

Buyer Persona

When analyzing the wants and needs of potential consumers, the creationand utilization of semi-fictional representation of these same consumers can help marketers resonate with their target audience. Commonly understood as a buyer persona, data-fueled portrayals of market consumers are used in order to personify market research. Consumer demographics, behavioral tendencies, and psychographics  are three of the most influential aspects needing to be considered when creating a buyer persona. 

Consumer Demographics

The demographics of a target market refers to the age, gender, financial status, ethnicity, generation, marital status, location, education history, the carers, etc., of the individuals who compose a company’s desired market sector. Such information is utilized in order to create effective and meaningful marketing strategies which aim to infiltrate such a consumer base. Consumer demographics also help marketers piece together buying patterns and preferences which inform business decisions in relation to marketing strategies. 

Consumer Psychographics 

In comparison to consumer demographics, consumer psychographics go beyond the surface level of consumer identity. Psychographics dive deeper into consumer beliefs, opinions, interests, attitudes, lifestyle, and personalized goals. Such information allows marketers to ‘speak the language of their consumer’, thus enabling marketing techniques to truly resonate with the beliefs of the target audience. 

Behavioural Data 

Behavioral data refers to the ways in which consumers tend to utilize digital media. Knowing the habits and routines of an ideal consumer allows for the implementation of strategically placed marketing efforts on various digital platforms. Such data can be collected by observing the online activities of consumers, content usages, digital navigation habits, as well as competitor brand preferences. 

Benefits of Audience Research 

• Identifying the obstacles of competitors in order to create more effective marketing efforts

• Resonating with consumers on a meaningful level, boosting consumer loyalty 

• Strategic marketing placement in order to avoid less successful efforts that result in poor engagement 

Audience Research is utilized by marketers in order to provide companies with the context of their target audience. Communication efforts are not only made more effective by audience research, but more importantly, communication efforts become meaningful.