What is a target audience?
Before we start, let us take a moment to define what a target audience is. In marketing, the target audience is all your potential clients, the people you want to convince to purchase your products or services. Since it can be difficult to target everyone (it is nearly impossible to meet everybody's needs), it would be wise to take the time to define groups of people that could be interested in your offer.
Here are a few tips on defining a target audience
Therefore, how can we proceed to define a target audience? Whether you own a business or want to create a blog, it is an essential step to ensure being successful.
Analyze your products and services
In order to define your target audience, start by analyzing your different products and services. What are your strengths and weaknesses? Why did you want to create those? What needs do you meet exactly? It is recommended to do this exercise again occasionally or during significant changes.
Analyze the market
Moreover, you should take the time to analyze the external environment, like the current market. How is the economy going? Is there a desire for the type of products and services you want to offer? Are there any groups of people that would be more interested than others?
Analyze your competitors
Finally, keep some time to study your competitors and see how you could grab some market shares. What can you do better? Who are their target customers? Who is forgotten? As we have mentioned earlier, it can be challenging to meet everyone’s needs. It can then be better to target smaller groups when you start.
Find out how to legally spy on your competitors.
How a defined target audience can help you create a better website
Now that you know more about what a target audience is and what you can do to define it, how does it impact the creation of your website? Actually, a website that was created with a target audience in mind has more chances to be successful.
Create relevant content
When we take the time to define our target audience, it is easier to create content that meets the needs of these people. It can help you create a FAQ section and blog articles that interest them. Keep your target audience in mind whatever you make on your website. You can also do the same exercise for your social media content. Relevance is key!
Have the right tone and vocabulary
Similarly, a target audience can help you use the right tone and vocabulary on your site. Knowing who you are speaking to makes it easier to communicate the right message. Here is a simple example: will you use the same vocabulary if your target audience is lawyers as if it were teenagers? Also, expressions may vary from one region to another. If you target Australians, you might use a different language than for a website for Scots or Americans.
Think about an attractive color palette
Do you know why blue is the most popular color for business logos? It is because it is the favorite color of many people. Consequently, you should use visual elements to attract potential customers while creating your website. Indeed, when you know who you need to target, it will be easier to choose relevant colors and fonts. For example, an accounting firm's website will likely use a different color palette than an online store selling fashion accessories for teenagers.
Make adapted products and services
Finally, the more you know your target audience and its needs, the easier it will be to adapt products and services. It can result in more potential sale opportunities. Of course, it requires some work. You must keep up with new trends and interests of your target market. It is vital if your domain is quite competitive.
Reminder: Consider using a persona
You could use a buyer persona to help you navigate through all the information and data about your target audience. The buyer persona is a marketing tool that allows you to create an avatar representing your target audience. Give it a name, a job, and a story, and ask yourself why this person would need your product or service. For example, if you are a photographer specializing in family portraits, it could be relevant to contact daycares to find clients.
In conclusion, whether you want to increase your website traffic or your online store sales, you need to meet the needs of your clientele first. Therefore, it is essential to take the time to define the people you want to target before you start creating all your site’s pages. And if you have more than one target audience, remember that it is always possible to create a multilingual website if needed!