Hi! Have you ever wondered,
when launching your project, blog, or even just coming up with a social media post, "Who needs this anyway?" If so, you're not alone!
Understanding your target audience is like finding a compass in a dense forest. Without it, you'll wander around in circles, waste energy, and most likely end up getting lost.
Imagine you want to treat your friends to pizza. You wouldn't buy pineapple for someone who can't stand pineapple, would you? Or ordering spicy pepperoni for vegetarians. You're gonna think, "Who are my friends, anyway? What do they like?" Here's the same thing with your target audience.
Why even bother with this audience?
Well, let's be honest: if you don't know
who you're trying for, the result will be so bad. It's like firing a cannon at sparrows in the dark - there's a lot of noise, but it's useless. But when you clearly understand who your "sparrows" are, you can:
- Speak their language. Imagine if you explain to a teenager about investments with terms from an economics textbook - he will fall asleep in a minute. But if you tell them about crypto and memes - that's a different conversation!
- Propose what they really need. If your audience is moms on maternity leave, they are hardly interested in articles about car tuning. But tips on how to quickly cook dinner or how to deal with colic in the baby - this is what you need!
- Save a lot of time and money. By focusing on "your" people, you're not spreading yourself thin. Your advertising hits the mark, your content hits the heart of the matter, and all your efforts don't go in the sand.
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Okay, I'm convinced. But how do we catch this audience?
Photo: onsightapp.com
Don't worry, it's not as scary as it sounds. Here's a step-by-step plan to help you figure it out:
Step 1: Who are you and what do you offer?
Before looking for an audience, sort yourself out. Ask yourself questions:
- What do I do? (Sell custom cakes? Do I blog about traveling? Do health counseling?)
- What problem am I solving? (People don't have time to bake cakes? People want to be inspired to travel? People want to be healthier?)
- What makes me different from others? (Are my cakes made from natural ingredients? Are my blogs personal stories and not just travel guides? My consultations are personalized?)
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How to do it in practice: Take a piece of paper and write down the answers to these questions. Honestly and in detail. This is your foundation.
Step 2: Study "your" people. Who are they?
This is where the fun begins - we turn into detectives! We need to figure out who the people are who need what you're offering. Ask questions:
- Who are they by demographics? (Age, gender, residence, income, education, occupation, marital status). For example: "Women 25-35 years old, living in large cities, with above average income, interested in fashion and beauty."
- What are their pains? (What are their problems, fears, frustrations, pains?). For example: "Moms on maternity leave feel isolated, they don't have enough time for themselves, they are afraid of losing their shape after childbirth."
- What do they want? (What are their dreams, goals, desires, aspirations?). For example: "People want to travel, see the world, have new experiences, take a break from routine."
- Where do they "hang out"? (What social networks do they sit on? What websites do they read? What magazines do they buy? What events do they attend?). For example: "Sitting on Instagram, reading health blogs, watching YouTube channels about fitness."
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How to do it in practice:
- Подумай логически. Кому *логически* может быть интересно твоё предложение? Если ты продаешь дорогие горные лыжи, то вряд ли твоя аудитория – пенсионеры с минимальной пенсией.
- Посмотри на конкурентов. Кто их аудитория? Что они пишут? Как общаются? Это даст тебе подсказки.
- Проведи опросы. Спроси своих друзей, знакомых, подписчиков в соцсетях. Задай им вопросы про их интересы, проблемы, потребности. Используй Google Forms или другие сервисы для опросов.
- Анализируй статистику. Если у тебя уже есть сайт или соцсети, посмотри аналитику. Кто заходит на твою страницу? Какие посты им нравятся больше всего? Это кладезь информации!
Step 3: Create a "portrait" of an ideal client
Now that you have a bunch of information, it's time to
gather it all together and create a persona - a description of your ideal client. Come up with his name, age, profession, describe his pains and desires. Make him as alive and real as possible.
Photo: hbs.edu
For example:
- Name: Anya, 30 years old
- Profession: Office manager in a large company
- Family Status: Married, has a child of 3 years old
- Location: Tashkent
- Income: Average
- Feelings: Tired after work, not enough time for herself, wants to lose weight after childbirth, feels out of shape.
- Wishes: To look good, to be energetic, to find a hobby for herself, to spend more time with her family.
- Where she hangs out: Instagram, Pinterest, reads healthy eating and fitness blogs, subscribes to moms' communities.
How to do it in practice: Write a detailed description of 2-3 such persons. Imagine that you are communicating with them when you create content or run ads.
Step 4: Test and adjust
Don't assume you'll hit the bullseye right away. Identifying your target audience is an ongoing process. The world changes, people change, and your audience can change too.
How to do it in practice:
- Watch for reactions. What posts, products, offers are generating the most response? Who is responding? Does it fit your "persona?"
- Continue to communicate with your audience. Ask questions, take surveys, get feedback.
- Analyze the results. Regularly look at statistics, analytics, survey data. Adjust your "portrait" of the audience, if necessary.
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In conclusion:
Identifying your target audience is not a one-time task, but
permanent research and customization. But trust me, the gamble is worth it! When you understand who your people are, you'll be able to speak the same language with them, offer them what they really value, and build strong and lasting relationships. And that, you have to admit, is cooler than any pineapple pizza!
So go ahead, to your "sparrows"! You can do it!