Beyond grasping this key concept, this article has an extra layer\u2026 we\u2019ll dive deeper into target audience concepts for paid media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This way, you\u2019ll understand how to create campaigns for each stage of the funnel, how to define the right audience for each ad, and even get tips from our experts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Without further ado, let\u2019s explore what a target audience is, its importance, some examples, and how to apply this concept to paid media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is a Target Audience?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/getleadster.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/2-2-1024x546-1.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nTarget audience, target segment, or even target market refers to a specific group of consumers with common characteristics that a company aims at as potential customers.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n“Oh, so I just need to look at the people following my company on social media to understand who my target audience is?” \ud83d\udc81<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Not exactly, because defining a target audience is a bit more complex than just observation or intuition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In reality, defining a target audience must be based on various research and analyses.<\/strong> It starts with market segmentation, which separates groups of people with similar profiles, always considering demographic and behavioral information.<\/p>\n\n\n\nAnother important point in defining a target audience is understanding that each audience will be defined and analyzed based on the type of business.<\/strong> In other words, the data collected by B2B companies won\u2019t be the same as those collected by B2C businesses\u2014but we\u2019ll cover that in more detail later. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy Define a Target Audience?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Remember what I said in the introduction about being too general?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Without a defined target audience, you\u2019ll be talking to everyone and, at the same time, to no one\u2014<\/strong>since your actions will lack personalization and direction. That means the chances of success are almost zero.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPut simply, defining a target audience offers several advantages, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Creating more effective campaigns;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Speaking to the audience in a personalized way<\/a>;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Taking advantage of the best opportunities;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Establishing a strong positioning;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Differentiating from competitors;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Avoiding wasted money on actions and audiences that won\u2019t generate a return.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
And for those who like data to back up arguments, here\u2019s a study by Epsilon: 80% of consumers say they are more likely to buy from a brand that offers personalized interactions.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nAnd that\u2019s not all\u2014the study also found that 90% of consumers have positive feedback about marketing personalization, yet 70% feel companies don\u2019t implement these kinds of initiatives.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nTypes of Target Audience Segmentation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/getleadster.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/4-2-1024x546-1.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThere are two main types of target audiences: B2B and B2C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Within this division, there are further subdivisions based on the campaign, where it will be distributed, its objectives, and the brand\u2019s overall goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And, of course, what regulations allow. For example, toy advertisements can only be run online, where by design, ads targeting minors aren\u2019t permitted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Throughout this article, we\u2019ll explore these differences in detail. But for now, let\u2019s focus on B2B and B2C,<\/strong> breaking down their main segmentation criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\nRight after that, in the next section, you\u2019ll see practical examples of these two audiences\u2014<\/strong>plus two bonus ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\nReady to dive in?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
B2C Target Audience Segmentation Criteria<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A B2C (business-to-consumer) target audience is defined by the need for brands in this sector to sell directly to the final customer without intermediaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This audience can be a bit harder to pinpoint than its B2B counterpart because it involves a much larger sample of people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s why segmentation efforts are more extensive here. You need to go beyond age groups and lifestyle habits to truly understand what drives your audience to buy\u2014and why they choose to buy from you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To conduct this in-depth study, we have a great tool in our arsenal: segmentation criteria.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThese will determine the key characteristics of your B2C target audience and serve as a guide for conducting thorough research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s explore them now:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Geographic Segmentation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
This divides the market based on consumers\u2019 locations<\/strong>\u2014essentially, where the consumer is from.<\/p>\n\n\n\nThe data varies from regional, national, and even international levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Criteria include: country, region, state, city, neighborhood, city size, type of area (rural or urban), residential vs. commercial, population density, and climate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Demographic Segmentation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
This segmentation is based on data such as age, gender, income, education level, marital status, family size, socioeconomic status, occupation, generation, religion, race, and nationality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Psychographic Segmentation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
This segmentation analyzes the audience\u2019s values <\/strong>and personality traits, considering factors like: Lifestyle (healthy, minimalist, romantic, creative, activist, etc.); Personality (sociable, authoritative, conservative, etc.); Values, interests, and concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBehavioral Segmentation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
As the name suggests, this segmentation studies consumer behavior related to a product or service.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nFactors include: User status; Usage intensity; Loyalty status; Purchase stage; Marketing responsiveness; Purchase frequency; Brand loyalty; Willingness to try new products; Price sensitivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
B2B Target Audience Segmentation Criteria<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The B2B (business-to-business) target audience also has its own segmentation criteria\u2014some overlapping with B2C, but others entirely distinct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The main difference, however, is that B2B is already a segmentation in itself\u2014it assumes that the people you\u2019re targeting work at a company.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nCheck out some of the key B2B segmentation criteria below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Business Size<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\nWhat size companies are you targeting?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is crucial for defining a B2B target audience due to the concepts of commercial fit and ICP (Ideal Customer Profile)\u2014which we\u2019ll also cover in this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Every B2B company has a spectrum of ideal customers, ranging from the perfect fit to those they don\u2019t want (or even reject).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Business size is a key factor in determining where a lead, or potential client,<\/a> falls within this spectrum.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIndustry\/Niche<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
The industry or niche is a key factor for many B2B companies when defining their target audience\u2014but not for all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some B2B companies offer products specifically designed for certain industries.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nFor example, companies that sell agricultural supplies must target businesses in the agribusiness sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, some businesses don\u2019t require this level of segmentation.<\/strong> Take our case, for example: for a company to buy our product, it only needs to have a website with decent traffic and work with lead generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\nGeographic Location<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
For companies dealing with physical products, the geographic location of their clients is an essential consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Take the previous example of an agricultural supply company based in northeastern Brazil. It would likely incur a loss if it had to deliver products to a farm in the south of the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other Specific Information<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Finally, this last B2B segmentation criterion depends on each company\u2019s specific operations and what they consider to be their ideal audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, in our case, since our software focuses on lead generation, our clients need to have website visitors\u2014otherwise, they wouldn\u2019t see any value in the tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These specific details are often the most critical buying motivators for a B2B target audience. <\/strong>Each company has its own, and much of defining a target audience comes down to uncovering what those factors are.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTarget Audience: Some Examples<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Didn’t I tell you that the definition of a target audience varies depending on the type of business? Well, here we will understand the differences and examples of audiences among B2B, B2C, and B2B2C companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Check it out!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example of a Target Audience in B2B<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Before talking about the target audience itself, let me briefly explain what a B2B company is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are talking about a business-to-business company, meaning a company that provides products and services to other businesses.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWith this definition, it is clear that the target audience for this type of business is another company, not an individual.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nIn this example, we have a company that offers a <\/strong>marketing automation tool<\/strong><\/a> and has just arrived in Brazil, requiring a promotional campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\nTo do this, some characteristics of the target audience that might purchase from them were selected:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Brazilian micro and small businesses, with up to 100 employees and annual revenue of up to R$ 4 million, operating in the retail segment, with low maturity in marketing campaign management and distribution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example of a Target Audience in B2C<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Jumping to B2C, let’s talk about the most common business model among us. After all, it refers to business-to-consumer,<\/strong> meaning the relationship between a company and the final consumer.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWithin the B2C market, there are hundreds of segments, but the target audience example below refers to a remote education institution focused on digital marketing that is opening a new branch in S\u00e3o Paulo and needs to attract new students:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nMen and women, aged 20 to 40, married or single, Brazilian, residing in S\u00e3o Paulo (capital), with a family income between R$10,000 and R$20,000, without the need for a college degree, creative, curious, and autonomous. They have a busy lifestyle, go out on weekends, work Monday to Friday, and want to innovate in their careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example of a Target Audience in B2B2C<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Finally, we have B2B2C businesses\u2014business-to-business-to-consumer\u2014which is the combination of B2B and B2C relationships.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThis model focuses on transactions between companies aiming for a sale to the final customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
An example is companies that offer delivery apps, such as iFood and Rappi. Their target audiences are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
People who want to order food online, either for personal consumption or to share with others. This audience is broader, including all age groups and social classes, but they must have internet access and know how to use smartphones. The other part of their audience consists of restaurants and establishments that want to expand their business and reach a larger audience through delivery apps. And, of course, we can’t forget the delivery drivers who use these platforms as a source of income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Example of a Target Audience in the SaaS Segment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
To wrap up, it’s always good to talk about the SaaS segment, which, despite also being B2B, B2C, or even B2B2C, is usually more focused on B2B.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is because SaaS in other spheres, such as B2C, takes on entirely different forms and rarely resembles a platform that sells software as a service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, iFood is an app that also serves the B2C audience, right? But what is being sold is not the software itself but mainly the service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Its B2B side is related to the restaurants it serves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let’s think about the target audience of B2B software, mainly related to the corporate world. <\/strong>See the example below:<\/p>\n\n\n\nOur target audience works and consumes work-related content, often within their own company. It consists of men in leadership positions in sector X, earning between R$10,000 and R$25,000, depending on their seniority level. They are constantly looking for new tools to improve their work and are responsible for testing and purchasing these tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We have several articles about SaaS on our blog. Check out what we’ve discussed on the topic:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u27a1\ufe0f Is the SaaS Business Model Right for Your Company?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\u27a1\ufe0f The SaaS Sales Process: Build, Scale, and Profit!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n\u27a1\ufe0f How to Do B2B SaaS Marketing? Complete Guide with 10 Examples<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat Are the Types of Target Audience Segmentation?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/getleadster.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/Extra-o-que-e-um-ROI-de-SEO.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nTarget audience segmentations have significant differences among them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First, of course, there are differences in the different purposes of target audience research, which directly determines how this research is conducted and the information gathered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In other words, there are different segmentations for different types of marketing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are some different types of segmentation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Target audience segmentation for Google Ads;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Target audience for Social Ads;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Segmentation for organic traffic;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Segmentation for e-commerce;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Segmentation for physical campaigns and guerrilla marketing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
The term “segmentation” itself, however, is closely related to online advertising.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThis is because, in these cases, you are truly segmenting based on your target audience\u2019s interests and habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this type of ad, you literally access the platform and define your target audience based on their preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In other words: you start with an audience the size of Brazil and then narrow it down based on your segmentations, immediately seeing the number of people who will be impacted by the ad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other types of segmentation are usually not as precise. But I\u2019m getting ahead of myself. Let\u2019s now dive deeper into the main types:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ICP – Ideal Customer Profile<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The ICP is a type of target audience entirely determined by the company. It is the Ideal Customer Profile, meaning the person the company most wants as a customer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nHere\u2019s a simple example: a Latin American air conditioning manufacturer that only cools and does not heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This company needs to define its ICP, and of course, it will prefer Brazil and Paraguay over Patagonia. No one needs an air conditioner that only cools in a place where the average temperature rarely exceeds 20\u00b0C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But there are much more subtle examples to analyze. A company that sells software to other companies, for example, will prefer those that already have some level of digital maturity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A butcher shop has an ICP of non-vegan people. A video game store has an ICP of people who consider themselves gamers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But here\u2019s something interesting: the ICP is different from the target audience because it is not general. The video game company can very well run a campaign for a casual audience and people who have never played but want to start now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, even though the ICP determines a preferred customer type that will generate more sales, it does not mean that only people within the ICP will buy from the company<\/strong> or that they will be the only target audience for advertisements.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPersona<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The persona is a creative exercise designed to give a face to a specific target audience or ICP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example: the target audience of a specific campaign is defined as a female audience, aged 25 to 35, working in advertising agencies in management or director positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The persona uses target audience research data to create a fictional character, making it easier to relate to than just a bunch of data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this case, the persona could be Maria Luiza, 28 years old. See:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Maria Luiza has always been a copywriter but is now managing her own writing team for the first time. She is afraid of making mistakes and is anxious about the team\u2019s differing treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She also plans to keep growing in the agency, with dreams of an executive position and choosing her own accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Personas are entirely based on target audience research. <\/strong>They can only be created with data and are primarily a creative interpretation exercise, never the entire work.<\/p>\n\n\n\nPersonas typically include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Name;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Age;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Residence;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Job;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Main goals;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Main challenges;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- How the brand helps overcome challenges and achieve goals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Personas are also widely used alongside the Empathy Map, an old marketing technique that is still applied in digital marketing today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Target Audience for Paid Media<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The target audience for paid media is strictly formalized within the parameters of each platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, it is also important to highlight that this target audience can change from campaign to campaign and from ad to ad.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nFor example, here at Leadster, we work with different audiences depending on the campaign being run. We have a B2B audience with ads focused on selling our products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the same time, we also have another B2B audience, but a different one: agency owners who want to form partnerships to attract more clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Notice how one is broader while the other is highly specific. It is quite common for target audiences in paid media to be diverse, depending on the goal and strategy of each campaign.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nNormally, these target audiences are prototyped before research is conducted, which helps confirm some and eliminate others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Conducting this research requires time and money. Therefore, marketing agencies and departments often create several hypotheses and formulate questions to test them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The result is a strong alignment between the ICP\u2014based on what the company considers ideal clients\u2014and the data, ensuring a well-informed target audience that is also aligned with the brand’s business objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Target Audience for Organic Traffic<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The target audience for organic traffic is somewhat different from paid media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By the way, just a side note: don\u2019t worry, we will discuss these two audiences in more detail throughout the article, as each has its own explanatory section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But moving on: the target audience for organic traffic needs to reflect the main difference between paid media and content marketing\u2014what people find interesting to read.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThis includes several factors: their main questions, the type of content they usually consume, their favorite social media platforms, their preferred YouTube channels, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All of this, of course, falls within the broad profiles determined by the ICP and the general target audience research for ads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After all, you don\u2019t just want readers\u2014you want people who are interested in your content and who also have a good chance of becoming customers.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nTarget Audience for Physical Campaigns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How do you determine the target audience for a campaign using sales promoters in supermarkets to demonstrate your brand\u2019s products?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This aspect is often overlooked because it falls outside the scope of digital marketing. As a result, many marketing and trade marketing professionals rely on intuition and disregard data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, major companies do not leave this to chance. Based on their research, often conducted in the field, they create primary audience profiles that should be targeted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These profiles inform all aspects of the campaigns, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Where they will be conducted;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The days and times they will take place;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Which people should receive a more detailed explanation of the product;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- How the product will be presented;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Which products will receive more emphasis;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- What the sales pitch will be;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- The ideal profile of the sales promoter;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Among other details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to Define the Target Audience? 5 Steps to Get Started<\/h2>\n\n\n\n\n- What is a target audience? – Check \u2705<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Why define a target audience? – Check \u2705<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Examples – Check \u2705<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Target audience, persona, and ICP – Check \u2705<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Types of segmentation – Check \u2705<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Phew… the first part of our content is coming to an end, but before we wrap up, let\u2019s go over five initial steps to help you define and understand your own target audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Let\u2019s go:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Conduct Research on the Market and Current Landscape<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The first step in defining your target audience is to thoroughly understand the market in which your company operates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is essential to learn about industry trends, opportunities, and challenges, as well as the competition.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nMarket research also helps you understand consumer needs, desires, and behaviors\u2014<\/strong>essential information for defining your target audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIn practice, if your company does not yet have a customer base, you can talk to family and friends who might be potential buyers <\/strong>to gain insights into their pain points, needs, and desires. Another option is to visit (either online or in person) similar local businesses <\/strong>to analyze their marketing strategies and see what is being done.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHowever, if you already have a customer base, you can send out a questionnaire via email or schedule calls with customers to conduct qualitative research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Oh, and remember, you can always hire specialized research firms for this as well. <\/strong>\ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n2. Get to Know Your Brand Inside and Out<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Completed your research and market analysis? Great! Now, become an expert on your own brand. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Understand your values, mission, and vision, as well as what your company offers customers. <\/strong>Ask yourself, \u201cWhat problem am I solving?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\nBy doing so, you can identify the characteristics that attract your ideal target audience and differentiate yourself from the competition.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\ud83d\udd0e Read also: Unique Selling Proposition: What It Is, Advantages, and How to Create One<\/a><\/pre>\n\n\n\n3. Segment the Market<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Now that you have a broad understanding of the market and the key characteristics of your business, it\u2019s time to define the basis for segmenting your market.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nRemember the types of segmentation we mentioned earlier? Now is the time to put them into practice. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By doing this, you can focus on specific groups to better meet consumers’ needs and desires.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n4. Choose the Ideal Segment for Your Business<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019re almost there!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Once you\u2019ve segmented your market, it\u2019s important to choose the segment\u2014or multiple segments\u2014that best fit your company and brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A good tip is to analyze the potential of each segment, along with the needs and desires of consumers within each group.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nRemember, a single brand can cater to multiple segments, but it\u2019s crucial to develop specific strategies for each one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
5. Define Your Positioning and Strategies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Finally, with your target audience defined, it\u2019s time to establish your positioning and develop strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This includes crafting a clear and cohesive message that resonates with your target audience, as well as determining the most effective <\/strong>marketing channels<\/strong><\/a> to reach them\u2014always opting for the platforms they actually use, based on your research findings.<\/p>\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s also important to set marketing objectives and regularly track them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to Conduct Target Audience Research in Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/getleadster.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/1-5-1024x546-1.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nThe first point we discussed earlier was the need to conduct target audience research. But how is this research actually done?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Well, there are a few different ways to go about it. First, there is in-person research, which can be quite expensive but delivers excellent results.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThis type of research is a favorite among large B2C companies, and if you spend enough time downtown, you\u2019ll likely come across someone with a tablet ready to take 30 minutes of your time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s also online research, conducted using simple<\/strong> questionnaires and broad distribution, along with benchmarking.<\/p>\n\n\n\nLet\u2019s dive deeper into these two methods now. Follow along:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nHow to Conduct In-Person Research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In-person research is conducted through an agency specialized in this work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This agency carries out the research itself but will need some information from you to create the briefing and develop the best questions and strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here, the process can vary: some companies simply provide the briefing, and the research agencies handle everything else, including crafting the questions, defining objectives, and formalizing results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other companies prefer a more hands-on approach, either formulating the questions themselves or holding brainstorming sessions to develop them collaboratively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Below are the steps for conducting in-person research:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nObjective<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
This is the first factor to consider when creating target audience research: What do I want to learn from it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nAm I trying to validate a hypothesis? Do I already have a target audience in mind and want to confirm if it truly represents reality?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Or do I have no idea who my target audience is? Or maybe I have one, but it\u2019s so outdated that it\u2019s no longer useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Perhaps I want to gather specific information, like: If my brand isn\u2019t available, which brand does my target audience prefer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All these questions help define the overall objective of the research, which serves as the foundation for creating your briefing and formulating questions.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThesis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
A quick digression here before we talk about the questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you have a preliminary idea before conducting the research, it needs to be formalized into a thesis.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nA thesis is nothing more than a set of data, information, and arguments that will provide a stronger foundation for this idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The more data you have and present, the more effective the research will be in proving or disproving your initial idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example: you believe that your preferred target audience consists of people over 40 years old.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nYour thesis will then need to contain the reasons leading you to this conclusion: sales numbers for that age group, for instance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Questions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
And finally, we come to the questions. They are based on the objective and the thesis and serve as the primary way to truly understand your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When questions are created by a research agency, they follow a series of tested and proven techniques developed by that agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you decide to create your own questions, it is always a good idea to research their main components and understand how to relate them to your main objective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to Conduct Online Research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Online research follows the same key components: objective, thesis, and questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, instead of field research, it utilizes much simpler resources and allows for greater democratization of responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With this method, you can receive thousands of responses while spending little to no money.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe downside is that the preparation work for questions, objectives, and the thesis tends to be much greater, as you do not have the support of a dedicated and experienced research team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Another point to consider is that online surveys often include many false responses, especially when you offer something in return,<\/strong> such as a discount coupon or even a small payment.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are the main resources and techniques:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Forms<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
The vast majority of online surveys today are conducted through Google Forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
These forms are free and allow you to include as many questions as you want, but be careful: since the approach is not in person, users may drop out halfway through if the volume is too high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Online surveys should be short. Set a limit of up to 10 minutes for completion, <\/strong>and consider that even this duration might be too long for some respondents.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBenchmarking<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Another way to conduct research at no cost is through competitor benchmarking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can, for example, spy on competitors using Facebook’s Ad Library to understand their advertisements and target audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can also visit competitors\u2019 websites to analyze their copy, blog content, and other materials to understand whom they are targeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We have an entire article on this topic here on the blog. Dive deeper below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/getleadster.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/01\/arte-blog-1-1024x341.webp\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nTarget Audience and Paid Media: Mapping Your Campaigns According to the Funnel Stage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The first part of the article flew by, and you barely noticed! \ud83e\uddab<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, let\u2019s focus on target audiences and paid media, so you can become an expert in planning and executing your campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To start, let\u2019s understand how to map your campaigns according to the funnel stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Besides considering personas and ICP as a foundation for building different target audiences in media campaigns, it is also important to account for the different funnel stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Before diving into audience segmentation, let\u2019s first discuss the most commonly used types of ads in each conversion stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For each stage of purchase maturity, different objectives, campaigns, <\/strong>and often creative strategies need to be designed to achieve the desired results.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHere are the funnel stages and their characteristics concerning ads:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Top of Funnel Campaigns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The goal of the top of the sales funnel<\/a> is to attract and generate qualified traffic.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nAt this initial stage, the consumer is not yet considering a purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
They encounter your ad in the same way someone comes across a billboard on the side of the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(Well… not exactly the same way,<\/strong> since you will create a specific audience segmentation<\/strong> for this ad.)<\/p>\n\n\n\nRegardless, this means the user does not yet perceive a specific problem or show much interest in doing business with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Therefore, the company\u2019s mission in top-of-funnel campaigns is mainly to ensure new consumers engage with the brand by promoting content that is interesting, attractive, and useful to users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can use top-of-funnel campaigns to promote materials such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- Blog posts;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Social media posts;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Brand YouTube videos;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Brand-produced podcasts relevant to the audience;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Among others.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Here, marketing and communication focus on visibility, reach, and impressions.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThis is the time to capture visitors\u2019 attention and provide educational content through campaigns focused on reach and frequency.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThere\u2019s no point in creating only top-of-funnel campaigns and expecting them to generate sales. However, this type plays an essential role in driving traffic to your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Middle of Funnel Campaigns<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\nThe goal of middle-of-funnel<\/a> campaigns is to acquire and nurture new leads.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWith a better understanding and recognition of the problem, consumers in this stage are actively looking for answers to specific questions (since they now know what to search for).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
At this point, the brand begins emphasizing the need for a solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Users are directed to specific actions, such as conversions on landing pages, form submissions, chatbot interactions, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For this, you can offer materials such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n- E-books;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Research reports;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Webinars;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Free courses;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Trial lessons;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Product demonstrations;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Free trials;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Among other value-generating resources.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
The goal in this stage is to build a lead base <\/strong>that can be nurtured through a follow-up sequence or a direct sales approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\nBottom of Funnel Campaigns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bottom-of-funnel<\/a> campaigns aim to drive sales.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nAt this stage, the consumer knows what they want and even the specific product or service features they are looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, they are seeking the best option for their purchase, and your brand needs to position itself as the best solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No blog posts or e-books here. Bottom-of-funnel ads are much more direct, leading users straight to the purchase decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to ads focused on sales, launches, and promotions, remarketing strategies also come into play at this stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Monetization, Retention, and Branding Campaigns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The fourth and final type of campaign is aimed at users who are already customers or have previously purchased from the brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The main objectives of this type of campaign include increasing customer lifetime value (LTV), reducing churn, reactivating a lead base, and establishing a consistent and positive brand image, turning customers into brand advocates who will refer friends, colleagues, and family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This type of campaign may include referral programs, loyalty initiatives, bundled purchase incentives, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The best digital advertising strategy is one that is structured to cover all stages of the sales funnel, optimizing the entire journey from traffic generation to final conversion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Campaigns with clear, simple objectives aligned with the funnel will achieve better results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Intention, Interest, and Demographics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Alright, back to the target audience…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to considering the stages of the sales funnel when segmenting your ads, it\u2019s important to understand that paid media channels <\/strong>serve different purposes and deliver different results.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen creating an ad campaign on Google or other search platforms, for example, you will be leveraging keywords and the user\u2019s intent<\/strong> behind searching for them, along with some demographic data and interests<\/strong> to refine your targeting approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOn the other hand, when running campaigns on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, you will be working with a different dynamic, where you can define specific audience segments based on demographic data<\/strong> (such as location, socioeconomic status, gender, age group, characteristics, and consumption habits) and interests.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThis makes a big difference in how you segment your audience. In the first case, even if you don\u2019t have all the demographic details of the user who will be impacted (for instance, if they are logged out or browsing in incognito mode), you already know they have shown purchase intent, <\/strong>meaning they are at a more advanced stage of the funnel.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOn social media, however, users are not browsing with a clear purchase intent. Instead, their online behavior (likes, views, followed profiles, etc.) and the data they provide on these platforms (such as location, age, gender, job title, education, etc.) help define…<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to Define the Right Target Audience for Your Ads<\/h2>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/getleadster.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Como-fazer-retargeting-de-Lead-Ads.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nTarget audience, target segment, or even target market refers to a specific group of consumers with common characteristics that a company aims at as potential customers.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n “Oh, so I just need to look at the people following my company on social media to understand who my target audience is?” \ud83d\udc81<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not exactly, because defining a target audience is a bit more complex than just observation or intuition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In reality, defining a target audience must be based on various research and analyses.<\/strong> It starts with market segmentation, which separates groups of people with similar profiles, always considering demographic and behavioral information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another important point in defining a target audience is understanding that each audience will be defined and analyzed based on the type of business.<\/strong> In other words, the data collected by B2B companies won\u2019t be the same as those collected by B2C businesses\u2014but we\u2019ll cover that in more detail later. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember what I said in the introduction about being too general?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Without a defined target audience, you\u2019ll be talking to everyone and, at the same time, to no one\u2014<\/strong>since your actions will lack personalization and direction. That means the chances of success are almost zero.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Put simply, defining a target audience offers several advantages, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n And for those who like data to back up arguments, here\u2019s a study by Epsilon: 80% of consumers say they are more likely to buy from a brand that offers personalized interactions.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n And that\u2019s not all\u2014the study also found that 90% of consumers have positive feedback about marketing personalization, yet 70% feel companies don\u2019t implement these kinds of initiatives.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There are two main types of target audiences: B2B and B2C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Within this division, there are further subdivisions based on the campaign, where it will be distributed, its objectives, and the brand\u2019s overall goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And, of course, what regulations allow. For example, toy advertisements can only be run online, where by design, ads targeting minors aren\u2019t permitted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Throughout this article, we\u2019ll explore these differences in detail. But for now, let\u2019s focus on B2B and B2C,<\/strong> breaking down their main segmentation criteria.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Right after that, in the next section, you\u2019ll see practical examples of these two audiences\u2014<\/strong>plus two bonus ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ready to dive in?<\/p>\n\n\n\n A B2C (business-to-consumer) target audience is defined by the need for brands in this sector to sell directly to the final customer without intermediaries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This audience can be a bit harder to pinpoint than its B2B counterpart because it involves a much larger sample of people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s why segmentation efforts are more extensive here. You need to go beyond age groups and lifestyle habits to truly understand what drives your audience to buy\u2014and why they choose to buy from you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To conduct this in-depth study, we have a great tool in our arsenal: segmentation criteria.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n These will determine the key characteristics of your B2C target audience and serve as a guide for conducting thorough research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s explore them now:<\/p>\n\n\n\n This divides the market based on consumers\u2019 locations<\/strong>\u2014essentially, where the consumer is from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The data varies from regional, national, and even international levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Criteria include: country, region, state, city, neighborhood, city size, type of area (rural or urban), residential vs. commercial, population density, and climate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This segmentation is based on data such as age, gender, income, education level, marital status, family size, socioeconomic status, occupation, generation, religion, race, and nationality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This segmentation analyzes the audience\u2019s values <\/strong>and personality traits, considering factors like: Lifestyle (healthy, minimalist, romantic, creative, activist, etc.); Personality (sociable, authoritative, conservative, etc.); Values, interests, and concerns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the name suggests, this segmentation studies consumer behavior related to a product or service.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Factors include: User status; Usage intensity; Loyalty status; Purchase stage; Marketing responsiveness; Purchase frequency; Brand loyalty; Willingness to try new products; Price sensitivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The B2B (business-to-business) target audience also has its own segmentation criteria\u2014some overlapping with B2C, but others entirely distinct.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The main difference, however, is that B2B is already a segmentation in itself\u2014it assumes that the people you\u2019re targeting work at a company.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Check out some of the key B2B segmentation criteria below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n What size companies are you targeting?<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is crucial for defining a B2B target audience due to the concepts of commercial fit and ICP (Ideal Customer Profile)\u2014which we\u2019ll also cover in this article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Every B2B company has a spectrum of ideal customers, ranging from the perfect fit to those they don\u2019t want (or even reject).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Business size is a key factor in determining where a lead, or potential client,<\/a> falls within this spectrum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The industry or niche is a key factor for many B2B companies when defining their target audience\u2014but not for all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some B2B companies offer products specifically designed for certain industries.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, companies that sell agricultural supplies must target businesses in the agribusiness sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, some businesses don\u2019t require this level of segmentation.<\/strong> Take our case, for example: for a company to buy our product, it only needs to have a website with decent traffic and work with lead generation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For companies dealing with physical products, the geographic location of their clients is an essential consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take the previous example of an agricultural supply company based in northeastern Brazil. It would likely incur a loss if it had to deliver products to a farm in the south of the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, this last B2B segmentation criterion depends on each company\u2019s specific operations and what they consider to be their ideal audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, in our case, since our software focuses on lead generation, our clients need to have website visitors\u2014otherwise, they wouldn\u2019t see any value in the tool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These specific details are often the most critical buying motivators for a B2B target audience. <\/strong>Each company has its own, and much of defining a target audience comes down to uncovering what those factors are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Didn’t I tell you that the definition of a target audience varies depending on the type of business? Well, here we will understand the differences and examples of audiences among B2B, B2C, and B2B2C companies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Check it out!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before talking about the target audience itself, let me briefly explain what a B2B company is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We are talking about a business-to-business company, meaning a company that provides products and services to other businesses.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n With this definition, it is clear that the target audience for this type of business is another company, not an individual.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In this example, we have a company that offers a <\/strong>marketing automation tool<\/strong><\/a> and has just arrived in Brazil, requiring a promotional campaign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To do this, some characteristics of the target audience that might purchase from them were selected:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Brazilian micro and small businesses, with up to 100 employees and annual revenue of up to R$ 4 million, operating in the retail segment, with low maturity in marketing campaign management and distribution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jumping to B2C, let’s talk about the most common business model among us. After all, it refers to business-to-consumer,<\/strong> meaning the relationship between a company and the final consumer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Within the B2C market, there are hundreds of segments, but the target audience example below refers to a remote education institution focused on digital marketing that is opening a new branch in S\u00e3o Paulo and needs to attract new students:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Men and women, aged 20 to 40, married or single, Brazilian, residing in S\u00e3o Paulo (capital), with a family income between R$10,000 and R$20,000, without the need for a college degree, creative, curious, and autonomous. They have a busy lifestyle, go out on weekends, work Monday to Friday, and want to innovate in their careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, we have B2B2C businesses\u2014business-to-business-to-consumer\u2014which is the combination of B2B and B2C relationships.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This model focuses on transactions between companies aiming for a sale to the final customer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An example is companies that offer delivery apps, such as iFood and Rappi. Their target audiences are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n People who want to order food online, either for personal consumption or to share with others. This audience is broader, including all age groups and social classes, but they must have internet access and know how to use smartphones. The other part of their audience consists of restaurants and establishments that want to expand their business and reach a larger audience through delivery apps. And, of course, we can’t forget the delivery drivers who use these platforms as a source of income.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To wrap up, it’s always good to talk about the SaaS segment, which, despite also being B2B, B2C, or even B2B2C, is usually more focused on B2B.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is because SaaS in other spheres, such as B2C, takes on entirely different forms and rarely resembles a platform that sells software as a service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, iFood is an app that also serves the B2C audience, right? But what is being sold is not the software itself but mainly the service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Its B2B side is related to the restaurants it serves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let’s think about the target audience of B2B software, mainly related to the corporate world. <\/strong>See the example below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Our target audience works and consumes work-related content, often within their own company. It consists of men in leadership positions in sector X, earning between R$10,000 and R$25,000, depending on their seniority level. They are constantly looking for new tools to improve their work and are responsible for testing and purchasing these tools.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We have several articles about SaaS on our blog. Check out what we’ve discussed on the topic:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u27a1\ufe0f Is the SaaS Business Model Right for Your Company?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u27a1\ufe0f The SaaS Sales Process: Build, Scale, and Profit!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u27a1\ufe0f How to Do B2B SaaS Marketing? Complete Guide with 10 Examples<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Target audience segmentations have significant differences among them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, of course, there are differences in the different purposes of target audience research, which directly determines how this research is conducted and the information gathered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, there are different segmentations for different types of marketing<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are some different types of segmentation:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The term “segmentation” itself, however, is closely related to online advertising.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is because, in these cases, you are truly segmenting based on your target audience\u2019s interests and habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this type of ad, you literally access the platform and define your target audience based on their preferences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words: you start with an audience the size of Brazil and then narrow it down based on your segmentations, immediately seeing the number of people who will be impacted by the ad.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other types of segmentation are usually not as precise. But I\u2019m getting ahead of myself. Let\u2019s now dive deeper into the main types:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The ICP is a type of target audience entirely determined by the company. It is the Ideal Customer Profile, meaning the person the company most wants as a customer.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s a simple example: a Latin American air conditioning manufacturer that only cools and does not heat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This company needs to define its ICP, and of course, it will prefer Brazil and Paraguay over Patagonia. No one needs an air conditioner that only cools in a place where the average temperature rarely exceeds 20\u00b0C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But there are much more subtle examples to analyze. A company that sells software to other companies, for example, will prefer those that already have some level of digital maturity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A butcher shop has an ICP of non-vegan people. A video game store has an ICP of people who consider themselves gamers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But here\u2019s something interesting: the ICP is different from the target audience because it is not general. The video game company can very well run a campaign for a casual audience and people who have never played but want to start now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, even though the ICP determines a preferred customer type that will generate more sales, it does not mean that only people within the ICP will buy from the company<\/strong> or that they will be the only target audience for advertisements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The persona is a creative exercise designed to give a face to a specific target audience or ICP.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example: the target audience of a specific campaign is defined as a female audience, aged 25 to 35, working in advertising agencies in management or director positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The persona uses target audience research data to create a fictional character, making it easier to relate to than just a bunch of data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In this case, the persona could be Maria Luiza, 28 years old. See:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maria Luiza has always been a copywriter but is now managing her own writing team for the first time. She is afraid of making mistakes and is anxious about the team\u2019s differing treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She also plans to keep growing in the agency, with dreams of an executive position and choosing her own accounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Personas are entirely based on target audience research. <\/strong>They can only be created with data and are primarily a creative interpretation exercise, never the entire work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Personas typically include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Personas are also widely used alongside the Empathy Map, an old marketing technique that is still applied in digital marketing today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The target audience for paid media is strictly formalized within the parameters of each platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, it is also important to highlight that this target audience can change from campaign to campaign and from ad to ad.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, here at Leadster, we work with different audiences depending on the campaign being run. We have a B2B audience with ads focused on selling our products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the same time, we also have another B2B audience, but a different one: agency owners who want to form partnerships to attract more clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Notice how one is broader while the other is highly specific. It is quite common for target audiences in paid media to be diverse, depending on the goal and strategy of each campaign.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Normally, these target audiences are prototyped before research is conducted, which helps confirm some and eliminate others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Conducting this research requires time and money. Therefore, marketing agencies and departments often create several hypotheses and formulate questions to test them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The result is a strong alignment between the ICP\u2014based on what the company considers ideal clients\u2014and the data, ensuring a well-informed target audience that is also aligned with the brand’s business objectives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The target audience for organic traffic is somewhat different from paid media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By the way, just a side note: don\u2019t worry, we will discuss these two audiences in more detail throughout the article, as each has its own explanatory section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But moving on: the target audience for organic traffic needs to reflect the main difference between paid media and content marketing\u2014what people find interesting to read.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This includes several factors: their main questions, the type of content they usually consume, their favorite social media platforms, their preferred YouTube channels, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n All of this, of course, falls within the broad profiles determined by the ICP and the general target audience research for ads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After all, you don\u2019t just want readers\u2014you want people who are interested in your content and who also have a good chance of becoming customers.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n How do you determine the target audience for a campaign using sales promoters in supermarkets to demonstrate your brand\u2019s products?<\/p>\n\n\n\n This aspect is often overlooked because it falls outside the scope of digital marketing. As a result, many marketing and trade marketing professionals rely on intuition and disregard data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, major companies do not leave this to chance. Based on their research, often conducted in the field, they create primary audience profiles that should be targeted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These profiles inform all aspects of the campaigns, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Among other details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Phew… the first part of our content is coming to an end, but before we wrap up, let\u2019s go over five initial steps to help you define and understand your own target audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s go:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first step in defining your target audience is to thoroughly understand the market in which your company operates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is essential to learn about industry trends, opportunities, and challenges, as well as the competition.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Market research also helps you understand consumer needs, desires, and behaviors\u2014<\/strong>essential information for defining your target audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In practice, if your company does not yet have a customer base, you can talk to family and friends who might be potential buyers <\/strong>to gain insights into their pain points, needs, and desires. Another option is to visit (either online or in person) similar local businesses <\/strong>to analyze their marketing strategies and see what is being done.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, if you already have a customer base, you can send out a questionnaire via email or schedule calls with customers to conduct qualitative research.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oh, and remember, you can always hire specialized research firms for this as well. <\/strong>\ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n Completed your research and market analysis? Great! Now, become an expert on your own brand. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n Understand your values, mission, and vision, as well as what your company offers customers. <\/strong>Ask yourself, \u201cWhat problem am I solving?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n By doing so, you can identify the characteristics that attract your ideal target audience and differentiate yourself from the competition.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you have a broad understanding of the market and the key characteristics of your business, it\u2019s time to define the basis for segmenting your market.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember the types of segmentation we mentioned earlier? Now is the time to put them into practice. \ud83d\ude09<\/p>\n\n\n\n By doing this, you can focus on specific groups to better meet consumers’ needs and desires.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n We\u2019re almost there!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve segmented your market, it\u2019s important to choose the segment\u2014or multiple segments\u2014that best fit your company and brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A good tip is to analyze the potential of each segment, along with the needs and desires of consumers within each group.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember, a single brand can cater to multiple segments, but it\u2019s crucial to develop specific strategies for each one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, with your target audience defined, it\u2019s time to establish your positioning and develop strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This includes crafting a clear and cohesive message that resonates with your target audience, as well as determining the most effective <\/strong>marketing channels<\/strong><\/a> to reach them\u2014always opting for the platforms they actually use, based on your research findings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s also important to set marketing objectives and regularly track them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first point we discussed earlier was the need to conduct target audience research. But how is this research actually done?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, there are a few different ways to go about it. First, there is in-person research, which can be quite expensive but delivers excellent results.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This type of research is a favorite among large B2C companies, and if you spend enough time downtown, you\u2019ll likely come across someone with a tablet ready to take 30 minutes of your time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s also online research, conducted using simple<\/strong> questionnaires and broad distribution, along with benchmarking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s dive deeper into these two methods now. Follow along:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In-person research is conducted through an agency specialized in this work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This agency carries out the research itself but will need some information from you to create the briefing and develop the best questions and strategies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here, the process can vary: some companies simply provide the briefing, and the research agencies handle everything else, including crafting the questions, defining objectives, and formalizing results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Other companies prefer a more hands-on approach, either formulating the questions themselves or holding brainstorming sessions to develop them collaboratively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Below are the steps for conducting in-person research:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the first factor to consider when creating target audience research: What do I want to learn from it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Am I trying to validate a hypothesis? Do I already have a target audience in mind and want to confirm if it truly represents reality?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Or do I have no idea who my target audience is? Or maybe I have one, but it\u2019s so outdated that it\u2019s no longer useful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Perhaps I want to gather specific information, like: If my brand isn\u2019t available, which brand does my target audience prefer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n All these questions help define the overall objective of the research, which serves as the foundation for creating your briefing and formulating questions.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A quick digression here before we talk about the questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have a preliminary idea before conducting the research, it needs to be formalized into a thesis.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A thesis is nothing more than a set of data, information, and arguments that will provide a stronger foundation for this idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The more data you have and present, the more effective the research will be in proving or disproving your initial idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example: you believe that your preferred target audience consists of people over 40 years old.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Your thesis will then need to contain the reasons leading you to this conclusion: sales numbers for that age group, for instance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And finally, we come to the questions. They are based on the objective and the thesis and serve as the primary way to truly understand your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When questions are created by a research agency, they follow a series of tested and proven techniques developed by that agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you decide to create your own questions, it is always a good idea to research their main components and understand how to relate them to your main objective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Online research follows the same key components: objective, thesis, and questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, instead of field research, it utilizes much simpler resources and allows for greater democratization of responses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With this method, you can receive thousands of responses while spending little to no money.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The downside is that the preparation work for questions, objectives, and the thesis tends to be much greater, as you do not have the support of a dedicated and experienced research team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another point to consider is that online surveys often include many false responses, especially when you offer something in return,<\/strong> such as a discount coupon or even a small payment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are the main resources and techniques:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The vast majority of online surveys today are conducted through Google Forms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These forms are free and allow you to include as many questions as you want, but be careful: since the approach is not in person, users may drop out halfway through if the volume is too high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Online surveys should be short. Set a limit of up to 10 minutes for completion, <\/strong>and consider that even this duration might be too long for some respondents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another way to conduct research at no cost is through competitor benchmarking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can, for example, spy on competitors using Facebook’s Ad Library to understand their advertisements and target audiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also visit competitors\u2019 websites to analyze their copy, blog content, and other materials to understand whom they are targeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We have an entire article on this topic here on the blog. Dive deeper below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The first part of the article flew by, and you barely noticed! \ud83e\uddab<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, let\u2019s focus on target audiences and paid media, so you can become an expert in planning and executing your campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To start, let\u2019s understand how to map your campaigns according to the funnel stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Besides considering personas and ICP as a foundation for building different target audiences in media campaigns, it is also important to account for the different funnel stages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before diving into audience segmentation, let\u2019s first discuss the most commonly used types of ads in each conversion stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For each stage of purchase maturity, different objectives, campaigns, <\/strong>and often creative strategies need to be designed to achieve the desired results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are the funnel stages and their characteristics concerning ads:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The goal of the top of the sales funnel<\/a> is to attract and generate qualified traffic.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n At this initial stage, the consumer is not yet considering a purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They encounter your ad in the same way someone comes across a billboard on the side of the road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Well… not exactly the same way,<\/strong> since you will create a specific audience segmentation<\/strong> for this ad.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regardless, this means the user does not yet perceive a specific problem or show much interest in doing business with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, the company\u2019s mission in top-of-funnel campaigns is mainly to ensure new consumers engage with the brand by promoting content that is interesting, attractive, and useful to users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can use top-of-funnel campaigns to promote materials such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here, marketing and communication focus on visibility, reach, and impressions.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the time to capture visitors\u2019 attention and provide educational content through campaigns focused on reach and frequency.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s no point in creating only top-of-funnel campaigns and expecting them to generate sales. However, this type plays an essential role in driving traffic to your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The goal of middle-of-funnel<\/a> campaigns is to acquire and nurture new leads.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n With a better understanding and recognition of the problem, consumers in this stage are actively looking for answers to specific questions (since they now know what to search for).<\/p>\n\n\n\n At this point, the brand begins emphasizing the need for a solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Users are directed to specific actions, such as conversions on landing pages, form submissions, chatbot interactions, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For this, you can offer materials such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The goal in this stage is to build a lead base <\/strong>that can be nurtured through a follow-up sequence or a direct sales approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bottom-of-funnel<\/a> campaigns aim to drive sales.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n At this stage, the consumer knows what they want and even the specific product or service features they are looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, they are seeking the best option for their purchase, and your brand needs to position itself as the best solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No blog posts or e-books here. Bottom-of-funnel ads are much more direct, leading users straight to the purchase decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to ads focused on sales, launches, and promotions, remarketing strategies also come into play at this stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The fourth and final type of campaign is aimed at users who are already customers or have previously purchased from the brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The main objectives of this type of campaign include increasing customer lifetime value (LTV), reducing churn, reactivating a lead base, and establishing a consistent and positive brand image, turning customers into brand advocates who will refer friends, colleagues, and family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This type of campaign may include referral programs, loyalty initiatives, bundled purchase incentives, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best digital advertising strategy is one that is structured to cover all stages of the sales funnel, optimizing the entire journey from traffic generation to final conversion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Campaigns with clear, simple objectives aligned with the funnel will achieve better results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Alright, back to the target audience…<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to considering the stages of the sales funnel when segmenting your ads, it\u2019s important to understand that paid media channels <\/strong>serve different purposes and deliver different results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When creating an ad campaign on Google or other search platforms, for example, you will be leveraging keywords and the user\u2019s intent<\/strong> behind searching for them, along with some demographic data and interests<\/strong> to refine your targeting approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, when running campaigns on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, you will be working with a different dynamic, where you can define specific audience segments based on demographic data<\/strong> (such as location, socioeconomic status, gender, age group, characteristics, and consumption habits) and interests.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This makes a big difference in how you segment your audience. In the first case, even if you don\u2019t have all the demographic details of the user who will be impacted (for instance, if they are logged out or browsing in incognito mode), you already know they have shown purchase intent, <\/strong>meaning they are at a more advanced stage of the funnel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On social media, however, users are not browsing with a clear purchase intent. Instead, their online behavior (likes, views, followed profiles, etc.) and the data they provide on these platforms (such as location, age, gender, job title, education, etc.) help define…<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy Define a Target Audience?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Types of Target Audience Segmentation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nB2C Target Audience Segmentation Criteria<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Geographic Segmentation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Demographic Segmentation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Psychographic Segmentation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Behavioral Segmentation<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
B2B Target Audience Segmentation Criteria<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Business Size<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Industry\/Niche<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Geographic Location<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Other Specific Information<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Target Audience: Some Examples<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Example of a Target Audience in B2B<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Example of a Target Audience in B2C<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Example of a Target Audience in B2B2C<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Example of a Target Audience in the SaaS Segment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
What Are the Types of Target Audience Segmentation?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n\n
ICP – Ideal Customer Profile<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Persona<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Target Audience for Paid Media<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Target Audience for Organic Traffic<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Target Audience for Physical Campaigns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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How to Define the Target Audience? 5 Steps to Get Started<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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1. Conduct Research on the Market and Current Landscape<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Get to Know Your Brand Inside and Out<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\ud83d\udd0e Read also: Unique Selling Proposition: What It Is, Advantages, and How to Create One<\/a><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
3. Segment the Market<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Choose the Ideal Segment for Your Business<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Define Your Positioning and Strategies<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How to Conduct Target Audience Research in Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nHow to Conduct In-Person Research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Objective<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Thesis<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Questions<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
How to Conduct Online Research<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Forms<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Benchmarking<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nTarget Audience and Paid Media: Mapping Your Campaigns According to the Funnel Stage<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Top of Funnel Campaigns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Middle of Funnel Campaigns<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Bottom of Funnel Campaigns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Monetization, Retention, and Branding Campaigns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Intention, Interest, and Demographics<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How to Define the Right Target Audience for Your Ads<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n