Identifying Your Target Audience & Channel for Social Media Marketing
Small Biz Tips
Identifying Your Target Audience & Channel for Social Media Marketing
Knowing what channels are appropriate for your business is the single most important thing when using social media and online marketing . What works for one type of audience will most certainly not always work for another , and unless you ’ re looking to waste valuable time and money posting irrelevant content , you ’ ll want to determine your audience in the beginning stages of the marketing strategy .
Determining your audience is essential for deciding on your key channels and will allow you to develop compelling content for all platforms .
In order to determine your audience , you ’ ll need to evaluate the demographics and psychographics of who you ’ re trying to reach . Demographics include :
Age , Gender , Income , Location , Occupation , Background and Education
Let ’ s apply it to real life … Jan , mid 40s , lives in rural Houston . She is a stay at home mom but also works part time at a local law firm . Her income is roughly 60k since cutting back her hours .
Now , equally important , let ’ s determine Jan ’ s Psychographics ! They ’ ll include :
Personality , Attitudes , Values , Interests / hobbies , Lifestyles and Behavior
Jan , mother of 4 , enjoys horseback riding , testing out new recipes and attending painting parties and wine nights with her girlfriends . She believes in “ getting what you pay for ” and doesn ’ t mind spending a little extra if it means high quality goods and services .
Jan is NOT someone that you should attempt to reach through Snapchat . She would be better reached on platforms such as Facebook , LinkedIn and Pinterest .
Another example , is someone with vastly different interests from our friend , Jan .
Josh , 30 of Galveston . He ’ s freelance writer and proud father to a Goldendoodle named Hank . He enjoys running and craft beer , but thinks CrossFit is a sham … He ’ s not really attached material possessions because “ life is fleeting ” and who really has time for throw pillows these days ? Platforms like Snapchat , Instagram , LinkedIn and Twitter would all be ideal for targeting Josh .
BUT WHY ?
By : Rae Ann Rindhage Empire Creative Marketing raeann @ empiread . com
- Jan ’ s age will be the easiest way to eliminate certain platforms . Working part time means she has a bit more time to read articles and network with people who share similar interests . LinkedIn and Facebook are both word content heavy as opposed to the more visually appealing platforms like Instagram or Tumblr . Pinterest is a wellknown resource for gathering recipes and at-home project ideas . It ’ s also commonly “ therapeutic ” for working women who sometimes need to browse the internet but want to look at a variety of things all on one site .
- Josh is young and involved in current trends , which means he ’ ll be involved in the social media platforms of his generation . He ’ s a freelance writer , so he ’ ll want to connect with others in the industry likely via LinkedIn and Twitter , and Instagram is known for its large community of petrelated accounts . Naturally , Hank the Goldendoodle will have a tremendous amount of admirers .
Social Media Content Rules of Thumb
If your content will be very photo heavy , lean towards platforms like Instagram . However , If you ’ re looking to become a thought leader in your industry , and like to share small quips of info – Twitter is your place ! Twitter is also excellent for customer service management and crisis prevention . Facebook is helpful for more businesses as long as you have relevant information to share regularly and can connect with your audience on a personal level . It ’ s also great for customer service and brand development . Fair warning , Facebook is more keen on showing users content that they ’ ll engage with regularly … so you ’ ll want to make sure that posts are directed at the correct audience and will add value to their lives .
All marketing channels point to your website , so maintaining consistency is essential . Some brands post the same content – on the same day – on all platforms ... There isn ’ t a rulebook that says this is or is not okay , but some content just performs better on different platforms .
Spend some time thinking of your ideal consumer and create a case study like Jan and Josh … Where do you think you ’ d most effectively capture their interest ? Once you ’ ve determined your target , you can begin the adventure of creating compelling content … good luck !
9 MOMENTUM / April 2018