In my previous blog posts, I have stressed the importance of getting to know everything you can about your target audience. I am sure many of you are wanting to know what type of things you need to discover about your target audience and how it will make an impact on your online business. This is something that has such an impact on your website and online marketing strategy that if you don't currently have a website I would suggest getting to know your target audience prior to actually starting your website. What you know about your target audience could actually affect the design and functionality of your website not to mention the effect it will have on your internet marketing campaign especially, your social media marketing campaign. Our website design Phoenix team developed a list of some of the things that you should know or attempt to know about your target audience.
- Who is your target audience? The first step is understanding who your target audience is. Many online businesses don't truly understand who their target audience is. For example a website that sells shoes. If a small business owner thinks that everybody wears shoes so my target audience is everybody they are in trouble. Now granted, you won't care who it is that is purchasing your shoes but if you dig deeper you will discover that your target audience is much much more specific.
- What is your target audience's most pressing issue, problem or desire? Knowing what exactly it is that your customer base wants or the problems they are having allows you to market your business as the answer to their problem. Understanding what exactly your target audience is wanting from your company will change your internet marketing campaign big time. It also will likely change the design and functionality of your website as well.
- Where do they get their information? This will have major implications on how you market your business. You won't market your business on social media if most of your users are not social media. That is why if you can figure out where they get their information you will have a gigantic competitive advantage.
- What benefit of your product and or service will solve your target audience's problem? This doesn't need any explanation as it is self explanatory. If you have a product and or service and know which problem it solves for a specific group of people you can market your business towards that specific group of people.
- How can you ensure security? We live in a world with identity theft and fraud so an online user wants the peace of mind in knowing that when they fill out information on your website that it will be protected and that they will get what they are paying for. Their numerous ways you can give them this peace of mind. You could add testimonials, guarantees, etc.
The more you know about your target audience the bigger competitive advantage you will have over your competition and the more successful your business will be. The 5 questions above are important to know about your target audience however, it isn't the only information need to know. You should always be striving to learn more about your target audience and if there are any other target audiences out there that may be interested in your products and or services.