Audience Research
How Perform Audience Research
One of the most important things that you do for your brand, is knowing who your audience is. Spoiler alert: It isn’t everyone. So, audience research is a requirement.
I’m a big fan of mysteries and solving them. I love putting pieces together and seeing the bigger picture. It fascinates me. I swear I’d make a great private detective, which is probably why I like marketing– there’s just less danger involved with marketing. Which leads me to the first step of getting to know your audience-
The Sherlock Approach
Channel your inner Sherlock Holmes. Investigate, deduce, and observe. What are your audience’s habits, preferences, and pain points?
Surveys: The Jedi Mind Trick
Surveys are like Jedi Mind Tricks. Craft questions that unveil your audience’s deepest thoughts. You’ll be amazed by the insights you’ll gain (and now you’ll never look at a survey the same way).
Social Media Sleuthing
This is going to feel a bit… stalker-ish, but you’re doing it to provide your audience with the information that will help them. So think more Fairy Godmother and less cringe. Dive into their profiles, analyze their conversations, and find the trends that pique their interest.
The Data
Data analytics – I know, it feels like a buzzword that is thrown around but it’s not just that. It’s proof for your journey and keeps you from stumbling around in the dark. Analyze the metrics. What content sparks engagement? Which channels do they frequent?
Empathy
Walk a mile in. your audiences shoes…this is the golden rule of audience research. Understand their challenges, and tailor your message to be their knight in shining armor.
Buyer Personas
These are the characters in your story. Know their backstory, motivations, and desires. Make your audience the hero of your narrative.
Competitive Intelligence
This isn’t the actually intelligence of the competition, think more like CIA data on the players in the game. Keep an eye on the competition. What’s working for them? What isn’t? Learn from their triumphs and mishaps. You don’t even have to think of them as competition, think of them as friends that can show you how to avoid mishaps they’ve made.
Always Be Learning
Don’t stop at the surface. Keep asking questions. What’s the next trend? How can you solve their emerging problems? Be the constant learner.
Connect + Communicate
Lastly, build a bridge and talk to your audience. Short conversations or interviews can give you insight. Let them know you’re there, listening, and ready to cater to their needs. Your audience won’t always know how to articulate their actual problem but when you listen, you can get the information you need to figure that out.
How Do I Find My Audiences Habits?
If you’re thinking… ok, I know the basics of how it’s supposed to work but WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN?! Then this takes a deep dive- and also look at some helpful tools for your audience research.
1. Habits
Humans are creatures of habit. It’s just who we are. Even those of us with ADHD… there’s habits. Start by observing your audience’s habits. Where do they spend their time online? What websites do they frequent? Do they have a morning routine of checking emails, social media, or news?
Helpful Tools: Google Analytics, social media insights, or email marketing reports can provide valuable data on their online behavior.
2. Preferences
So you like chocolate but what type do you prefer? This takes habit to the next level and digs deeper. Ask about their favorite content types (blogs, videos, infographics), preferred communication channels (email, social media, forums), and even their favorite brands or influencers. This intel will help you cater to their tastes.
Helpful Tools: Surveys + Polls
3. Pain Points
This is a big one and involves a lot of listening. What problems are your audience trying to solve? Listen to what they complain about or struggle with. These pain points are your golden nuggets for crafting solutions that resonate.
Helpful Tools: Customer reviews, comments on social media, and forums related to your industry
4. Surveys and Questionnaires
Once you know a little more about your audience you can get a little deeper with direct questions. Craft surveys and questionnaires that target specific aspects of your audience’s lives. Ask about their challenges, preferences, and pain points directly. Keep the questions concise, clear, and engaging.
Helpful Tools: Survey Monkey, Google Forms
5. Social Listening
Social media can be like hitting a jackpot… of information. onitor conversations, comments, and sentiment. What topics are trending? What issues are generating discussions? Social media is your real-time focus group.
Helpful Tools: Mention, Brandwatch, Google Trends, Hashtags, Keywords
6. Analytics
Analytics platforms are absolute gold mines. Study your website analytics to see which pages are most visited and where visitors drop off. Track email open and click-through rates to understand what topics resonate. Analyze engagement metrics on social media to see which content sparks conversations.
Helpful Tools: Google Analytics, Google Search Console, Social Media Analytics, Email Results
7. Behavior and Heatmaps
That headline seems a little weird if you’re not familiar and I get it. But what these are are visual representations of where users click, scroll, and spend the most time on your site. You can see if there is a pain point where they are frustrated and how they navigate your site.
Helpful Tools: Hotjar, Crazy Egg
Your Audience Information
To tie it all together, you create your personas.
Combine all this information to create detailed buyer personas. Give them names, backgrounds, and faces. Personas personify your audience, making it easier to empathize with their habits, preferences, and pain points. These personas will guide your marketing efforts.
This may feel like a waste or time you don’t have but it’s a proven way to help you focus on your audience. It’s easier to create content when you feel like you’re talking to just one person as opposed to a group.
Remember, understanding your audience’s habits, preferences, and pain points isn’t just a one-time task; it’s an ongoing journey. The more you know, the better you can tailor your marketing campaigns to resonate with your audience.
Dive deep, listen actively, and stay curious to make sure your marketing efforts hit the mark.
