If you are a business owner, you need to define your target audience. This information will allow you to create relevant marketing content on your website, in print materials, and on social media, that will grow your business.

What is a target audience?

A target audience identifies the people who are most likely to be interested in your business. Often, the shared traits or interests in this specific group of people draw them to your brand. Some of these traits can include:

· Age

· Gender

· Location

· Hobbies and interests

· Education

· Profession

· Purchase intention

You can classify your target audience using many other traits. The more you begin to narrow them down, the closer you'll get to knowing your audience’s likes, dislikes, habits, and other usable data. You might find that you have a broad or niche target audience.

Why is it important to define your target audience?

When marketing your business, you want to reach the people who are most likely to be interested in purchasing your products or services. This allows you to focus your marketing efforts more efficiently. Knowing who your target audience is can also help you establish your brand’s voice and identity. You can also improve your products or services to better meet their needs.

How to define your target audience

Here are the steps you need to take to define your target audience.

Collect and review data on your existing customers

Look at your existing customers to help you define your target audience. We recommend looking at your social media analytics and website analytics to answer the following questions:

· What common traits do my existing customers share (demographics, interests, intent)?

· How do customers find me?

· Where do visitors spend the most time on my website?

· Which of my products or services are most popular and with whom?

What is your competition doing?

Look at your competitions’ audiences. These are likely your potential customers too. And your customers will share the similar traits. Look at how your competition engages with their audience. What market segments do your competitors not target? Is that a possible niche for your business?

Uncovering the demographics your competition targets and learning how they engage them can help you understand what methods and messages already work with your desired audience.

Research your audience’s pain points

Don’t just collect data on your customers' interests and habits. You also need to understand their pain points so that you can position your brand as the solution. Consider surveying your current customers to get a better idea of their struggles and obstacles.

Create a buyer persona

Your target audience is a vague group of people; for example, men between the ages of 25 and 60 who live in Rochester, New York, and like classic cars. A buyer persona goes deeper by representing your ideal customer in a semi-fictional way.

As a brand, you should create different personas to match different segments of your target audience. Having a detailed view of your customers will allow you to understand your customer's needs and create more personalized interactions for them.

Regularly revisit your target audience

Your target audience is fluid. As people change, grow and face different problems, they may no longer find your brand relevant. Therefore, you must revisit your target audience periodically to account for any changes in your customer base and optimize your business strategy accordingly.