3 Easy Ways To Identify & Target The Right Audience Online

Targeting or focusing on those customers who are ready to purchase your product or service makes good business sense. It stops you from wasting time, effort and money in playing for an entire auditorium when only 2 of them may  actually want what you’re offering! 

Target audiences has always been the deciding factors for many business decisions. However, today the means to identify your target audience have evolved in the digital space. You no longer need to go on a wild goose chase in far off lands! The internet is here to assist you, in not only identifying your target audience, but also keeping track of each customer as their preferences change and evolve. 

Here are 3 primary methods in capturing your target audience using online tools:

1) Online Data Aggregators

If Facebook and Google can do it, so can you! Tracking audiences based on their online behaviour is one of the most accurate ways to know who you should be targeting. Studying the demographics, interests, online activities and purchase decisions of customers helps to define your ideal target audience in order to cater to them. Of course, this is an ongoing process as consumer habits change in today’s times and your target is often a moving one.

Speaking of moving targets, Google remarketing ads allow you to follow your target audience online and remind them to re-visit your website or purchase your products.

If you have a website, then a lot of primary data is already in your possession. This is information about your existing customers and prospective buyers. Valuable data obtained from your website, mobile app, CRM program, subscription plans (if relevant) and social media analytics. It forms the basis of identifying and targeting the right audience.

2) Social Media

Social media platforms such as Facebook that are based on personalised information, offer a load of information on your potential and current customer base. Facebook ads can target audiences based on demographics and psycho-graphics while giving you the option to track how well your product or service is doing in relation to your target audience.

LinkedIn is another effective platform to target audiences. Here this is done via keywords using native or sponsored content and site display targeting which is similar to Google re-marketing. The Followers dashboard on Twitter gives insight into your consumer’s interests. You may access this once you sign up for a Twitter Ads campaign.

Social Media listening is a way to design content that appeals to your target audience. It also tells you about what’s going viral or which words are being mentioned more than others by your TG.

Related: Why Customer Service Via Social Media is So Effective

3) Online Surveys

Surveys can be conducted in the test marketing phase when forming a completely new target audience list. It can also be carried out in the first phase of your business when you have a limited customer base and would like to know more about that lot. 

The survey for the first segment would be designed to know whether there is a demand for your product or service while the second group is even more valuable as they will give you vital information that is already working. Set a time limit on responses and don’t offer suggestions for answers like in a multiple choice questionnaire.

You may outsource the survey function to a customer support team for quicker and more economical results.

You may also like: 6 Hidden Advantages of Outsourcing Your Customer Service

Lastly, you may use Google Analytics to target specific users who are keen on specific product categories and customize your home page to boost sale and conversions. You may do this by creating your Audience specifications or those users who either have acted towards a purchase or spent time on your website.

Together, all these tools can help you achieve laser-sharp focus to target your true audiences.