Hey you young, hip, and happening marketing grads! Are you ready to dig into some totally radical, l33t marketing hacks? Ready to get that advertising game on fleek and your Insta campaign lit?
If reading through the start of this had you absolutely cringing, you’re not alone. Pro tip: Don’t abuse slang like this. It will make your target audience move elsewhere, and could even be a form of cultural appropriation.
What exactly are target audiences? Read on, and we’ll give you a simple explanation and some target audience examples, as well as how you can reach them.
What Is a Target Audience?
A target audience, sometimes referred to as a target market when you sell a product, is the group that your product or service is supposed to reach. They’re the audience or market, the group of people, that you target or focus on with your advertising campaigns.
These are the people you want to use your company’s products or services the most. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t include other markets, but that this audience is your primary focus.
What Are Some Target Audience Examples?
One simple way to look at target audiences is the four-quadrant model used by Hollywood. It divides the potential viewers and consumers into four groups: young people, older people, men, and women.
Obviously, for product marketing purposes, this is a bit simplistic. Some other target audience examples that are less broad might include:
- Mothers, especially mothers of young children
- LGBTQ+ people
- College graduates
- Children and preteens
Each of these groups will require different marketing strategies to address their needs. Even if you sell products (or a type of product) that can apply to all of them, you should try to tailor your ad campaign to a specific target demographic.
How Can You Reach Your Target Audience?
Once you’ve figured out your target market, it’s time to consider how you can reach them. The most effective way these days is to trust algorithmically targeted marketing aided by Google or by these solutions from Finecast.
However, if your target audience has ad blockers installed, you might be able to reach them through a concerted social media campaign if they’re younger. You could also go the cold-calling route for older clientele, or send out pamphlets in the mail.
Reaching your target audience is about understanding the way they think and the places they’re going to look for information, products, and services.
Let’s Review What We’ve Learned
So, what is a target audience? Simply put, it’s the audience you’re targeting with your marketing campaign. Common target audience examples run across ages and socioeconomic brackets. So, it’s up to you to determine which market you can reach the best with your business by conducting thorough market research.
Did you find this article about target audiences and basic targeted marketing helpful? Would you like to read more about how to advertise to people in the modern era? If so, then check out the Business section of our blog for more!
