Audience segmentation

Audience Segmentation Overview

• Audience segmentation is the process of dividing a broad target audience into smaller, more homogeneous groups based on specific criteria.
• It enables the creation of more effective and targeted media messages that are likely to resonate more significantly with these groups.

Criteria for Audience Segmentation

• Demographics: This includes factors such as age, gender, education level, income, and occupation. For instance, a media product about parenting might target adult women with children.

• Geographics: This refers to the physical location of the audience, which can range from local areas to entire countries or regions. A local newspaper, for instance, targets local residents.

• Psychographics: This involves lifestyle, personality traits, attitudes, and interests. A media product about technology and gadgets might appeal to an audience interested in tech trends and innovations.

• Behavioural: These segments are based on behaviors such as usage rate, readiness to buy, loyalty status, and attitudes towards specific products or brands. Fans of a particular band, for instance, might want a product featuring that band.

Significance of Audience Segmentation

• Recognise that tailoring a message to specific audience segments increases its effectiveness because the content is more aligned with their specific needs, interests, and preferences.

• Understand that segmentation aids media planning and buying, as knowing more about an audience segment can help decide where to put advertising to reach that audience best.

• Note that audience segmentation aids in the development of positioning and branding strategies within the media industry, particularly in creating images for products or services within the minds of consumers.

Challenges in Audience Segmentation

• Segmenting audiences isn’t always straightforward because people can belong to multiple segments. An individual might fall into different categories based on demographic, psychographic, and behavioural characteristics.

• There’s also the risk of over-segmentation. Creating too many audience segments can lead to dilution of the message and unnecessary complexity.

• Keep in mind that audience traits can change over time, leading to shifts within segments. This requires flexibility and adaptability in monitoring and responding to audience shifts.

Analysing Audience Segmentation

• A good starting point in analysing audience segmentation is identifying the characteristics that define a specific segment.

• Look at how the media product’s content reflects the interests and preferences of the target audience segment.

• Review the success of certain media products in engaging their target segments. This could be evidenced in sales figures, viewing ratings, or social media engagement.

To wrap up, understanding and applying audience segmentation is crucial in developing engaging and impactful media products. It empowers the creation of more relevant and resonant media messages for specific audience groups, playing a vital role in media planning, buying, positioning, and branding.