The Target, what is it, and how do we define it?

Finding your potential customers is vital for a good digital marketing strategy, for better results and reduced effort.

The Target, which is synonimous with Target Audienceis defined by the FundéuRAE as “the group of consumers whose characteristics, desires and needs are most suited to the products and services offered by a specific brand”. This group of people are also customers or potential customers and become the object of communications from the brand. 

When it comes to setting a digital marketing strategy, it is necessary to have a thorough knowledge of the target audience, as all efforts (particularly ecomonic for the company) are dependent on them becoming aware of the message and of their reaction to it. If the message is good, but is not aimed at the appropriate target audience, they will ignore it. 

Traditionally, public segmentation of a target audience has been of a demographic nature, classified by age, gender, profession, geographical area and social class (although, today, the term socioeconomic index is used). Today, the criteria are of a qualitative nature, that is, they seek to research and analyse people through their needs, tastes, preferences and lifestyles. 

The new classification of social classes, known as the socioeconomic index is as follows*: 

Classification	Quantification	Monthly income
IA1	7,5%	of 3.005 €
IA2	15%	of 2.452 to 3.005 €
IB	15%	of 2.146 to 2.452 €
IC	25%	of 1.603 to 2.146 €
ID	15%	of 1.313 to 1.603 €
IE1	15%	of 754 to 1.312 €
IE2	7,50%	less than 745 €

The Decathlon example

The Decathlon brand, for example, could segment its target audience as men between 20 and 50 years of age, who live in towns with over 50,000 inhabitants and are part of the IB, IC socioeconomic index. While a qualitative criteria would describe them as sports enthusiasts, who like to try new things, have a healthy lifestyle and spend weekends away from home taking part in sports. Additionally, they practice sports as amateurs and watch YouTube to improve and to learn more about the activity. 

In this way, another type of information is being offered that is missing from the first description. One information type does not exclude the other. In fact, the more segmented the target public is the more effect the action will have. However, this does not mean that there aren’t people outside this description who are customers or future customers of the brand, but the great majority of consumers will fit the description. 

Methods for defining the target audience:

We can define this based on:

• Quantitative and qualitative criteria (age, gender, demographic)
• According to product use: 

Heavy users (always use), Medium users (tend to use), Light users (sometimes use), Non users (never use).

• Primary group / secondary group. 

Primary group: those that will use the product.  For example, the children, if it is a toy.

Secondary group: those that will buy the product. Continuing with the example above: the parents.

• Dichotomous method: 

This is a more radical method. You are either part of the TG (target group) or you are not.

• Weighted method: 

You would have a weighted coefficient to decide which the most important groups are for the consumption of a brand. Record the frequency of consumption, and then you will see which are the most valuable groups.

These criteria allow you to set different strategies for each of these target prublic segments, because a frequent purchaser of a product is not the same as someone who buys it regularly. 

Lifestyle and tastes. 

To carry out an in-depth analysis of the group of people related to the brand, professionals employ techniques such as the Buyer Persona, the Customer Journey (map of the customer’s journey) and the Empathy Map.

• Buyer Persona.

The Buyer Persona is a semi-fictitious representation of the ideal customer. Through this technique, an attempt is made to humanise the ideal customer, to give them a greater level of authenticity and to ask oneself questions about their needs. 

Some of the fundamental questions about their ideal customer revolve around their personality and their behaviour: What is it that they need? what challenges do they have? which social networks do they use? what can your company do to help them? 

The data that can be added to the buyer persona is infinite, but it should be adapted to the needs of the brand and to the specific information that will be useful for their digital marketing strategy. 

We can give an example here: 

• Customer Journey

This is an illustrative diagram representing the experience of the brand’s customers, from the start of their motivation to after-sales. Adittionally, this is where potential problems that a customer may encounter with the brand are analysed and amended. 

All points of contact with the customer are outlined and user pathways are created through these. Customer behaviour should be outlined, as well as all activities, objectives, errors and obstacles within the specific processes. 

The objective is to develop a journey map of the customer in order to have a visual idea of the whole experience, both before and after the purchasing process.

This image shows an example of an online store selling videogames.

The templates are infinite and the items to add vary depending on the brand being analysed. 

• Empathy map.

This attempts to make an in-depth analysis of the target audience. To do this, it sets out motivations and frustrations, aspirations, interests and consumption habits, etc. In this way, the brand can learn about its potential consumers in-depth, create content from these points and, for example, produce branded or ad hoc content for these profiles.  

The empathy maps always follow these sections: 

• What do they see?
• What do they hear?
• What do they think and feel?
• What do they say and do?
• What efforts do they make?
• What results (benefits) do they hope to obtain?

The following example shows an empathy map: