You can never really create effective content if you have a fuzzy idea of your audience. Every business owner has a target market, and the earlier you pour yours into a detailed profile, the sooner will you create actionable content that works.The idea sounds really simple in theory, but how does one create a target market profile that will lay foundation for a workable content strategy?

Narrow Your Target Audience

With the garbage that our economy is, no one, especially small business owners, can afford to target everyone. To compete effectively as a small online entrepreneur, you must get away from generalizing your audience and start working with a targeted niche market.

A niche (small) market is great to begin with, especially considering that your aren’t exactly primed as far as your marketing budget goes. Targeting a small group of people will save you quite a buck in marketing dollars. It is also efficient concentrating your marketing efforts to a group of people who might actually buy what you are selling.

This, however, does not mean closing your doors to those outside your niche. Rather, it enables you to save money while reaping maximally from your marketing efforts.

For instance, instead of offering your catering services to the entire New York area, you could narrow down your target market by offering your services to 25 – 35 year-old hoteliers who live on your block and who earn +100k annually, or other professionals who have something unique that your competition might be overlooking.

Study Your Existing Customer Base

Who are your current customers? Or if you don’t have current customers, why would your would-be customers by from you? What are the common characteristics of your current customers? Perhaps more people like them could by your products. Find out which customers bring in the most business, and market some more to this group.

Study Your Products

What are the solutions offered via your products/services? What benefits do your products offer? Who might be in need of these benefits? Make a list of the people who will benefit from your products. Document the things they like, age, gender, spending habits, level of income, religion etc.

Study Your Competition

You can learn all you want about your target audience by observing your competition. Who is your competition targeting? Who makes up their current customer base? Which markets are they targeting? Which markets are they, mistakenly, NOT targeting? Do not copy their methods and go after the same market, work a unique angle using your content – attract your niche audience by speaking to them directly.

Select Specific Demographics To Work With

When thinking about the people who will mostly buy from you, think about these factors:

  • Age
  • Gender
  • Location
  • Education Level
  • Income Level
  • Ethnic background
  • Marital status
  • Personality
  • Behavior
  • Attitudes
  • Interests
  • Values
  • Lifestyles

This list is limited, but when you have a good understanding of your target market, you are ready to create an effective profile.

Remember, defining your target audience is the hardest part. Once you define your target market, creating effective content to boost your conversion rates will be a matter of routine.

That will be all for today.

To learn more about increasing conversion rates through the use of web content, do not hesitate to visit our blog.