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Wait! Before You Market, Who Are You Targeting?

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Target Audience

A lot of business owners fail to realize that within all the plans made in starting a business, it is who the target audience is. These are the key people that are going to be interested in what you have to say and maybe, even what you are wanting to sell to them. This does seem like a no brainer, but actually exercising that marketing muscle to actually reach that targeted audience can be a challenge.

If you market to the wrong people, you do not get the results you want. So who are you targeting and how can you go about reaching them?

Are you targeting people with certain interests? Of a certain age? Who have a certain career?

Some of the ways you can help target are free and not too hard to do. Some of you are already doing some of it, but maybe not exactly how you should be. Here are some suggestions on where to target and how you can target your audience.

Targeting Your Audience With Social Networking

Social networking is definitely a huge way to reach out to others. Facebook alone, has over 800 million users. Most people will admit to being signed up to quite a few social networks, so it means that they are interested in what is being broadcast out in cyberspace. However, it is what exactly is being broadcasted which is the important difference.

The great thing is, social networks can be searched through, by term or keyword. If your niche is SEO, you could be connecting with people who are bloggers, or maybe are business owners not so knowledgeable about the topic.

There are some directories like Twellow and WeFollow that you can search through users on Twitter that have listed themselves in specific categories.

The thing is, you have to be specific about who you are targeting. Pick only keywords relevant to your business, service, or if you are a blogger, what you write about. Just following everyone is not going to cut it as you will end up with empty followers, spammers, and perhaps some complaints. The number of followers are not important, it is the actual people you really are reaching and engaging with that counts.

Targeting Your Audience  Through Your Site Or Blog

Your site or even your blog is your headquarters. If it is not, it should be. You can have Facebook, Twitter, and Google Plus, but really, where does the content come from, especially if you are trying to establish your authority? It comes from your site. This is where you flex that brain muscle. Your site is where you want to convert people to ultimately go.

If you promote your product on Twitter, people only click on it to be lead back to your website.

Like social networking, pick the keywords that are relevant to your site. Using any and all under the sun will just make the search engines unhappy and confuse guests on why they visited your site, but did not find what they were searching for.

Be sure to write articles in your niche that cover the full spectrum. If it takes doing research to see what others are writing about, do it. If you can present a better article, you have established your authority.

Targeting Your Audience Through Social Bookmarking

While a lot of people may be a member of places like Digg, and StumbleUpon, not all realize how much traffic can be gained from social bookmarking. Much like blogging and social networking, you can specify what categories your posts should be filed under when you submit an article.

A big misconception is that your account can be terminated from social bookmark sites for bookmarking your own articles. That is a yes, and a no. Yes – in the case you are submitting a lot of links and not bookmarking other sites as well. No- because most social bookmark sites know you need to drive traffic to your site. Reddit is a little finicky in their submission policy regarding submitting your own links, but with others, you should be fine.

Targeting Your Audience Through Multimedia

Video blogging and podcasting are great ways to reach out to more people. Some people really have no time to read a blog, but maybe they commute and like to listen to podcasts. This is great because most podcasts can be downloaded to smart phones. Also, most of the podcast directories allow for categorization and tagging so people can find exactly what they need.

As for video blogging, this allows your visitors to see you and because a lot of people are visual, they may connect better. Sometimes reading words is not enough. The tone and inflection of a voice, plus the actual facial expression of a person help eliminate confusion.

Just like most of the options mentioned in this post, if you host your videos on Youtube, on your site, or any other video hosting site, you can submit tags and details about your video… all searchable on most search engines.

Targeting Your Audience Through Newsletter Campaigns

If you have a newsletter campaign (in house, Aweber, Mailchimp, or another), no matter who you have it through, you know that not everyone will click the links you leave on your emails. It does not matter whether you have your site’s RSS feed integrated into your newsletter, or you are promoting a product.

Your emails to your subscribers should be clear and be geared to reach specific people. For example, sometimes you might want to talk about SEO, and maybe another time on general blogging tips.

Targeting Your Audience With Online Advertisements

Many of the advertising companies, like Google Adwords, Linkworth, Adbrite, Text Link Ads, and more, allow you to advertise and specifically target people based on keywords. Remember, keywords is the big key.

However, if you at first do an ad campaign that is not pulling in results, you have to realize that it is you who holds the reins and can change your campaign at any time.

Targeting Your Audience While Offline

While there are millions upon millions of people online, you have to realize that not everyone goes online all at the same time, not everyone is Internet savvy, and not everyone has the time to search and surf online to their hearts content. Sometimes you have to start local and reach people with your services with local area bullentin boards, local newspapers, area newspapers (especially if you live in a small city or town within an hour of a larger city), and by word of mouth.

For example, say that you might be a social media consultant or a web designer. You know there are plenty of small business owners that might not be online yet, but maybe they have considered it. If you shop, as you check out, ask if the business has a website. If it does not, ask the business owner if they have considered it and if they might be interested in hearing how they can have their site online with few frustrations.

Using the same example, you could even try holding local events. If you know of a hotel that has a conference room, plan a date, invest the money, and you can put out ads to the community to put together a workshop to educate business owners on how they can have their own site and get more exposure for their business.

Another way to target while not online is if you speak at conferences. Make sure to put together topics that can be understandable and somewhat useful for most people. Normally those types of lectures are ones that will have a bigger turnout. Those attending your particular lecture are already showing that they are interested, making them practically at your door. Put your contact information in your presentation and do not forget to bring your business cards. Be prepared to engage because those face to face interactions will definitely bring in new clientele.

Marketing does take time and money. You might fail, and you might succeed. However, you do hold the control in your hands at what pace and where you will find the right audience. Make sure you know yourself, your brand, your product, what people want when it comes to your product, blog, or service, and your overall niche when putting together the right keywords towards your own marketing campaign.

How have you marketed?

Are there any cool methods that have not been mentioned to better reach your audience? Or have there been methods mentioned in this article that have especially worked well for you?

About

Sassy blonde mom from Southern Illinois who is a Professional Blogger, AND a WordPress web designer and developer. Nile loves to help others rock out their blogs and social media handles. If it was not already apparent, she is addicted to WordPress, Blogging, Social Media, and in general, anything about the Internet. It is not uncommon to see her speak at WordCamps (WordPress conferences) and blogging conferences across the United States. Her website is Blondish.net.

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{ 20 Responses }

  1. Latha says:
    Hi sassy mom :) the post is right on... I have been contemplating this topic for a while and I just had to read your post when I saw t me he title. I have been using social bookmarking and RSS submissions. Video marketing has also brought me consisitent visitors.
  2. Atlas says:
    Targeting a specific group of people - sub niche, is the only way to go unless you have a bottomless ad budget and a big team. Sometimes targeting isn't usually the issue, it's pretty easy to find customers. Where a lot of people fail 99% of the times is within there message, they don't do enough to really (understand) there audience. I mean we are all trying to sell something right, even if it's a message on twitter that has a link to our website. People don't go deep enough with there research to uncover the fears and deep routed emotions that there audience is feeling - you can target all you want, if your not empathising and taking those feelings into consideration with your marketing your conversion rate will be below average - period. Everyone is focused on clicks, conversions, how many people they have on there list. I say - take the time out to give a damn and you'll crush it with your marketing.
  3. William Anderson says:
    Promote your product on Twitter, people only click on it to be lead back to your website. some people click own ads to earn money But their is a mistake got to band, importance is marketing true to your keyword research in your article. If you have effort. I know, if you try you will not lose anything even if the business, but we need to faster speed, concentrate, conversion, and also quality, then we will win any business That's it Thanks
  4. Michael says:
    Hi Nile - You really hit the nail on the head. Too many people start out with a "Ready - Fire - Aim" approach to their marketing. You stressed the importance of keeping your marketing true to your keyword research in your article. If you don't get that right first, everything else is wasted effort.
    • Nile says:
      Believe me, when I made my first website, I was all ready to go out full throttle and that was ten years ago. After a while, it dawned on me that I really needed to make a plan to connect with others, especially an audience that was interested in what I wanted to teach. Thanks for coming by and reading my article. :)
  5. Robert says:
    This is a very good point Nile, a lot of the time people don't stop to think about who their target audience is. They just start writing without thinking, and then expect the traffic to come rolling in. I wish it was that simple!
    • Nile says:
      It is fine to start writing, but without anyone to read, it kind of make things difficult. Content is king, but your visitors are the queen. They are going to be the ones to decide whether your content is awesome or sucks. Most people still today think that just setting up shop and leaving it sit online will bring in sales. Like an offline business, that does not cut it. It will always take work. Thank you for commenting!
  6. Serena says:
    Another great article, Nile! I wonder if you have any advice on how to target your audience through tone? For example, younger audiences that are more familiar with the internet will be less patient and more attracted to content that is "hip" and engaging. But, alternatively, what is the best way to reach an older audience, between the ages of 50-80? They are often overwhelmed by the internet already, and I'm curious to know the best way to approach them through web content. Thanks!
    • Nile says:
      Tone... as in how you write or speak to convey your point? Might try podcasting or video blogging. That tends to reach both ends of the age spectrum. A lot of the older crowd I see like video blogging and webinars. However, same can be said for the younger crowd. As for how you delivering via blogging... you really have to have a grip on semantics and familiar with how to engage with all ages. If you have to, ask questions or do surveys for different age groups to find a balance where you can make a post reach both while also using layman's terms in a way that does not bore the heck out of the Internet savvy crowd. (I will cover this on another post here as well. Sound fair?) :D
  7. Alan Cliffe says:
    Don't forget RSS, if you can get your readers to subscribe to your RSS feed, they will automatically receive your content via their reader of choice, which is far more valuable these days through the use of Feedly, Flipboard and the like.
    • Nile says:
      The thing is... RSS feed alone has no marketing value unless you combine it with your blog (emphasizing its importance to subscribe) or an email newsletter (adding the RSS feed to the template itself), or even on apps for your social networks. Your RSS feed is literally the simple syndication of your site, so you essentially still have to market even using that the same way for your site... which in the end... goes back to your blog.
      • Alan Cliffe says:
        The way to use RSS is to only show a summary, which if compelling enough, will draw the reader to your blog.
  8. Dean Saliba says:
    Targeting through videos is something I want to take advantage of in 2012. I just need to get over the silly anxiety of having myself appear on camera. :)
    • Nile says:
      You will do fine. I have not done video yet, but this is also a goal for 2012 for myself and the cool thing is, as I am losing weight, it will be cool to go back through the videos and see the changes. I do not have a problem speaking in front of people (I do public speaking at conferences), but it is indeed going to be different. Good luck with vlogging and let me know about it when you start. :)
  9. Jim Syyap says:
    Hmm... I did not pay attention to targeting my audience these past few weeks. This is going to be a priority on 2012.
    • Nile says:
      No worries... you can implement your plan anytime. Some people it does take longer. It all depends on how much time, how much you are motivated (how ambitious you are) to market your site or business, and finally how you execute that plan. Good luck with your marketing in 2012!
  10. Raj says:
    I guess targeting through a video blog is something that many marketers do not consider. Youtube results are getting featured on the main google results more and more frequently and some of the videos are even more helpful than text. Many people search in youtube itself. I guess bloggers should use video blogging and provide helpful resources, not just get in front of the video and blabber something.
    • Nile says:
      Vlogging is definitely big. Whether you are actually watching the video, or listening to it while doing a chore or on the computer in another window, you can get a lot out of it. It also drives away those misunderstandings when people read your words and might draw the wrong conclusions to the tone of your post. Making your content available to as many mediums as possible makes sure your content is found a lot easier and gives your followers more choices on how they can receive your information. :) I do see a lot of babble on Youtube. My son likes to video silly stuff, but I let him as it is good practice to get use to do other things later on. :) Thank you for coming by and commenting!
  11. Ryan Biddulph says:
    Hi Nile, Build your content around niche specific keywords. The best way to target your market. Writing content not centered around a keyword throws any targeting efforts out the window. You want your market to show up, not anybody. You want your target to read your articles, blog posts, and watch your videos, and take your call to action. Enter keywords. Most internet marketing wheel-spinning is due to lack of targeting. Each act needs to be effective, and driven toward the goal of laser targeting your marketing campaign. Good note about bookmarking sites. I've pulled back a bit on self-promotion to spread the word about my buddies. I always did this on Twitter and Facebook but haven't on sites like Reddit. Thanks for sharing your insight Nile. RB
    • Nile says:
      Keywords are definitely important. You however need to do more than work on keywords. You can do SEO work any day, but still, when you are on Facebook and Twitter, you are probably also trying to target age groups too. If you are targeting and including underage teens when you want to target 18+, you are marketing wrong. Some of the best marketing I have been a part of has involved a lot of survey work for huge online retailers. It really was an eye opener as I had not thought about anything deeper than keyword strategy. Then I thought... ah... that is why Alexa and Nielson Online includes age groups still. I mentioned in another comment making your content available in as many mediums as possible to further target. I was listening to a podcast while in Kim Castleberry's car on a way to a meetup that was emphasizing this and it made so much sense why over the years some of the websites out there were succeeding on a higher pace... marketing through many mediums. These will allow you to break through a lot of that age factor and bring your followers/ listeners/ watchers/ readers together. Thank you for coming by and commenting.