Audience Targeting 101: Two Groups You HAVE To Market To

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Andrew Aebersold, CEO of Mediaura, looks into the camera while explaining the importance of audience targeting and digital marketing and the most important groups to target. He is wearing a black zip up. The background is an office scene, featuring a bookshelf and plant.

If you want your digital marketing campaigns to succeed, there is one thing you must master: audience targeting. 

Without it, your message probably won’t reach the people that need to hear it, wasting your ad spend in the process.

In this article, we explain why audience targeting is essential, how to get started, and the two most important audiences to focus on. 

For those auditory and visual learners, we also have a video version of this lesson at the end of this article.

What Audience Targeting Is And Why It Matters

Audience targeting is the process of using data to segment consumers by demographics, interests, behaviors, or other criteria, and then crafting different ads to reach those groups. 

The goal is simple: make sure the right message reaches the right person at the right time. When you target your audience effectively, you increase your chances of reaching people who are actually interested in your products or services. This leads to higher engagement, better conversion rates, and a stronger return on investment.

Digital marketing platforms like Google Ads and Meta have made audience targeting more powerful than ever. These platforms collect massive amounts of data on users, allowing you to pinpoint your ideal customer with incredible accuracy. 

You can target by age, gender, location, interests, device type, and even online behaviors. This level of precision is what sets digital marketing apart from traditional advertising.

The Two Audiences You Must Target

When working with clients, we always start with two core audiences:

  • New Customers: These are people who have never bought from you before. The goal is to attract them, introduce them to your brand, and convince them to make that first purchase.
  • Existing Customers: These are people who have already purchased from you. The goal here is to keep them engaged, encourage repeat purchases, and build loyalty over time.

Both groups are important, but they require different strategies. 

How to Target Each Audience

  • New Customers: You need to introduce your brand and highlight your most popular products or services. For example, if you’re a restaurant, reach new audiences by advertising your most popular items instead of wasting money telling them about limited time offers. In general, focus on what makes you unique and why someone should choose you over the competition. Use data to find out where your potential customers spend their time online and what messaging resonates with them.
  • Existing Customers: You already have a relationship with these people, so your messaging can be more personalized. Offer loyalty rewards, exclusive deals, or opportunities to upgrade. Segment your audience based on purchase history, frequency, and preferences. This allows you to tailor your campaigns and maximize customer lifetime value.

Segmentation and Continuous Tracking

Defining and segmenting your audience is not a one-time task. People’s behaviors and preferences change over time. That is why you need to continuously track, analyze, and update your audience lists. 

Tools like Google Analytics help you monitor demographics, interests, and behaviors, so you can refine your targeting as your audience evolves.

Segmentation also allows you to run separate campaigns for different groups. For example, you might promote a special offer to loyal customers while running an introductory campaign for new prospects. This approach ensures that each audience receives the most relevant message, increasing your chances of success.

The Bottom Line

Audience targeting is essential to digital marketing. It allows you to reach the right people, with the right message, at the right time. 

By focusing on both new and existing customers, and by continuously refining your audience segments, you can drive growth and maximize your marketing ROI.

If you want to see these principles in action and learn more about how to apply them to your business, be sure to watch the video at the end of this article.

Ready to take your digital marketing to the next level? We can create marketing campaigns customized to different audiences. Reach out to us today to get started.

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