Understanding your website’s audience is essential to the success of your business in the online world. Many companies build their websites based on the “something for everyone” understanding of business. However, in order to achieve success your website should be optimized for your business’ target audience.

Demographics

Once you determine how your website benefits you and your company you can look into how your website benefits others and what your target audience is. To find out your target audience you need to first decide what demographics and psychographics your business naturally attracts. Demographics are “who” your buyers are, and psychographics are “why” they are buying.  Age, gender, race, income, home-ownership, and marital status are all common demographics that a company may use to determine a target audience.

It is important to note whether or not you are trying to focus on a new demographic from your existing customers. Many businesses try to hone in on the younger generations online, while their customer base is mainly older.

Age Ranges

Age, among the other demographic parameters, is probably the easiest to establish. It is also probably the most important. Knowing the age range of your target audience is the first step in developing an online presence. The usual ranges targeted are; 12-17 18 to 24, 25 to 34, 35 to 44, 45 to 54, 55 to 64, and 65+. These ranges include everybody from Generation Y to the Baby Boomers, and each range has different interests and needs.

 

Psychographics

Once the demographics are narrowed down you must also narrow down your psychographics. Psychographics is the examination of the lifestyle choices, interests, and values of the target consumer. For example, not every woman ages 25 to 34 is the same. An example of a psychographic analysis of a female spa customer may be:

-Concerned with health and appearance.

-Wants a healthy lifestyle, but doesn’t have much time.

-Enjoys going online in the evenings.

-Tends to favor quality over economy.

-Values time with a small group of friends.

This breakdown may help you determine how you want to market your business. For the above example, such women will tend to spend more time on social media platforms such as Facebook or Pinterest.

Website Style and Demographics

After finding your target audience you must look into trends for those demographics and build your content based on what you find. First check the web and life trends by gender and age group. The sleek design and easy to use interfaces of social media attract more consumers aged 34 and below. Older generations may not be so focused on site design, but one that looks clean and neat will help draw traffic to your websites regardless. An easy to use interface is helpful for any age-group; but younger people seek them out specifically. As simple as it may seem, these small changes to website can make a large difference in your web traffic.

Understanding Competition

Keeping up with competitors and attempting to stay ahead of the curve can be vital. Research what your competitors are doing online, and learn from them. What are they doing right? What are they doing wrong? Don’t forget, consumer trends are always changing. It is important to keep up with the current trends of websites and marketing. Always try to keep up to date with what your customers need.

 

BetterBizWorks, LLC Web Design and Internet Marketing is always here to help you with your web design and online marketing needs. We specialize in custom WordPress websites and Search Engine Optimization to bring more traffic to your business. Feel free to give us a call to discuss your online goals, at 212-904-0020.