5 Audience Segmentation Examples for Marketers

Demographic audience segmentation is the most basic type of audience segmentation. It involves dividing your target market into groups based on characteristics like the following: 

• Age
• Gender
• Income level
• Education level
• Occupation
• And many more

While demographic segmentation provides a solid starting point, achieving optimal results requires further audience segmentation. Let’s take a closer look at how demographic segmentation can be applied in real-world scenarios:

Consider a business that offers a wide range of outdoor gear, catering to diverse needs such as camping, hiking, backpacking, and hunting. Given the varied nature of their customer base, employing demographic audience segmentation allows them to identify different groups and customize their marketing efforts accordingly.

For example, they may have an audience segment that consists of young, adventurous consumers who are interested in activities like rock climbing, hiking, or cross-country bicycle touring. This group is more likely to respond positively to messaging that emphasize the thrill and excitement of outdoor adventures.

At the same time, they may also have a large consumer base of families with children. These customers might be looking for gear that will help them spend more leisure time outdoors with their families. This audience segment might be more interested in messages highlighting product durability, value, and ease of use, particularly when involving children.

Geographic audience segmentation enables businesses to craft targeted marketing campaigns that consider how customer preferences are influenced by their location. These locations can range from broad geographical regions such as countries, states, or regions to specific cities and even neighborhoods within cities. For instance, a business focused on New York City must acknowledge that their audience’s needs may differ based on whether they reside in Brooklyn, SoHo, or Manhattan.

A prime example is the restaurant industry, where chains have successfully experimented with region-specific menu items tailored to attract customers in specific areas. Think bratwurst and cheese curds in Wisconsin or lobster rolls in the New England region.

Similarly, let’s consider a ski manufacturer. Their messaging would naturally vary when targeting consumers in Vermont, Colorado, or Austria, as each geographic location experiences distinct ski seasons, resulting in varying customer needs.

Our next two examples of audience segmentation focus on characteristics of your customers that are part of their identity—whether they actively think about it or not. Segmenting your audience in these ways can be extremely effective because these factors are closely aligned with their values, aspirations, and actions.

Because behaviors and beliefs are closely related, there will naturally be some overlap between the two, but they can generally be defined as behavioral segmentation and psychographic segmentation.

Let’s begin with behavioral segmentation. Consider a business such as a health food snack company. They might segment their audiences into consumers who are interested in either healthy or sustainable food options, and tailor their marketing efforts to appeal to each group’s behaviors.

In their messaging, they might target athletic customers seeking nutrient-rich snacks. This audience would likely respond positively to messaging that highlights the health benefits, such as high protein or fiber content, showcasing these snacks being enjoyed by active and health-conscious individuals.

Conversely, the company might also employ alternative messaging aimed at environmentally-conscious customers who prioritize supporting sustainable agriculture practices. This audience would resonate with messaging centered around the sustainability of the company’s snacks, including the use of organic ingredients and the environmental impact (or lack thereof) of their packaging materials.

With psychographic audience segmentation, you can categorize your audience based on their personality traits, interests, values, and beliefs.

Consider an environmentally conscious clothing brand that could use psychographic audience segmentation to identify different groups of potential customers. They might target customers who are interested in either fashion, sustainability, or both and tailor (no pun intended) their messaging to resonate with the preferences of each group.

For fashion enthusiasts, the brand can create messaging that showcases their clothing items being worn by young professionals who exude an air of success and confidence. This approach appeals to the fashion-forward audience and aligns with their desire for stylish apparel.

Alternatively, for consumers deeply committed to sustainability, the brand can emphasize their production practices and highlight how they source, process, and manufacture their items in an environmentally friendly manner. By positioning themselves as an ethical alternative to fast-fashion, they effectively connect with this audience’s values and aspirations for sustainable choices.

Technographic audience segmentation involves dividing a target market into groups based on their technology usage and preferences.

Take, for instance, a SaaS business. They can leverage technographic segmentation to identify different groups of potential customers with distinct interests, such as those seeking to streamline and automate their business operations or individuals looking for personal use of the platform. By understanding these groups, they can customize their marketing strategies to appeal to their specific goals and desires.

For example, when targeting businesses in need of a project management solution for team collaboration, the SaaS company can develop marketing messages that emphasize the program’s convenience, accessibility, and seamless integration with existing tools. Demonstrating its application within fast-growing businesses can further resonate with this audience.

On the other hand, the company can also target individuals such as students or solopreneurs seeking an efficient way to manage tasks and assignments. In this case, a marketing strategy involving partnerships with influencers who showcase the usefulness of the platform can effectively reach and engage this specific audience segment.

At the end of the day, audience segmentation is a matter of truly understanding your audience. It’s about recognizing that a one-size-fits-all approach won’t cut it. By segmenting your target market into different groups based on their location, beliefs, identities, and specific needs, you can create highly effective marketing campaigns that resonate with diverse types of customers or users.

Audience segmentation is a critical factor in achieving outstanding results, but it’s not always an easy task. But with the right platform, you can gain valuable insights to your potential customers. Armed with the knowledge of a customer’s likelihood to engage, purchase, or churn, you can tailor your marketing messages to be more effective and drive a higher ROI.

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