Audience Analysis: Example, Methods and Use Cases

Understanding the target audience is the first step toward business success. The more you know about the audience, the more you can tailor your offerings. And one of the best ways to do this is through audience analysis. 

In this blog, we will discuss the importance of audience analysis, different methods to try out, the use cases, and more. 

Here are some links to help you jump to your preferred sections. 

• What is audience analysis?
• Audience analysis vs research
• Audience analysis methods
• Audience analysis use cases

Let’s get started!

What Is Audience Analysis?

Audience analysis is a systematic approach to understanding your audience’s preferences, needs, and expectations. 

Think of it this way. You are thinking about creating a product. But without learning what the customers (audiences) want or needs, you can’t make a sellable product. This is where audience analysis comes in. 

Now, the question arises. Is there any difference between audience analysis and research? Let’s have a look at it. 

Audience Analysis vs Audience Research

While audience analysis and research may sound the same, it caters to different outcomes. You already have an idea of what audience analysis is. So, here’s a simple definition of audience research. 

Audience research is the process of collecting, using methods like surveys and focus groups, and analyzing audience feedback. 

Refer to the following table to learn about the difference between the two terms.  

Hope you have got a better distinction between the two concepts. If you still want to learn more, here’s something for you to look into - Audience research guide. 

5 Different Types of Audience Analysis Methods

There are different types of methods you can use for audience analysis. The following listed are five of the most crucial ones. Have a look at them.

1. Demographic Audience Analysis

This analysis method involves segmenting the audience based on quantifiable characteristics. And that's not it. It also offers a foundational understanding of who the audience is.

The following are the quantifiable characteristics we mentioned.

• Age
• Gender
• Income levels
• Education level
• Occupation

An example of a demographic audience analysis is given below.

A company launching a new product did a demographic analysis of their target audience characteristics and found it to be the following.

• Age: 25-35
• Gender: Any
• Occupation: IT professionals
• Education level: Undergraduate
• Income level: $15K - $30K

Related Read: Best Demographic Survey Questions.

2. Psychographic Analysis

If you want to learn the psychological aspects of your target audience. This includes their interests, hobbies, lifestyle, and so on. These aspects help us understand why audiences behave the way they do.

Let's take a health food brand for example. The psychographic analysis of the brand is to target health conscious audiences who value organic products.

3. Behavioral Analysis

While psychographics look into the WHY, the behavioral analysis focuses on the HOW. It allows us to understand how the audience interacts with the products. It examines patterns in audience behavior that can tailor the strategies.

Some areas of focus during the analysis are -

• The purchasing habits of the audience.
• Understanding the metrics to build customer loyalty.
• Usage patterns of products by the audience.

To give you a proper idea, let's consider an eCommerce platform. It analyzes user behavior to determine which products are frequently viewed together. Thus it helps provide insights to build effective cross-selling strategies.

4. Situational Analysis

This is where you learn about the context in which the audience engages with the products. It helps identify factors that influence engagement levels among them.

Some key areas of focus here are as follows.

• Audience size
• How often (frequency in which) the audience interacts with your product
• Their preferred channels for the brands to reach out to them

To give you an example, consider a nonprofit organization. They might do an analysis to understand situational factors to determine the best way and time to engage with their supporters.

5. Geographic Analysis

This is done to learn the prime location of the audiences and the geographic factors that could influence their preferences and behaviors. This includes looking into the following.

• Country/Region/Cities
• Local trends and events

A restaurant chain using geographical analysis to adapt the menu offering based on local tastes - that's a proper example. Take the case of McDonald's and how their menu differs in India in comparison to the USA.

Use Cases of Audience Analysis

The following are some common use cases of audience analysis. We will go through each to let you understand the importance of the analysis method. 

1. Customer Behavior

Understanding how customers behave is key to providing what they want. Here’s how audience analysis helps with this.

Learning About Customers:

By looking at audience data, you can find out how people act both online (like on social media) and offline (like in stores). This data shows what products they like and who influences them.

Finding What They Want:

Instead of just knowing that certain people might go to a spa, audience analysis helps you discover what specific treatments they prefer.

For example, if young professionals are stressed from work, you might find that they would love quick relaxation massages or short spa treatments that fit into their busy lives.

Targeted Marketing:

With this information, you can create marketing messages that speak directly to different groups.

Instead of using the same message for everyone, you can address each person's needs. This makes customers feel understood and more likely to choose your services, which builds loyalty over time.

2. Make Bold Business Moves

Growing a business often means taking risks, but it’s important to make these decisions based on good information. Here’s how audience analysis helps with risk-taking.

Making Smart Choices:

Audience analysis helps you ask the right questions about your customers. For example, if most of your customers are younger, you might want to create products that appeal to them, like cheaper options or eco-friendly items.

Adjusting Your Strategy:

If you want to expand your business or introduce new products, knowing your audience helps you plan better.

For instance, if younger customers care about sustainability, offering eco-friendly products could be a great idea. On the other hand, if your target audience isn’t very tech-savvy, sending interesting newsletters via email might work better than relying only on social media.

Reducing Uncertainty:

By using audience insights, you can lower the chances of making mistakes with new ideas. When you know what your customers like and need, you can make choices that are more likely to succeed.

Takeaway

Audience analysis is undoubtedly one of the best ways to understand customer expectations, preferences, and needs. There are different audience analysis methods, each helping you understand a certain aspect of your audience. 

But the question remains - what tool to use? 

If you don’t have an idea where to start, might we suggest SurveySparrow? 

The tool is one of the best voice of customer tools out there. From helping you understand the underlying audience emotions to key drivers of your business and more, the tool helps get a comprehensive picture of your target audience. 

Its real time reporting and analysis allows you to immediately spot dissatisfied customers and take prompt action to resolve their issues. 

Furthermore, you can collect feedback from your customer’s preferred channel, leading to a better response rate. 

If you are interested in checking out the tool, you can always use its free version. You can build up to 3 surveys and collect 50 responses per month. Plus, you will get access to an AI survey builder, 1000+ templates, 10+ channels to share the surveys, and more.