What audience should your PR efforts target? Identify them with these key steps.

Overview

Identifying the target audience is a crucial step in any public relations campaign.

It helps PR professionals to tailor their messages and communication strategies to the right audience, resulting in better engagement, increased brand awareness, and improved reputation.

Two well-known global brands that have successfully used this strategy are Nike and Coca-Cola.

Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign was targeted towards young and active individuals who were passionate about sports and fitness.

Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign was targeted towards millennials, encouraging them to share a Coke with friends and family.

How to Identify Target Audience

The process of identifying the target audience involves several steps and roles:

1. Researcher: Conducts research to identify the demographics, psychographics, and behaviors of the target audience.
2. Analyst: Analyzes the research data to identify patterns and trends that can inform the PR strategy.
3. Strategist: Develops the PR strategy based on the research and analysis, identifying key messages, channels, and tactics.
4. Communicator: Creates and delivers the PR messages to the target audience through various channels, such as media, social media, events, and influencers.
5. Evaluator: Measures the effectiveness of the PR campaign in reaching and engaging the target audience, using metrics such as reach, engagement, sentiment, and conversion.

Best Practices

• Define the target audience based on demographics, psychographics, and behaviors.
• Use research and analysis to inform the PR strategy.
• Develop key messages that resonate with the target audience.
• Choose the right channels and tactics to reach the target audience.
• Measure the effectiveness of the PR campaign using relevant metrics.
• Continuously refine and adjust the PR strategy based on feedback and results.

Examples

Here are two potential examples of how small businesses can identify their target audience:

1. Coffee Shop: The coffee shop owner can conduct a survey among their customers to identify their demographics, preferences, and behaviors. Based on the survey results, the owner can develop a PR strategy that targets young professionals who are coffee enthusiasts and value quality and convenience. The owner can use social media, local events, and influencer marketing to reach this target audience.
2. Online Store: The online store owner can use Google Analytics to analyze the traffic and behavior of their website visitors. Based on the analytics data, the owner can identify the most popular products, the geographic location of the visitors, and the devices they use. The owner can develop a PR strategy that targets tech-savvy millennials who are interested in eco-friendly and affordable products. The owner can use email marketing, social media, and online ads to reach this target audience.