Targeting, meaning...

Advertising has become an inseparable element of the online space. How to make the message reach exactly those who are interested in it? The answer is targeting. It is nothing more than precise guiding of your ads to reach specific groups of recipients.

When a user browses the Internet, they leave behind so-called digital traces. These can be clicks on a website, content viewed or behavior on social media. Companies collect this information, analyze it and thus draw conclusions about interests, preferences or even shopping behavior. It is these analyses that form the basis for creating personalized ads.

What does it look like in practice? First of all, you need to understand your target audience. If the company sells clothes for young people, then advertising aimed at pensioners may not bring the expected results. It is also important to use the available tools offered by advertising platforms, such as Facebook or Google. They allow you to set parameters for your target group so that your ad reaches only those who meet certain criteria. So you can choose to see the message only residents of a specific city, in a specific age range, who are interested in ex. traveling and cooking.

Interested in this topic? Do you want to expand your competences? Check out online training in many different fields. This kind of online training is a convenient way to learn new things.

Targeting – understand your audience

Getting to know the audience is more than answering questions such as "who are they?" and "how old are they?". You need to go deeper, understand their desires, needs, habits and aspirations, what choices they make, when they use the Internet, what content they read, what videos they watch and which social media they choose.

To do this, it is worth reaching for analytical tools that can provide valuable information. One should conduct market research, consulting with people who are in contact with the target group. All this to build an image of recipients not only as a data set, but as a group of people with passions, goals and problems.

What is the most important information about your audience?

• First of all, age and gender. Depending on whether the products are aimed at younger or older people, men or women, the message should be prepared in such a way that it can appeal to their taste.
• Location is another important element. It is worth knowing in which region or city potential customers are located, because it affects their needs and preferences. For example, if you're advertising a grocery store, location information will help promote products that are popular in your area.
• Interests: is it travel, healthy lifestyle, fashion or technology? Learning about your passion allows you to tailor your ad to make it more appealing to your audience.

So how do you choose the right target group? Defining the perfect persona is a good start. It is an idea of one specific, fictitious customer that is representative of the group the advertiser wants to reach.

To do this, it is necessary to answer the questions: how old is this person? What gender are they? Where do they live? What are their interests and passions? What problems can they have, which your offer can solve? Thanks to this, step by step, the image of a person to whom advertising messages will be directed emerges.

Now you can use the advertising tools available on online platforms. They will facilitate the selection of the target group according to criteria such as age, gender, location, interests or online behavior. Do you want to learn more about advertising, social media? The Webinar Universe training platform is a place where you will find a lot of materials on topics that interest you.

Targeting – wide and narrow circle

We are talking about two main types of audiences: broad and narrow. The distinction between them lies in the degree of precision with which the ad is targeted to a specific group.

Broad audiences refer to campaigns that target a larger number of people without specifically defining their characteristics. This approach can be useful for products or services with high versatility that may be of interest to diverse groups of people.

Ads targeted to a wide audience often rely on emotional messages and appeal to generic values to reach as many potential customers as possible. In contrast, a narrow audience is an approach in which the campaign is precisely targeted at a very specific group of people. It's all about specificity, focusing on clear characteristics such as age, gender, interests or location.

Ads targeted to a narrow circle are usually more personalized and tailored to the specific needs and preferences of this group.Example: a fishing accessories shop. If the owner wants to reach a wide audience, they can bet on general advertising, showing the joy of fishing and high-quality products. However, in the case of a narrow circle, such as fishing enthusiasts aged 25-40 in a specific area, advertising should be more specific. It can show accurate models of rods and lures that are popular among this group, and refer to the passion and challenges of fishing.

Targeting - Custom audiences

Custom audiences, also called niche or atypical, are groups of people with unique characteristics, interests, or needs that deviate from the mainstream. These are smaller groups, but more selected and specific. Recognizing them is of great importance for online advertising and campaigns.

Recognizing a custom audience requires flexibility and creativity from your business. Often you have to think outside the box and go beyond the beaten paths. Such campaigns often use emotions, trivia or humor that will appeal to the audience on a personal level.

Custom audiences can be very valuable customers because they are more likely to engage with your offer. Advertising targeted at them can trigger stronger reactions. It is also a group that has a better chance to gain loyalty if they feel that the company understands their needs and provides value tailored to their specific expectations.

Targeting – Audience vs. Ad

Choosing the right ad for specific recipients is of great importance for the success of the campaign. The right ad is one that conveys exactly what your audience wants to hear.

It is crucial to use what is already known about the target group, what data was obtained during analyzes and research. If your audience likes to cook, they'll appreciate a creation with interesting recipes and the latest kitchen gadgets. If they are lovers of extreme sports, a dose of adrenaline will not hurt.

It is also extremely important to adjust the tone of the message. Advertising should refer to emotions that the target audience understands. If they are young people who love laughter, a funny joke can work. If they are people looking for a solution to a specific problem, arguments and ready-made solutions will work better.

Every element of advertising matters. It all forms a coherent picture. Graphics, colors, photos or video – these elements must match the character of the target group, as well as each other.

It is also worth experimenting. In online advertising, you can test different variants and see which ones generate better results. It may turn out that adding a bit of humor to the form or changing the title will bring a much better effect.

Skillful targeting is a fundamental element of effective campaigns. Understanding your target groups, customizing your message and recognizing your non-standard audiences are important for the success of your promotion. Good advertising on the Internet not only attracts attention, but also encourages reactions, and above all allows the company to stand out from other similar brands.