Understanding demographics

This is the beginnings of us getting to know who is in our ideal audience. We’ll start with broad brushstrokes (demographics), and fill in the details as we go along.

Remember that imagined scenario, in which I asked you to picture someone in the very act of doing exactly what you want them to do? Open your workbook to page 14, and write what they are doing in the first box. Paint a good picture for yourself.

Keeping that moment in your mind’s eye, in the second box, write down anything you can observe about them - are they in an office? their home? your shop? Are they wearing jeans? a suit? a princess costume? Are they alone or with colleagues? significant other? children? acolytes? What else?

Now, make some educated guesses (the best you can do, using your common sense and your knowledge of anyone who has engaged with you or bought from you so far) to answer the questions in the rest of the boxes on pages 14 and 15.

If you find yourself getting stuck, use the hints and tips I’ve provided for each of the questions, below.

Hints and tips

  • Gender identity

    How they identify matters just as much as biology. It matters to know whether they even think about gender identity (their own or anyone else’s), because this will give you some insights into their values later. Paying attention to their gender identities will also help you make some (basic, broad brushstroke) assumptions about their interests and where they find belonging.

  • Age

    Age is helpful to think about because it might be a trick question. If you make onesies for babies, the babies themselves aren’t likely to be your target audience! You might think of parents, but also grandparents, and friends… Think about who is in the stage of life to want, have access to, and afford what it is you are doing or sharing.

  • Where they live

    Start by thinking geographically. Perhaps you have an online shop, but that doesn’t mean “the whole world” is your audience’s location. Narrow it down to people who shop in your language, places with reliable internet access, and places where the post is affordable and reliable. Next, think about who they live with. Are they in a uni dorm? Family home? Share house?

  • Information & connections

    My mother gets her information from books and newsletters, her news from the TV, and social belonging from a number of local clubs (gardening groups, the historical society). Other people get their information from Wikipedia, their news from Twitter, and social connections from WhatsApp groups. Think about how your ideal audience (the people you pictured in your mind during our vision casting) get informed and connected.

  • Appearance

    How do they like to dress? Style their hair? Accessorise? Are they conscious about their appearance, or less mindful about it? Try to separate how they really look from how they might want to look. For example, some of us aspire to an all-natural look but still choose to wear makeup and dye their hair. (Guilty). Their appearance isn’t so much about looks as it is about understanding what motivates them to show up in the world in a certain way.

  • Work

    If they work, where do they work? If they don’t work, what do they do through the day? Don’t just note down their careers, think about physically where they work (city or country? office or classroom? indoors or outdoors?). What does their workspace look like? (cluttered or minimal? small or spacious? well-lit or gloomy?) Now make notes about how they spend their time. What might a typical day look like?

  • Income

    Don’t feel awkward about thinking about income. If you are selling something, not everyone can afford it! Even if you’re not selling, who has the time to engage with you (if they have to work three jobs to make ends meet, maybe they don’t have the time). Who can afford what they need to access your content? (Does it require Internet access? Transport somewhere? Specific tools or resources?) Your “right people” can afford you.