โMarketing, in general, was all about the mass audience. Now, itโs much more about communication to niche targeted audiences.โ โ Chris Gee, Head of Digital Strategy and Content, Burson-Marsteller
It is vital for businesses to connect with their target audience when creating an online presence. This brings into view the concept of the user persona, without which companies are liable to lose track of their audience base and falter in their success. A proficient company offering digital marketing services would find ways for their clients to build an enduring relationship with their respective target audiences, and creating a user persona would definitely be one way.
What is a User Persona?
User personas are fictitious users that are constructed with the help of sample data collected from actual users. A good digital agency would go about arranging a user persona by assigning creative strategists to correctly identify a brandโs potential target audience. User personas are not just hypothetical users - they are assigned a name, a picture of a real individual, skills, age, an educational level, and a geographical location.
Apart from these detailed traits, these users are given a set objective that they are to complete while visiting the company website. On analysing such specific website behaviour, User Interface Designers are better able to gauge how a certain user would go about the website, based on which, certain parts of the website, along with the user engagement process, is optimised.
Why Are User Personas Necessary?
When it comes to a hypothetical user that is prototypical of a diverse audience, a high level of detail helps UI designers understand the psychology of real users better. This allows companies to create a roadmap of predictive behaviour when the user is confronted with their products and services. Personas also help design teams to make customised website optimization effectively for search engines, along with content creators who can now craft personalised, engaging, and relatable content. An indispensable tool that can accelerate developmental processes, user personas help clarify end goals and allow companies to employ effective business strategies.
How Many Personas Does One Need?
As most businesses tend to target multiple and diverse audiences, there arises a need for more than one user persona. While there are no limitations when it comes to the creation of user personas, it would be problematic to have too many. Quality and diversity trump quantity, as it is fruitless to have multiple user personas that closely resemble one another. A good rule of thumb is to use no more than 4 user personas to garner a good understanding of target audience behaviour. One can group their audiences under four subsets and proceed to act accordingly.
Final Thoughts
When creating an online presence, it is impossible to satisfy all preferences and demographics. However, if one takes out the time to create a well thought-out and data-backed user persona, a brand can make sure that their diverse audience has positive interactions with them, eventually resulting in quality lead conversions and loyalty. Hence, having a user persona that connects with your target audience on a personal level will result in increased revenue and brand value. With the help of a user persona, you can remain at the top of your game, while navigating successfully through the uncertain and volatile business world.
