Beyond demographics

Your agency wants to know the age, gender and income levels of your target audience. There’s nothing wrong with demographics. Traditionally, it’s how we narrow our advertising criteria on Facebook and Google. It’s a grouping mechanism.

But, it’s not the complete picture.

Here’s a scenario. Let’s assume you’re trying to sell air purifiers to 30-something year-old fathers who live in the US and earn over $30,000 a year. If I’m a 30-something years old father within that income range shopping for aromatherapy solutions, what would you have to do to resonate with me? Would you focus on demographics, i.e., my age, parental status and income level.

Now, let’s say I also happen to be an environmentalist. And, your product is sustainably made. In fact, it’s 100% biodegradable. Could this help sweeten the deal and make me say “yes.”

Here’s the thing.

Demographic data puts Sam Walton and LeBron James in the same box. In reality, different methods may be required to resonate with LeBron and Walton.

That’s where psychographics can be helpful.

Demographic data is one side of the coin. The other side, psychographics, is about a belief system. Psychographics focus on values, opinions, lifestyle. 

So, when you combine demographics and psychographics, you end up with a great deal of clarity on the people you seek to serve.