Audience Analysis
- Websites and MarketingIn the vast majority of organisations, dealing with the customer interface is a marketing task. In the context of web design, the web site can be thought of as the 'interface' for the service or product, with the audience being thought of as the 'customer'.
- Without accurate identification of the audience, it is impossible to design a web site as an effective means of communication.
Market Segmentation
- Identification of a web site audience is usually achieved using a technique called Market Segmentation, wherein everyone with access to the web site is divided up into more specific segments.
- The four main levels of market segmentation are:
- » Mass marketing - The total audience (e.g. BBC news)
- » Segment marketing - Broad segment of the total audience (e.g. Amazon)
- » Niche marketing - Subgroup within a segment (e.g. Rare book seller)
- » Micromarketing - Specific individuals or locations (e.g. Student module resource)
- In traditional marketing there are three types of market, all of which require different bases of segmentation:
- Consumer MarketsGenerally regarded as the most important. The Consumer Market for goods can be regarded as similar to the situation relating to personal access to websites.
- The four major bases for segmenting Consumer Markets are:
- » Geography – An individual's location
- » Demography – An individual’s personal attributes
- » Psychographic issues – An individual’s social class, lifestyle and personality
- » Behaviour – An individual’s relationship with the website
- Business Markets"Business use" of web sites refers to business-to-business (B2B) i.e. booking business travel, purchasing equipment, analysing competition.
- Bases for segmenting Business Markets include:
- » Demographics – Industry type, company size, location
- » Operating Variables - technologies, customer expertise
- » Uses of Websites - reference material, for purchasing, to analyse competition
- » Situational Factors - Urgency of use, intensity of use
- » Personal Characteristics - Loyalty, attitude to website
- International Markets
Typical bases for segmenting International Markets include:
- » Geographical - Location, climate, language, culture
- » Legal - Copyright laws, patenting, design rights
Effective Segmentation
- It is important to have guidelines as to whether segmentation will be effective or not. Is the segment:
- » Measurable - Can it be measured in context?
- » Accessible - For whom is was intended?
- » Substantial - Of interest to only a few people?
- » Differentiable - Is there a difference between segments?
- » Actionable - Enough resources to cope with the segment?
