Learning & Laughter 21 - Know Your Target Audience
When creating our niche websites it is important to know your target audience. What information are they seeking is something you need to know so you can provide it for them within your website content. In addition to supplying your target audience with the information they crave, you also must present it to them in a way that will grab their attention.
HEADINGS & IMAGES
Seeing how a lot of website readers are “skimmers” meaning they will skim through content instead of reading it all the way through, it is important that you have captivating heading tags. If you can grab the attention of your website readers with a heading tag that makes them want to keep reading, you will convert them from a skimmer into a reader. Even images can be used to grab their attention.
They say that an image is worth a thousand words and this is true. Pinterest and Instagram are built on the use of sharing images because an image will grab someone’s attention far more than a block of content. However you do need both to get your point across. Sometimes the text within an image can be enough to convey the message you are trying to send, and then again…
But when considering your target audience you also may want to take into account the culture of these people. Often times the vocabulary of the audience of another country will be different from that of your own. Words that they may use on an everyday basis that you may not use or maybe even find offensive, can be considered in using if you feel comfortable about it. If not, find a synonym.
There will be times that a synonym may not be possible or will totally misrepresent a product. So what would you do? Personally I would call it by its given name no matter what it is called. But what about you? How would you go about writing content for this next item? Would you call it by what is on the package?
Yes the languages and cultures of other countries can be problematic at times and maybe a bit funny, which is part of the purpose of this blog, but it always makes me wonder, how many of these naming faux pas are there in the world of consumer products? Doesn’t the name of this cream or crème sound delicious?
SEEK OUT YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE
When it comes to your target audience you not only have to understand what information they seek and how to present it to them, but you also must go to where they are to advertise what you are trying to sell. Yes, getting high Google rankings will help to drive traffic and potential customers to your website, but if you do not rank high enough what are your other options?
You need to seek out your target audience. Go to where they hang out and advertise there. Obviously in this day and age, the place where different groups hang out are on social media. Personally I have doubled, maybe even tripled my website traffic by joining social media communities or groups belonging to my target audience.
Whatever your niche is there is bound to be a social media community or group that caters to that niche. Join these groups and begin networking with these other people and sharing your content as well as engage in what they share. One might possibly think that the target audience for these images in this blog are sex related or body parts…
There is a saying that “sex sells” which means that you add some sexiness to an advertisement, whether it is for a man or a woman, and it will have a good chance to sell. NOTE: I AM NOT SUGGESTING YOU DO THAT WITH YOUR WEBSITE CONTENT! I am just pointing out a fact here and leading up to the end of this blog.
One culture that tends to use sexuality in their ads a lot is the Latino culture. Have any of you ever watched the Spanish channels? Some of their shows and commercials can be quite uhm……exciting. LOL To give you a comical example of what I am talking about, check out the stand-up routine by Gabriel Iglesias at the below link.
Recent Comments
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Writing for an international audience is a little intimidating for me. Can you offer a few tips on how you approach writing to the world.
Just be yourself and write as though you are explaining something to your best friend or family member. Writing content is no different than communicating by talking except instead to speaking your words you are typing them out.
General Motors successfully marketed the Nova for many years during the muscle car era in America.
It didn't sell so well in Mexico though - Nova could be taken as "No Go" in Spanish. Kinda put a damper on sales!
Thanks for the chuckles ;)
Dennis
LOL, I remember the Nova. During it's first production run when it was a muscle car I was too young to drive one. In it's short 2nd production run when it was a subcompact it probably would have fit the "No Go" name more appropriately. The 1985 to 1988 Nova was ugly!
You are welcome. In addition to high Google rankings, social media is another key for getting targeted traffic to your website. It will actually work faster than Google because you are seeking that targeted traffic instead of waiting for them to find you on Google.
Thank you! - I get my pictures from either my friends who send them to me in emails or from Pinterest and Facebook.
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Hey Robert, funny stuff. The German stuff you have in there actually means 'Thick Milk' and looks like spoiled. But it is 'soured milk', similar to yogurt, and excellent for making summer desserts (with berries). Do they sell it in Yankee Land?
John
Not that I know of but I am sure you could find it somewhere in NYC.