Audience Profiling

A target audience is a group of people that are most relevant and connected to a media product that is trying to be sold, hence the name target audience. Audience profiling allows me to find my specific target audience, which I can then cater my magazine, website and billboard for.
Before designing my target audience profile, their are some factors I must consider:

• Age
• Gender
• Religion
• Race
• Sexuality
• Education
• Occupation
• Annual Income
• Disposable income
• Current and Desired Lifestyle
• Media Interests
• Buying Habits

I can find out this information in many different methods.

Qualitative Research- This involves me asking questions to the public, whether it be via a group chat (such as my A2 Facebook group), questionnaires or face to face interviews. I could ask questions like "What is your gender?", "Do you enjoy reading magazines?" etc. This method allows me to be very detailed in what I am wanting to find out, and is much safer for defining the target audience as it gives me fresh information from my regional peers rather than figures and answers from the internet that could easily be outdated.

Socio- Economic Research- This method includes finding out the right economic class for my targeted audience, and who my product would appeal too. There are traditionally three classes; upper, middle and working class. Upper is seen to be the wealthiest people and working the poorest. I do not think this is a good method to use for defining my target audience, as I want my magazine to be available to all socio- economic classes. I will price my magazine at £2.99 for a months issue, which I think may be affordable for most students, if they prioritise their money correctly. I also do not want to design a magazine that targets a certain class, as I want to welcome all classes to read it.

Demographic Table

Demographic Research- The purpose of a demographic chart is to define the adult population largely by the work that the do. This is a very common and traditional method when audience profiling, as it helps narrow down the search for the best target audience. The chart breaks down the entire population of adults into six groups. The chart labels each group depending on their status and income. I prefer this method a lot more than the socio- economic class groups, as it can range over one or more groups, whereas the classes are restricted to one. This gives me more variety in finding my target audience.

Psychographic Table

Psychographics- This is similar to demographics, but it deals more with peoples behaviour and personality rather than the work they do. For example, a loud party animal would be separated into a different group than a shy introvert person. However this method is not meant to be discriminatory. For my own products, I am looking at the audiences who are Mainstreamers, Succeeders, Aspirers and Explorers. This is also a good method for audience profiling as it allows me to choose my readers from more than one group.

Age and Sex- Although obvious, this is a very important part of defining the audience profile, as I need to decide the gender and age group before designing my products. I want to create an older teenage girls magazine, as I feel like I will have the best knowledge about things they like, as I, myself, am a teenage girl.