With so many different types of apps being launched daily on Google and Apple app stores, standing out from your competition and garnering good traffic is not an easy feat. If not given proper attention, there is a very high risk of your app getting lost in the crowd. But what is the solution? For more people to notice and install your mobile app, it is crucial to convince the users that your app is the best solution for their needs.
If you want your mobile app to generate more revenue, the most critical step is to identify your target audience. Without focusing on a specific customer base, marketing your mobile app won’t provide much success. In fact, the incorrect identification of their target demography accounts for 14% of startup failures, according to CB Insights’ analysis of the failure of 253 startups. Once you have this insight, you can use it to develop advertisements that are tailored to their interests. This will enable you to make the most of your advertising budget and ensure that the individuals who are most likely to be interested in your app are seeing it.
But how to ensure that? To make things easier, we have put together a guide on defining your target audience for mobile apps. But before diving into it, let’s understand what the term ‘target audience’ entails.
What is a target audience?
A target audience is a subset of the population that a company or organisation strives to reach with its product. Age, gender, interests, and income frequently define this group. In simple terms, your target audience refers to a group of people who are most likely to be interested in your product or mobile app.
One of the things that make target marketing so effective is the fact that it is very versatile. You can use it to reach people on different platforms. For example, suppose you want to market your mobile app. In that case, To reach a certain audience more likely to be interested in your services, you can use youtube or facebook audience targeting.
How can defining a target audience help your mobile app?
Defining the target audience for your mobile app ensures that your efforts don’t go to waste. Here are some more reasons why it is crucial to identify your target audience:
- By shortlisting the people who are interested in your app and will benefit from it, you can save so much time and resources and more effectively reach potential customers and convert them into paying customers.
- Additionally, you can start coming up with ideas on how to reach a larger audience if you are aware of who your app is actually built for.
- That’s not all! Defining your target audience can also help you scale fast.
- It improves understanding of your users’ demands and boosts client satisfaction. Knowing your target market can help you establish an efficient marketing plan and products or services properly tailored to their requirements. As a result, your app’s value will increase as more and more users become interested in it.
How can you define a target audience for mobile apps?
So, who is your target audience? Since the target audience for each mobile app will vary, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. You need to consider various factors when defining the target audience for your specific app.
Now that we know how important it is to define a target audience for mobile apps, let’s understand how you can accomplish it. If you are looking to determine the target audience for your mobile app, here are a few key steps that you can take:
1. Identifying the demographics of the target audience.
As we previously explained, a subset of people who fit a particular demographic makes up your target audience. If you want your app to reach a maximum number of people, it is essential to pay attention to the following demographics:
i. Age
Identifying the age range that your mobile apps are intended for is crucial if you want them to be profitable. For example, youngsters and people in their 20s will logically be the target audience if you launch a photo editing app with entertaining filters. On the other hand, an app that reminds users to take their medications will target the elderly. For best outcomes, we recommend that your age range should not exceed one generation.
ii. Gender
While marketing your app, it is important to keep the gender of your target audience in mind. If you want to promote a period-tracking app, women should be your target audience. Gender-specific browsing habits are another factor to take into account when choosing the target market for your mobile app.
iii. Language
Language is a crucial factor you must consider when defining your app’s target audience. For instance, if your app is in French, only francophones will be regarded as potential users.
iv. Profession
When considering your target audience, their profession is a highly important demographic because it will affect their income level and the time spent using mobile apps.
v. Interests
When establishing a target audience for your app, user interests are a crucial demographic to take into account. Your app won’t generate much revenue if you continue pitching it to a group of people who are uninterested in it. Additionally, you can create more successful ads and services by researching their interests.
2. Carry out market research.
We recommend conducting in-depth marketing research if you want to identify your target audience correctly. Additionally, market research entails keeping a close eye on your competitors. For an in-depth analysis, you need to answer questions like how they market their apps, how they satisfy customer requests, what percentage of users are satisfied with them, and what their strengths and weaknesses are. This knowledge can help you fill a market gap and distinguish yourself from your competitors.
A further benefit of market research is that it provides clear insights into the methods used by competitor apps to identify their intended user base. Thorough market research is also helpful in identifying potential risks, which lowers the probability of failure. But how to effectively analyse the market? Here are a few things that can help:
i. Compile insights and statistics.
When defining your target audience, gathering insights and statistics on market trends, user demands, app usage, and the sector your app will serve is pivotal.
ii. Analyse trends.
We live in a fast-paced world where new trends emerge every day. If you want your app to scale new heights, it is essential to be up to date with all the latest trends. Use tools like Google Trends and AdWords to determine market trends and what users are genuinely interested in. You can develop a more targeted marketing strategy by doing this.
iii. Conduct surveys
Surveys are an excellent tool for understanding the needs and demands of your users. It can provide clear insights into what the market lacks and which demographics you should target when developing your user base.
iv. Study user reviews
Examining user reviews on app stores is another brilliant technique for understanding the needs and qualms of users.
3. Gain a clear understanding of your product’s value.
Before identifying your target audience, it is essential to understand your product or app’s value clearly. Since the success of your mobile app depends on users who will benefit from your product, it is vital to clearly communicate the benefits of your app and services.
You can begin by answering some fundamental questions like what is the purpose of your app, what makes it different from other apps available in the market, and how will the users benefit from installing your mobile app? While analysing user behaviour over time and market search is key to answering these questions effectively, this will help you establish the framework for your strategy for generating subscribers and profits.
4. Create user personas.
Building user personas for your apps is a wise marketing strategy as it helps visualise your target audience. After you have chosen a smaller group of demographics to target, it is crucial to turn your attention to their behavioural trends to create user personas. For example, the age, gender and income level of a group will influence their browsing patterns. You can study these patterns to understand the right audience for your mobile app clearly.
Building user personas will help you with data systematisation and developing a user-friendly layout. User persons can also help clearly outline your product’s features and ensure that they are communicated to potential users. You can also use it to develop a more effective UI/UX design and tailor your product to satisfy the needs of your target audience.
Final Verdict
Once you have a clear understanding of who your target audience is, you can start tailoring your app accordingly. This process involves designing an interface that is user-friendly for a particular age group or gender that you are targeting or ensuring that the language and cultural references are appropriate.
As opposed to making a generic app and crossing your fingers, you have a far better chance of success if you can develop an app that specifically caters to the requirements and demands of your target audience. So, we recommend you spend some time getting to know your target audience and designing your app accordingly.
But, while finding the target audience for your business can significantly boost your profits, it is essential to remember that it is not an easy feat. It takes a lot of trial and error, so don’t give up if your initial attempts are unsuccessful. Keep trying until you perfect the technique.
