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Website Design For your Target Audience
A common misconception when planning marketing moves is that people want to attract “everyone.” But everyone is different. There should always be an intended audience who will be the most impacted with your brand’s message.
Your website is likely the first touch point with your audience. This opens up a world of options of how to show the user who your company is and how useful you can be to them. The more defined you can get with who they are, the better you can speak and relate to them.
So who should you target? You tell me…
Consider This
What age is your user? What’s going on in their lives? What are their priorities at the moment? If you can specify not only the age range, but also their current interests, you can design around what will resonate with them.
What are their interests? What will catch their eye?
Are they “tech-savy?” Is it best to have a clear and simple website, or do they want a wow-factor?
What type of emotion do they have prior to visiting your website? Are they there on their free time? Are they angry and looking for something specific?.. Do not serve the angry user any fluff. Don’t make them wait for your page to load animations or make them read in-between the lines to understand content metaphors! The users casually browsing are more likely to appreciate the extra touches.
What task is this person performing? Each user has landed on your website for a reason. They need to: find something, get something, or get somewhere. This will play a major role in the hierarchy of information displayed, which should be intuitive to navigate through.
For Example
Think about what type of person these two car companies are looking to attract…
Some people would not take any notice to all those safety banners, but to Subaru’s target audience this matters most to them. A parent who has reliability as their main concern would be a common user type who is attracted to this site.
Lexus is selling class to their customers. And that is shown through their web design. Their website is sleek and not only reads, but looks like luxury. Their target audience is searching for this cool-factor and although safety is always expected, it does not need to be showcased to them right away.
Both companies use colour wisely to support their message. Subaru’s banners are highlighted with blue… the colour most commonly associated in marketing with security, dependability, and trust… Whereas the bright red extra-glossy Lexus car is exciting, youthful, and bold.
We have a preconceived notion of the reputation these large companies because they are so familiar to us. The reason for their success is that they are selling to the right people and doing this consistently throughout their marketing. The reality is that you can find a (somewhat) similar sporty car on Subaru’s website, as you can on Lexus, but it’s how the branding is being sold that makes the difference online.
Remember
You are not your target audience. Your design needs to serve the right purpose. It is easy to get excited about the newest web design trends, but that’s not going to work for every site.
Someone has landed on your website because they need something. How you respond to them is how you will be remembered.
Need help targeting the right audience? Let’s Chat!