Defining Audiences and Targeting Information on the Web

Let's take a look at some traditional communication methods to learn more about defining and targeting. These are important steps in any type of communication and vitally important on the Internet because any person accessing the network is a potential audience member.

Internet users must initiate the communication activity by visiting our Web site and joining our communication efforts. In a way we are in a receptive position in this type of communication, and the only way we can initiate it is to attract customers or other interested parties. The end users can and will choose to communicate based on their needs. Our strongest method in this process is the development of engaging content for the end user.

But to do so we must first know who it is we wish to communicate with. Defining our prospective audience involves looking at our current customers, if possible, and determining why they are our customers and how and what we communicate with them now. If we don't have a current communication model, we can develop a model for the end user we wish to engage. Deciding who we wish to communicate with is vital on the Internet.

Once we know who we are trying to interact with, we can then determine what we are trying to communicate about. Then we can target information and presentations in an appropriate manner. If we are trying to sell a particular product to a known audience, then we can build a Web site that provides the information and transaction systems to do so. If we know our audience is looking for detailed information, we can supply it.

This is true in any media, not just the Internet. The first question a writer, speaker, or producer asks is, "Who is the audience?" Everything else is based on this answer. Successful marketing and communication efforts are targeted at specific audiences. Television advertising campaigns are excellent examples, though these are general and very stereotypical. Daytime television shows carry ads for domestic products targeted at homemakers. Children's cartoon shows carry advertising for toys targeted at children. Sports programs generally carry ads for tools and trucks targeted at the generally male audiences of these programs. Television ads are very expensive to produce and distribute, so they must be used in appropriate media channels to justify their use. They are targeted at specific audiences by the programming they are run with.

Our favorite Web sites contain information and other presentations that are valuable to us for some reason. They engage us with their content and provide something that keeps us returning to their addresses. These Web sites have been targeted to specific audiences of which we are members.

On the Internet we must target information presentations to the audience we wish to reach. Doing so will attract and sustain communication with these audience members. With so many choices for communication available to the end user, it is very important that our Web sites and other efforts provide the information the audience is looking for. Serving the needs of the targeted audience is a primary goal in Internet communication and will result in positive communication for all parties.

Exercises

Understand the Concept of Defining an Audience

For discussion purposes, let's do another hypothetical exercise. Let's assume you have been given another assignment. This time you are asked to create and deliver a very short presentation about the favorite hobby of an unspecified audience. You are to give this talk at the end of the week, at an undisclosed location, using verbal communication and audiovisual technology support. You are doing this because this exercise asks you to. Using this information, answer the following three questions:

a)Identify the subject matter of your talk.
b)Define three different topics or subjects you wish to cover.
c)What is the single biggest question still unanswered at this point?

Understand the Targeting of Your Favorite Web Site

This exercise will help demonstrate the way information and presentations are targeted toward you on the Web. Answer the following questions:

a)Referring back to the previous chapter, what is your favorite Web site?
b)Why is it your favorite site?
c)What audience are you a member of if this site is your favorite?
d)How is this site specifically targeted at you? What information exchange is available that serves you as an audience member?

Understand How Targeting is Used on the Web

This exercise involves visiting a number of Web sites and investigating the ways they are targeted to specific audiences.

Point your browser to these Web site addresses and answer the same three questions in a general way for each of them.

  1. www.stopandshop.com

    Q1:What audience is targeted by this site?
    Q2:How is this site specifically targeted at this audience?
    Q3:What information exchange is available that serves this audience?
  2. www.more.com

    Q1:What audience is targeted by this site?
    Q2:How is this site specifically targeted at this audience?
    Q3:What information exchange is available that serves this audience?
  3. www.nasdaq.com

    Q1:What audience is targeted by this site?
    Q2:How is this site specifically targeted at this audience?
    Q3:What information exchange is available that serves this audience?
  4. www.firsttrade.com

    Q1:What audience is targeted by this site?
    Q2:How is this site specifically targeted at this audience?
    Q3:What information exchange is available that serves this audience?
  5. www.altavista.com

    Q1:What audience is targeted by this site?
    Q2:How is this site specifically targeted at this audience?
    Q3:What information exchange is available that serves this audience?
  6. www.artcom.com

    Q1:What audience is targeted by this site?
    Q2:How is this site specifically targeted at this audience?
    Q3:What information exchange is available that serves this audience?

Exercise Answers

Answers

For discussion purposes, let's do another hypothetical exercise. Let's assume you have been given another assignment. This time you are asked to create and deliver a very short presentation about the favorite hobby of an unspecified audience. You are to give this talk at the end of the week, at an undisclosed location, using verbal communication and audiovisual technology support. You are doing this because this exercise asks you to. Using this information, answer the following three questions:

a)Identify the subject matter of your talk.
Answer:Your answer will depend on the interests of the audience involved.

Without knowing who the audience is that we are supposed to address, we cannot proceed with this assignment.

b)Define three different topics or subjects you wish to cover.
Answer:Your answer will again depend on the interests of the audience involved.

Once we know the audience in this situation, we can define the favorite hobbies of its membership. Only then can the different topics of subjects for the presentation be determined.

c)What is the single biggest question still unanswered at this point?
Answer:Looking at the information that is supplied initially, the biggest question yet unanswered is the audience for this talk (the who).

If I were to give this talk to a group of school children, the presentation would be very different from that for a senior citizens organization. The what is fully dependent on the who. And I must know the who to determine the what. The where, when, why, and how can be used with any audience. The audiovisual equipment could be the same, the undisclosed location would not matter, and the time frame could stay the same.

But the audience plays a vital role in the situation. Without knowing the audience I have no idea what content or subject matter to include in my presentation. The presentation must be targeted to its audience.

The same is true for Web communication. The flexibility of the communications medium and the massive variety of information available on the Web mean that a successful presentation must be specifically targeted to the audience it is meant to serve.

Answers

This exercise will help demonstrate the way information and presentations are targeted toward you on the Web. Answer the following questions:

a)Referring back to the previous chapter, what is your favorite Web site?
Answer:Your answer will include your favorite Web site. Mine is used for discussion.

My favorite Web site is operated by the Cable News Network, cnn.com.

b)Why is it your favorite site?
Answer:Your answer will again be dependent on your interests. Mine is again used for discussion.

I like the instant access to domestic and international news, the overview of the technology marketplace, and the ability to access local weather on demand. I like to know what is going on regarding important issues and require weather information for my outdoor activities. This information is available at cnn.com and is refreshed on a regular basis, giving me reason to return often.

c)What audience are you a member of if this site is your favorite?
Answer:Your answer will define you as an audience member specific to your favorite Web site. Sincecnn.com is my favorite, I am a member of thecnn.com audience.

This audience is very broad and reaches horizontally across the entire user audience of the Internet. This audience desires news from an international source and may be educated or at least aware of the world in general.

d)How is this site specifically targeted at you? What information exchange is available that serves you as an audience member?
Answer:Your answer will be specific to your favorite Web site. Refer tocnn.com to discuss mine.

Since I'm interested in a number of topics, I like the large and varied amount of information available at this Web site. The home pages lists hundreds of articles and topics that I can browse and links to a variety of news stories and features that I may want to read. The customized information choices are also attractive and are accomplished using database interfaces.

This site is full of information that I want to know. The information is presented in a well-organized fashion and is updated regularly, which keeps me coming back daily or more often if a dynamic situation is happening in the world. I can access this information whenever I wish, and thus I am a satisfied member of this Web site audience.

Answers

This exercise involves visiting a number of Web sites and investigating the ways they are targeted to specific audiences.

Point your browser to these Web site addresses and answer the same three questions in a general way for each of them.

  1. www.stopandshop.com

    Q1:What audience is targeted by this site?
    Answer:Regular shoppers at a retail grocery chain.
    Q2:How is this site specifically targeted at this audience?
    Answer:Content is specifically targeted the broad audience of people who shop for groceries and have Internet access at home or work. The site serves Internet users in the geographical regions served by the retail stores.
    Q3:What information exchange is available that serves this audience?
    Answer:Information about special offers made at the retail sites and made through the Web site using downloadable coupons. A loyalty program for frequent users offering rebates based on usage is also available.
  2. www.more.com

    Q1:What audience is targeted by this site?
    Answer:Internet users at home or work who are interested in health products and information.
    Q2:How is this site specifically targeted at this audience?
    Answer:It supplies appropriate information on health issues and supplies related products in a direct sales model.
    Q3:What information exchange is available that serves this audience?
    Answer:A database interface makes customization available for regular users. Specialized information presentations and simplified on-line transactions based on captured data are created, similar to theamazon.com customer interface model.
  3. www.nasdaq.com

    Q1:What audience is targeted by this site?
    Answer:A broad group of end users interested in highly detailed information on current stock prices and activity on this and other stock markets.
    Q2:How is this site specifically targeted at this audience?
    Answer:It provides a comprehensive overview and detailed reporting ability on this market and its listings in real time (delayed by 15 minutes for proprietary reasons) as well as background and historical data.
    Q3:What information exchange is available that serves this audience?
    Answer:Since information is being captured in a database system in real time as the market operates and a lot of other information about the market itself is stored and updated, this data is made available through Web interface for end users.
  4. www.firsttrade.com

    Q1:What audience is targeted by this site?
    Answer:Serving a similar but more specific audience, this Web site is targeted to individuals that want to trade their own stocks and other financial instruments on the financial markets.
    Q2:How is this site specifically targeted at this audience?
    Answer:All of the in-depth information resources on this site are geared toward providing an inexpensive financial instrument trading service and assisting the customers of this service.
    Q3:What information exchange is available that serves this audience?
    Answer:A transaction system using database technology provides interactive customized interfaces for each customer and trading functionality for on-line buying and selling of financial instruments.
  5. www.altavista.com

    Q1:What audience is targeted by this site?
    Answer:A broad audience of Internet users who seek information on the Web.
    Q2:How is this site specifically targeted at this audience?
    Answer:Users can search for information using a key word search engine.
    Q3:What information exchange is available that serves this audience?
    Answer:A database containing text from every publicly available Web site is captured and stored in a powerful database. End users initiate searches through a Web interface using key words, which are returned by the database in the form of links to Web pages.
  6. www.artcom.com

    Q1:What audience is targeted by this site?
    Answer:A specific audience of Internet users who are interested in fine art showings and exhibitions.
    Q2:How is this site specifically targeted at this audience?
    Answer:Users can find listings and information about art exhibits in galleries and museums around the world.
    Q3:What information exchange is available that serves this audience?
    Answer:Limited exchange is available, but updated information and a large number of images are presented using static Web pages and links.

Self-Review Questions

In order to test your progress, you should be able to answer the following questions:

1)What is the first question in any Internet communication effort?

  1. _____ What am I trying to say?
  2. _____ How much money can I spend?
  3. _____ Who am I trying to communicate with?
  4. _____ What is my quest?
2)How is information presentation developed for Internet communication?

  1. _____ Based on the previous marketing materials
  2. _____ Based on the needs of the targeted audience
  3. _____ Based on the experience of others
3)Which is the best way to build communication over the Internet?

  1. _____ Offering lots of free stuff on your Web site
  2. _____ Attracting appropriate users with targeted content

Quiz answers appear inAppendix A, Section 2.2.



Exploring Web Marketing and Project Management
Exploring Web Marketing and Project Management
ISBN: 0130163961
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2000
Pages: 87

flylib.com © 2008-2017.
If you may any questions please contact us: flylib@qtcs.net