[Estimated read time: 8 minutes]
Identifying your target market is only one-fifth of the battle. If you want to win the proverbial war, you have to know your audience inside and out. Discovering the sites they visit and using that knowledge to your advantage is key, but the best practices to do so can feel unclear. In today's Whiteboard Friday, Rand outlines a five-step process to more effectively reach and market to your target community.
Click on the whiteboard image above to open a high resolution version in a new tab!
Video Transcription
Howdy, Moz fans, and welcome to another edition of Whiteboard Friday. This week we're chatting about finding sites that your audience visits so that you can better market to them.
Now, this is an awesome tactic to use for link building. It's great for advertising. It's great for reaching your community wherever they may go on the Web, but it's not always obvious how to go about this, and that's exactly what I want to talk you through.
Step 1 - Identify people who are part of our target audience.
So whoever it is that we are trying to reach, that we're trying to sell to, that we're trying to market to, these are people that we know perform certain kinds of searches, they visit places on the Web, they download and install apps. Whatever it is that they're doing in the digital world, we want to uncover those things, and to do so we need to start with a sample set, a small but substantive sample set of say 5 to 10 people who really match our audience's attributes. Then essentially we're just going to clone them. We're going to replicate those folks.
So assuming we start here with a little group, I've got my six fellows over here. I'm going to take out one of them and I'm going to essentially look at the attributes and characteristics of this person who's in my audience.
This is Mortimer. He's a freelance writer for the example that we'll be using this Whiteboard Friday. I'm going to assume that I'm creating a product for writers specifically. I know that Mortimer is a contributor to several different publications.
Now that I know his name and a little bit about him and what he does, title, maybe the company where he works, etc., I can look at: What are the social networks that Mortimer uses? I'm going to do a search essentially just in Google, and I'm going to look for: Where are all the places that Mortimer has profiles on the Web? From where does he share content? If he's using Twitter, by the way, this is super easy with Followerwonk, because I can go to the Followerwonk Analyze page and I can actually tap right in to see all of the content, well, the list of domains that Morty shares from most often. That's pretty cool. If he's not using Twitter, it's fine. We can do this manually, and we can just start to look at: All right, where is he sharing content from? What's he talking about, etc.? Where does he already have a profile? What networks is he using?
Next thing I'm going to do is I'm going to use data that I already know about keyword research. So I take my keyword research, which I've already performed, that I know this group of people is searching for in general. I can be a little bit broader than I normally would be around very sales or conversion-focused types of keyword research. I can essentially say, "What do I know these people look for when they're looking to further their careers or their writing or their work in my area?" It doesn't have to be conversion-focused. It can be very broad.
Step 2 - Collect search results.
So I can essentially collect those search results, and then I want to find the domains that are ranking well consistently numerous times for numerous different keywords.
So I might use words like "podcast for writers," and then I'm also going to grab the related searches like "best literary podcast," "good podcast for writers" — the "I Should Be Writing podcast" is actually a related search here — or "podcast books."
Then I'm going to take those searches, line them up here as my keywords right here in the columns, and then for my rows, well, these are the domains that I found ranking consistently for these. It was MakeUseOf.com, TheWriteLife, and WritingExcuses.com. These all ranked somewhere for some of these queries, so I'm going to make a list like that.
This can actually be done pretty easily with tools. You could use your Moz exports if you're using Moz's ranking tools. You could use the same thing just to export all your ranking URLs from Searchmetrics or from GetSTAT if you're using STAT, or you could use SEMrush. Whatever ranking software you're using you can get an export. You can even do this manually. It just takes a little more time.
Step 3 - Broaden the lists.
Next up, I'm going to use some tools and some search queries to broaden these lists. So if I find that a lot of people and a lot of writers do visit Goodreads.com for obvious reasons, I can then plug that into SEMrush. From SEMrush, I can see all the keywords that they rank for and the domains that most often also rank for those keywords.
I can use SimilarWeb to essentially see similar websites. People also visit these sites. That's inside SimilarWeb Pro. I can use Google.
What I want to do is add queries like "verse," "verses," "alternatives," "sites like," "similar sites" onto the end of Goodreads or whatever the domains are that come from my lists over here. Then I will get a bunch more domains that I can plug in.
Step 4 - Survey your target audience.
The last thing I want to do to broaden this list just one more time, and to validate and verify that I've captured all the right stuff, is I might try and send out a survey to my target audience. So if I'm connected to these 6 people and hopefully 10 to 20 more at least like them, and I'm actually going to survey them and say — I really like using Typeform, I've used it a few times. If you follow me on Twitter, I've been sending some Typeform surveys lately. Looks great on mobile. I get high completion rates. So I love that software.
I might ask them, "What are your three favorite websites for freelance writing resources?" And then boom, one, two, three. Submit. Sweet.
Now, what would be even greater here is if I captured an email address because then I can reach out to those folks and say, "Hey, here are the most popular websites." Or I put up a blog post that shows what they are. Now I can go and reach out to the websites that most frequently appeared here and say, "Hey, guess what? You showed up most often in my survey, and I wrote about it." Great for networking and building a relationship and furthering a relationship.
Step 5 - Identify sites that have marketing opportunities to reach your audience.
The last step is actually the work that goes into identifying the marketing opportunity. So I know all these sites. I've got a huge list that I've now expanded and expanded again. Now I can go and look for things like an ad opportunity. On Goodreads they have an advertising platform that I can specifically use.
I can look for community discussion or commenting features. BookLikes has a system where I can set up a profile and then start commenting and contributing to their forum and their Q&A.
Bookish has a cast of characters.
This is on their About page. I can find the people behind the site, and then I can connect with them. If they all have Twitter accounts, I can follow them on Twitter. I can connect with them via LinkedIn. I could pitch them on email if I have something specific that I'd like to contribute to this site or if I'm not seeing an advertising opportunity or something else.
LitReactor had a great place where I could actually create an account and then start submitting my content just like YouMoz does for Moz.com. So those guest submission opportunities.
Basically I'm looking for anything like this, types of opportunities where I can get involved in these sites and be visible to their audiences so that I can start creating a relationship with those audiences and then hopefully earn their interest, earn their attention, earn their trust, and have them go check out whatever it is that I'm doing on my own website.
All right everyone. I look forward to your suggestions and ideas, as well as any cool tools or processes you use, and we'll see you again next week for another edition of Whiteboard Friday. Take care.
A few more tips:
The basic idea is that if you find it easy/valuable to get links, coverage, advertising, or engagement from a given site, you can replicate this methodology to find many more like it and expand your marketing bang.
Happy audience hunting!
Thanks for the additional resources.
I've been using SimiliarWeb for a while and it works great for pulling up the audiece. Never tried your techniques, but I'll certainly give them a shot. Thanks for the video Rand - WBF is by far my favourite Moz post of the week.
Love it!
If you're willing to throw some paid media towards it:
You can take the list of domains you pull together and paste it into AdWords to run display ads only on those domains. (Assuming they have inventory on them.)
You can also put the FB pixel on all pages of your site, and then create Custom Audiences that are similar to your site visitors and target ads only to them on FB. (This works better if you have a nice, meaty data sample so it can truly find patterns that are reliable.)
Similarly: Remarketing! Create remarketing lists in AdWords based on a page's specific visitors. Bonus: AdWords will automatically create a "similar to" list for you that will seek out users who may not have visited you, but who exhibit similar behaviors to those who visited the pages you specify. You can specify by page to create different user buckets (though a cookie minimum has to be reached to serve them ads).
You can run display on either or both of the remarketing and "Similar To" lists and check out what domains you wind up on most frequently to see where your people hang out around the web.
You can also run search remarketing, and then check your search query report for anything you hadn't thought to target specifically that you see your users are searching for. (Also works well to run a Dynamic Search campaign and overlay it with these lists to see what else Google thinks you might be relevant for that you aren't bidding on yet.)
Superb additions Susan! Thank you so much. I hadn't seen the remarketing "similar to" lists - gonna have to check that out.
Thank You Susan for sharing your expertise.
Nice Share Susan... I just know,.. Thanks Alot..
Thanks for the handy tips Rand.
We've been experimenting with tagging/analytics approaches to this same question.
Eg. Using the Facebook pixel you can set up a custom audience and investigate their other page likes, websites, magazines, etc. You can run these through Similarweb to see related sites.
You can do the same with the Quantcast tag and others.
We find this a good way to find opportunities for Display ad placements, outreach/PR targets, etc.
Very clever! I love that approach. Thanks for sharing Matthew.
There is also an Adwords Customer Match, that works exactly as Facebook's custom audiences. I was about learning about it before trying it. We are already using adwords for display and search marketing, so for marketers like us, it might be a good solution.
You can read more about it here: https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2015/10/05/adwords-customer-match
Hello Rand. Thank you for this new Whiteboard.
They say that sharing is caring. In this case searching and knowing about customers is actually caring about them staying and coming back to our website, business etc.
When I am interesting in new influencers I usually google their names. I think LinkedIn is trustworthy for searching professionals and also has a mobile friendly website.
Best,
M.
Awesome article Rand. I totally agree with you about analysing our users, clients behavior online. I do a lot of one on one online consultation with my clients, helping them out with online marketing, and most of that time, me talking with them, I would ask them, so please share, how did you end up finding about me. Or what did bring you to me. How many other seo consultants have you contacted before me, etc. I get very useful information, that helps me improve my online marketing strategies.
Some of the tools you have mentioned, I haven't try them out yet. Will go for it this weekend. Thank you Rand for sharing.
As always awesome topic discovered by you in very different way. Tools you listed are new for me especially Followerwonk, I had just connected my account to it and trying to use it properly. I am new in this field but analysed that Guest posting is really a good way to connect with many of the targeted audiences.
I am trying to increase my writing skills since last few months fro guest posting and I get many of the writing ideas from Moz blog. Thank you Rand for this.
Thanks for sharing tips.
I am beginner to SEO. Could some one provide some basic seo optimization tips ?
Great video as always. Pretty deep for a mere SEO like me but always looking for tips in marketing too.
Thanks again for your WBF, very interesting. We developed an application to analyze the tweets of our followers and get quick information about their interests, followers, who they follow etc. We will expand with some of your advice.
I have found Reddit to be a great resource for finding what an audience is interested in. Find a fitting subreddit and sort by most popular. You'll get tons of ideas for what people like the most in their space.
Nice tip! Thanks for sharing
Hello Rand. Thanks for sharing great tips. I have a question regarding OTC medicines ( Like Fioricet, Butabital ,Viagra etc ). can you tell me what should I do for like this sites. As competitors sites gain links from games sites. Can you tell me the best startegy what should I do.
The power of social networks. The most important online marketing is there. All you need is time and follow a strategy, a study of your target customer.
Surely many personal, like me, think that it is slow and takes a long time, but before social networks before the Internet, if you had a business, how to know and understand the tastes of potential customers was out on the street paper and pen. If we think. It is now much easier.
A good publication to make us reflect on the cake is out there waiting for you and your goals are achievable and not impossible.
Cheers
Thanks Rand, good tips!
Facebook Insights would give you a good look at your target audience demographics and location including age, gender, cities, and language. A good starting point for analyzing your audience.
Very good tips!! Thanks!!
I love topics like this! Also, don't forget about the cousin of our old friend Google Keyword Planner, the Google Display Planner! You can find tons of insights, placement ideas, similar sites, etc inside the GDP to help build out your target list.
Reddit is my new "weapon" to give more voice to my blog, really useful
Thank you Rand, for sharing again a WBF, Very interesting.
For me, pages relevant to shopping, electronic products, furniture, etc. tend to capture much attention from the audiences because they become the essential topics on the daily basis! You should aim to create website about these mentioned subjects!
I loved this out of the box way of approaching link building and community building, thank you for sharing!
Rand, great post! Your thoroughness and insight are always thought provoking and force us to look closer than we might left to our own devices. Much, much appreciated as always!
For the Italian audience, here is the full translation of this post.
Excellent useful tips to identify and retain my target audience. We'll put it into practice. thank you very much, Rand !!
Hey Rand,
It's important to know your audience, and where they are hanging so you can be preciece with your marketing and go where they are. This way, you don't have to spread yourself too thin by trying to advertise everywhere.
Thanks for sharing.
A lot of businesses say that they target “those interested in their services,” while others say that they target homeowners, small-business owners, or stay-at-home moms. However, all seem to be too general. To identify your target market, you must look at your current customer base, check out your competition, analyze your product/service, consider the psychographics of your target, and evaluate your decision!
I really enjoyed this post!
I have often wondered how I could go about finding out where my audience was hanging out at. I know where some of the places are, but your methods here are going to blow mine out of the water!
I was also intrigued about how you suggested to get involved with some of those websites to start building relationships and rapport.
Thanks for this awesome information Rand!
I'll be sharing this to my followers. :)
Hi Rand.
As you usual expected great speech and tips, Do you approach the writers by email directly once your identify them or first following them on twitter or their blogs before any direct emails?
Whether you sell wiper blades or washing lines, it is always important to understand your customer if you want to maximize your sales, such as understanding the problems that you solve, painting a picture of the customer, thinking about your market, who will gain from the value in your offer, looking internally at your company, etc.
You miss the point of CPA marketing. We all know, Advertising networks getting smart day be day, and provide option to narrow audience and CPA marketing is big thing to reach more audience.
When I saw the title, I had a feeling (well, I hoped) we'd be mentioned :) You're the man, Rand! Oh by the way, I can show you a little shortcut to achieve what you've mentioned here.
Very useful information! Thanks! I didn't know about similarweb, you just discovered a new world for me! :)
The aspect that i get from this post is that this strategy is good during the Initial stages of your Website or blog; when you have lesser number of visitors and it is easy to Keep track of them.
Can this strategy be used once the Website gains momentum in Terms of users?
Knowing which websites your target audience visits helps your business in so many ways. Not only is this a good way to form partnerships with other businesses to build links, but it can also help you understand your audience as a whole. This will enable you to create content for your own marketing that your audience will love.
The most important thing is to make sure that your own marketing targets the places where your audience is. https://www.brickmarketing.com/everywhere-inbound However, it takes some research to figure out where they actually are. This research step is the backbone for almost every part of our marketing campaigns.
Great post. I was just looking for the tools to discover sites and Got happy to see them in your first comment.
Thanks Rand for the really amazing post.
This is exactly how one should trace target customer's behaviour: by walking in their shoes. Amazing, gonna have to try it out.
By the way, similarweb looks like a really useful website!
I miss the old Rand.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/31gqKlOp2wL._UX250_.jpg
For general discovery, Google Custom Search allows you to set up a search engine restricted to pages that use only specific Schema.org types (like recipes, movies, books, etc). Depending on the application, this can sometimes surface some interesting results.
Reading this article has really been helpful to me. I was looking for target audience for my new concept of online business that allows sellers and buyers agree on the price of a product through real-time bargains.What i mean is that there are no fixed prices for products.Following your advice , i advertised on the most relevant sites and I've noted a significant improvement.Thank you so much.
Thank you for your weekly dose !!! We We had not considered doing such study thorough of our followers and customers, but I think it is very good idea.
Thanks for the handy tips Rand.Very useful information! Thanks!
Thanks Rand, I like this. It looks like some others have come up with similar ideas to mine. I don't have a huge amount of time to carry out the great manual process you talk about Rand as I'm working on so many client's websites, so I came with a quick and easy alternative. I got up at the crack of dawn to write about it here: https://webvibes.com/seo/find-websites-your-target-audience-visits/
Great post. I was just looking for the tools to discover sites and Got happy to see them in your first comment.
VERY good tips in the comments! Excited to try them. Meanwhile, it may be overlooking the obvious if we skip a dip into Google Analytics to see where your referral traffic is coming from. Check occasionally as it can shift. Inbound.org and Reddit are awesome "upstream" traffic sources that have very dedicated users, and are properties that can be leveraged, with care. Different upstream sources may be good for for links, followers as well as paid ads. Seeing the downstream sites used to be helpful, too, before security won ; )
Hi Rand.
Very good article.
Very true,
It is of utmost importance
To know which sites
Our target audience is going to.
Regards