How To Define Your App’s Target Audience

Anastasia Zakrevskaya
HeadWorks
Published in
4 min readDec 4, 2017

There is more for app development than writing code and creating features that will bring your idea to life and success. Have a clear awareness of your target audience is an important step you should make first. Develop a mobile app and have no idea of who your potential users are — a lost cause. So, how to identify your customer and maximize your sales?

Before answer this question, let’s be clear, why is it so important and is it worth paying so much attention to your target audience?

The most common mistake that many people make is trying to reach everyone. To better understand how ridiculous this is — just think about the well-known game of darts. You have to aim in order to hit the board. If you let your darts go without aiming them, you probably won’t be very popular. You score only under one condition — if you hit the board. The same goes for identifying your target audience — find this group, aim and hit it.

And now we propose you to consider the following HeadWorks advices how to identify your exact people that can help you to achieve your goals.

#1. What needs does your app fulfill?

The first step in identifying the target market for your app is to understand “What problem does your app solve?” and “What do your users stand to gain?” When you answer these questions, you will be in the right direction to identify who might have these problems and what benefits you can provide them with.

#2. Get a clear picture of your users

Demographic.

The next step would be to put together demographics that identify for whom your app is solving a problem. These data (age, gender, location, income etc.) are crucial information that can help you to avoid mistakes in your marketing strategy.

Complete person’s description

Creating a complete description of the person gives you more insight and can work wonders. It must be a specific person that you have in mind or the vision of a person. Write comprehensive descriptions of your target customer to create detailed, vivid images of the exact person your employees will think about when making every decision in the business.

Psychographic.

This research focuses on interests, opinions, values, behaviors. You should know how your app will fit into your target audience’s lifestyle to consider the reason why people might purchase your product.

#3. Keep an eye on your competitors

Identify the areas you want to compete but above all find out how to differentiate yourself on the market. Improve your knowledge about your potential users and you will be able to meet their needs better than your competitors.

#4. Define user flow and features

After you’ve identified your target market, you can begin sketching the user flow. For example, you can consider what actions a user will perform when first log-in. If your target group requires privacy, they can create a username that leads them to a landing page. Or, to take another example, your users are busy, then they can interact with app functionality forthwith.

#5. Revisit your definition of target audience periodically

Your business idea can change and consequently, your target audience may too. Bear in mind the Internet is constantly evolving, new platforms and networks are developed, the way people spend time on the Internet changes. Therefore it is important to regularly review your concept of your target audience and update it as needed. This can help you always stay connected with your users .

Wrapping Up

By knowing your target users, you can clear up their motivations. It is essential because when you know what these persons’ motivations are you can help them achieve their goals as a way to achieve your own goals.

After you’ve determined your target audience, try to answer the following questions:

  • Do you clearly understand who is your client/customer/consumer/end user?
  • Does my target audience need my app?
  • How is the app going to make better users’ lives?
  • How does your idea meet your audience’s needs?
  • As a user, why should I trust and use this app?
  • Can my target audience afford my app?

Give careful thought to the questions and this info will help you in the long run. By understanding what your target audience is, you will be able to market your app in the most effective way. And remember: “You should give a lot to get a lot!”

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