MENUMENU
  • Services
    • Services
      • Search Engine Optimization
      • Local SEO
      • Generative Engine Optimization
      • Digital PR
      • Content Marketing
      • Email Marketing Services
      • Lifecycle Marketing
      • Paid Media Advertising
      • Social Media Marketing
      • Creative Design Services
      • Conversion Rate Optimization
      • Website Design & Development
      • Amazon Marketing Services
      • Franchise Marketing
      • Franchise Development
      • National to Local Marketing
      • Reporting and Data Analytics
      • Digital Marketing Strategy
  • Who We Serve
    • Who We Serve
      • Franchise Marketing
      • B2B Marketing
      • Lead Generation
      • Ecommerce
      • We Build Custom Strategies
      • View Sample Industries
  • About Us
    • About Ignite Visibility
      • Our Story
      • Our Values
      • Our Team
      • Clients
      • Diversity & Inclusion
      • Our Blog
      • Marketing Resources
      • Franchise Marketing Resources
      • Careers
      • Hiring Notice
  • Case Studies
  • Awards
  • Contact
  • 619.752.1955
Home / Conversion Rate Optimization / Using Customer Psychographic Data to Get a Major Leg up in Marketing

Using Customer Psychographic Data to Get a Major Leg up in Marketing

October 20, 2014 By John Lincoln

We live in a world where internet marketing is the key to your success or failure as a business owner. As trends change and the amount of time people spend online is significantly increasing, you have to be on your game when it comes to internet marketing. Simply having a billboard somewhere and having a so-so website is not enough anymore. Search engines are getting smarter and consumers are getting smarter. You have to market yourself and your business in a way that catches people’s attention and presents an irresistible call to action.

For decades, business owners have aimed marketing campaigns at their “target demographic.” The age, gender, income, and marital status of individuals were enough for marketing experts to present a decent campaign and see a substantial ROI. However, people are getting smarter. Both consumers and marketing specialists are learning that not everything fits into nice categories that are centered around demographics.

Using Customer Psychographic Data to Get a Major Leg up in Marketing
Using Customer Psychographic Data to Get a Major Leg up in Marketing

Why Is Psychographic Data Important?

Compiling psychographic data is a newer trend in consumer analysis and market research that business owners are finding to be incredibly beneficial and worthy of their time and money. Psychographic data goes beyond the stringent details of consumers and looks at who they are, what they believe in, and what motivates them. While demographics give you the “who,” psychographics give you the “why.” Why do people purchase certain items? Why do people do particular Google searches? Why do people feel a specific way about a certain person or industry?

Let’s look at an example. We have two women: both are 30 years old, both are married with one child, and both work as public school teachers. Their demographics are exactly the same. However, Woman A is incredibly conservative, an avid church-goer, and she spends her free time reading, knitting, and searching Pinterest. She doesn’t like the outdoors, she spends a lot of time couponing, and she loves to cook and bake. Woman B claims no political affiliation, and she loves camping, hiking, mountain biking, and trail running. She hates to cook and loves to go to the bar for football Sundays. If you’re a business owner or a marketing expert who is selling outdoor equipment, would you rather have the demographic data or the psychographic data?

Consider this as well: While woman B is clearly a target market for outdoor equipment, a person with completely differing demographics could also be a target market. A 60-year old man who recently retired and now enjoys spending his free time in the outdoors fishing, mountain biking, and hiking is also a target market for outdoor equipment. His demographic is nowhere near that of Woman B, but in terms of psychographic data, they are both in the same target market.

Without the psychographic data of each individual, you would be spending precious marketing dollars trying to attract someone who has absolutely no interest in what you’re selling. Psychographic groups are generally smaller than demographic groups, and because they are more specifically targeted for a particular product or product line, they are more likely to make a purchase and your ROI will be much higher. Additionally, because the group is generally smaller than our previously used demographic groups, the cost of advertising to and seeking out these targeted people will be much lower.

Just as you need to stay up to date on industry standards and optimization techniques, you need to stay up to date on your consumers and your target audience. Know more than just who they are; know what they stand for and what makes them tick, and your marketing campaign will get your more leads, more links, and a higher ROI than any demographic-based campaign ever has.

How Do I Gather Psychographic Data?

Now that you know how important it is to your marketing strategies and your business’ success, how do you go about gathering psychographic data?

The easiest place to start is with your current customers. If you have a good relationship with a few customers, get to know them. If you feel so inclined, let them know why you’re asking. Explain that you’re trying to understand more of who your customers are so that you can better serve them. If you don’t have a working relationship with any customers, try sending out a survey asking for feedback about likes and dislikes. If you’re honest and tell your current customers that you are trying to improve your customer service and offer more of what they want, most people will be happy to oblige.

A second, more behind-the-scenes option is to look at your website’s analytics. Look at where you’ve gotten the highest click-through rate and what pages or deals have brought people to visit your site and make purchases. By exploring different types of marketing that has worked in the past, you can gain more information about your customers. For instance, if a very emotionally based ad brought in a ton of profit, you know that a lot of your customers are more emotionally driven, and you can focus more on emotional appeal in your marketing campaign.

Another option for gathering psychographic data is to search social media. Especially if you already have some social media accounts set up for your business, simply check out some of your most involved followers or friends. People post large amounts of personal information on their social media accounts, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to gather psychographic data about some of your customers. With this approach, however, you need to be aware that some information on social media sites may not be true, so look for ongoing trends in your customers rather than the outliers.

How Do I Use This Data in my Marketing Campaign?

As with anything else, simply having the information is not enough. You need to be proactive and do something with the psychographic data in order for it to benefit your business. You need to take the information you learned about your customers and show them how your product can improve their lives. Go to the place where your target audience is spending time and meet them there with irresistible selling points.

Meet Your Customers Where They Are

Now that you know a lot about your customers and what they spend their time doing, you can go directly to them. This may mean getting off the internet and doing some marketing at a physical place where your target consumers gather. It may mean visiting some of their favorite websites and making your brand and presence known to your target market via blog comments, retweets, or Facebook likes. If you’re spending large amounts of money on Facebook but your psychographic data reveals that your customers spend more time on Pinterest, then you need to change your game plan and start pinning. Something as small as a repin, a follow, or a like can show customers that you’re close by and that you care about them, which will make them much more likely to return to you when they have a need that you can meet.

Appeal to Their Needs and Desires

Demographics so often target what a customer needs. A mom must need diapers, a husband must need golf clubs, and a child must need notebooks for school. While all of that is good and well, consumers are going to purchase that stuff regardless. So, yes, you should be the brand or the business that pops into their mind when a need arises. However, when you target what a person desires, you appeal to their emotions and show them that someone out there is paying attention and noticing the things that they enjoy.

Offer Irresistible Deals

Since you know what prompts your customers to actually make a purchase, you can appeal to the side of them that is ready to swipe their credit card. Make offers that they can’t resist, not because the price is so low that you’re not making any money, but because you’ve appealed to a particular aspect of their personality that they cannot hold back. If you have a group of bargain hunters in your customer base, offer a special discount or coupon code. If your target market includes people who don’t have time to visit your store in person, offer a variety of ship-to-store and ship-to-home options.

Keep Compiling Data

No matter how successful your psychographic profiling marketing campaign may be, never stop compiling data. Just as everything else in the world changes, your target market may change and the way you reach your customers may change. Keep gathering information so that as your customers evolve, you grow with them and continue to meet their needs.

As generations are becoming more fragmented and as individuals break the ranks and establish individuality outside their demographics, psychographic data is becoming more and more important for marketers everywhere. In the ‘50s and ‘60s, if you didn’t advertise on television, you didn’t have a chance at succeeding. Today, there’s a new “television” in town. If you’re not marketing on the internet using precise psychographic data and profiling, you’re going to be left behind.

 

Works Cited:

  • “How a Company Takes Full Advantage of Access to Your Facebook Information” (Forbes)
  • “How to Use Psychographics to Improve Demographic Market Segmentation” (Marketance)
  • “Psychographics vs. Demographics: Do Financial Marketers Need a New Model?” (The Financial Brand)
  • “Psychographic Targeting is the New Black” (B2B Marketing)

Related Posts

  • Announcing Our New Digital Marketing Tool: CertaintyTech

    We have finally released brand-new software designed to help marketers achieve the best return on…

  • What Are Marketing Analytics? How To Use Them To Grow!

    Never before in human history have we had access to such a wealth of data.…

  • Announcing Our New Digital Marketing Tool: CertaintyTech

    We have finally released brand-new software designed to help marketers achieve the best return on…

About John Lincoln

John Lincoln (MBA) is the CEO of Ignite Visibility, a top performance marketing agency backed by Mountaingate Capital. A digital marketing strategist and keynote speaker, Lincoln has managed over 1,000 marketing programs for brands like DoorDash, HBO, Tony Robbins, and Experian. Under his leadership, Ignite Visibility has been named a leading digital marketing agency in the U.S. and made the Inc. 5,000 list six times. Lincoln also spearheaded the development of CertaintyTech, a cutting-edge media mix modelling and forecasting platform. An award-winning marketer, Lincoln has authored three books, including Advolution (2022), and produced films such as SEO: The Movie. Recognized as a Top Business Leader, he has been featured in Forbes and The New York Times and spoken at global events like Web Summit and SMX. Lincoln's mission is to empower businesses through innovative digital strategies while reinvesting in clients, employees, and the community.

About Ignite

Ignite Visibility is a premier full-service digital marketing agency. We were founded in San Diego, CA but are now a 100% remote-first company with Igniters and clients around the globe.

Ignite Visibility is one of the highest awarded digital marketing agencies in the industry, works with some of the biggest brands in the world and is a 6x Inc. 5000 company.

noun-trading

Our Services

Ignite Visibility offers Award-Winning Services including comprehensive full-funnel digital marketing strategies. Learn more about our most popular service offerings below:

  • SEO Search Engine Optimization
  • PPC Pay Per Click
  • Email Marketing
  • Social Media
  • Creative
  • View All Services

Contact Us. Let’s Chat!

  • This field is hidden when viewing the form

Marketing Guides

SEO In 2020: How To Prepare For Major Disruption

"SEO: The Movie" - Have You Seen Our Film? Watch Now

"Social Media Marketing: The Movie" - Have You Seen Our Film? Watch Now

Amazon Seller Central vs Vendor Central

Listen To The Podcast Featuring The Best Minds In Marketing

John Lincoln Interviews Global Director of Digital Marketing & Strategy at Qualcomm, Jessica Jensen

Check Out 227 Free Online Marketing Classes

The 2020 Guide To Dominating SEO With Advanced Schema

Learn More About Our Digital Marketing Agency

Learn More About Our SEO Services

Learn More About Our Paid Media Services

SELECT CATEGORY

Become A Contributor

Interested in writing for Ignite Visibility?

APPLY NOW

noun-chat

Let's Chat

Ready to grow your online visibility and sales?

Request Your Free Proposal

Work With Us

NEWSLETTER // SIGN UP NOW










noun-strategy

Free Marketing Resources

  • Digital Marketing Resources
  • Marketing Strategy Videos
  • Weekly Marketing News Recaps
noun-strategy

Most Popular Blogs

  • How Long Does SEO Take?
  • Multi-Location SEO: Top Strategies
  • Google AI Overviews: Everything You Need to Know
  • Technical SEO 101
  • 18 Google Ad Extensions You Should Use
  • Complete Guide to Google Responsive Display Ads
  • Capitalizing on Local Service Ads
  • How SEO and PPC Work Together
  • Community Management Best Practices
  • B2B Social Media Marketing Guide
  • VIEW ALL BLOGS
noun-letter

Join Our Newsletter

CONNECT WITH US

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • youtube
  • linkedin

Services

  • Search Engine Optimization
  • Generative Engine Optimization
  • Pay Per Click Management
  • Social Media Marketing
  • Email Marketing
  • Conversion Rate Optimization
  • Website Design & Development
  • Creative Design
  • Content Marketing
  • Digital PR
  • Franchise Marketing
  • Digital Marketing Agency Services

About

  • Our Team
  • Our Values
  • Clients
  • Industry
  • Reviews
  • Careers
  • Marketing Resources
  • Privacy Policy & Service Terms
  • Advertising Disclosures
  • Sitemap

Contact

4370 La Jolla Village Drive
Suite 320
San Diego, California 92122

619.752.1955

Join The Newsletter

Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest from Ignite Visibility.











google parther logo

©2025 Ignite Visibility. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy and Terms of Service