Contents
- Definition of Psychographics in Marketing
- Differences Between Psychographics and Socio-Demographic Analysis
- Significance of Psychographics in Marketing
- Psychographic Models
- Methods of Collecting Psychographic Data
Definition of Psychographics in Marketing
Psychographics in marketing refers to the study of consumers based on the analysis of their views, interests, values, lifestyle, and personal psychological characteristics. This approach allows for audience segmentation into psychotypes, highlighting groups of people with specific personality traits. For example, the DataFuel study identifies innovators - individuals who value freedom and pleasure in life. These segments help to gain a deeper understanding of consumer motivations and preferences when choosing products and services.
Differences Between Psychographics and Socio-Demographic Analysis
Socio-demographic research answers the question "Who is the target audience of the brand?", while psychographics reveal the reasons why customers buy or choose not to purchase a particular product. It studies their decisions, thoughts, motivations, and factors influencing behavior. While socio-demographic analysis gathers objective data, psychographics is based on more abstract and subjective characteristics.
Here are the key differences:
- Socio-Demographic Characteristics:
- Gender
- Age
- Race, ethnicity
- Place of residence
- Education and income level
- Marital status
- Psychographic Characteristics:
- Views and beliefs
- Values
- Interests and hobbies
- Emotional triggers
- Lifestyle and habits
- Psychological traits
Significance of Psychographics in Marketing
Psychographics play an important role in marketing strategies, allowing:
- To create detailed profiles of the target audience: The combination of socio-demographic and psychographic analysis provides an in-depth understanding of consumers, their lifestyles, interests, and motivations. This knowledge is essential for developing effective marketing strategies and advertising creatives.
- To segment and personalize offerings: Psychographics allow for deeper segmentation of the target audience and the development of more precise offerings. For example, a bank might create a special card for gamers, offering cashback in the form of in-game currency.
- To emphasize brand values: Understanding the views and beliefs of the target audience helps brands build communication, focusing on values that matter to their clients.
- To generate ideas for content marketing: Psychographic data assist in selecting topics that will be most relevant to the audience, thereby increasing engagement and response.
Psychographic Models
There are several psychographic models, each offering a unique approach to audience segmentation. Let's look at two of the most well-known:
AIO
The AIO model (from the English words interests, activities, and opinions) segments consumers based on their interests, activities, and opinions. It is a simple yet effective concept that helps to determine where consumers focus their attention and time.
VALS
The VALS model (Values and Lifestyles) classifies the audience based on their motivations for consumption. It identifies different groups of consumers, including those driven by basic needs, social opinion, or internal factors.
Methods of Collecting Psychographic Data
There are many methods for collecting and analyzing psychographic information:
- Focus groups and interviews
- Surveys and questionnaires
- Website and social media behavior analytics
- Studying cookies for user data analysis
In most cases, companies use a comprehensive approach, employing several methods simultaneously to obtain the most accurate information about their target audience.