Audience research involves gathering information about audience segments to understand their attitudes, interests, and behaviors regarding a topic. It is important to conduct audience research before finalizing a project to understand the target audience and design something that will appeal to them. There are many ways to categorize audiences, such as by demographics like age, gender, income level, and occupation. Gathering this information through surveys, interviews, and focus groups can provide insights into what the audience wants. Internet forums, social media, and online ratings are also effective research methods because many younger audiences spend time online.

1. Audience research
What is audience research?
Audience research is defined as any communication research that is conducted on
specific audience segments to gather information about their attitudes, knowledge,
interests, preferences, or behaviours with respect to prevention issues. Segments may
be based on various grouping strategies, such as race and ethnicity, age, education, or
family income. Some investigators refer to audience research as "formative" or
"elicitation" research.
What is the purpose of audience research?
Before finalising any project, research must be done before even thinking about the
initial design. The point of doing this is so that the producer can get a better insight of
the target audience, it would be pointless creating something that’s not going to appeal
to the right people. It’s important part of the procedure as it’s time consuming, and a
waste of money if the product is not created the way expected. Knowing the kind of
people you want to target the product at can create a wide variety of ways to advertise
the product also.
Audience categories
There are many different categories in which they fit into. These include income,
profession, life cycle stage, age, gender, marital status, behaviour, demographics,
geodemographics, religion, etc. There are several ways to collect this information some
of which can be conducted by the use of; Surveys, online ratings, interviews, focus
groups and more.
Standard occupational classification – the bureau of labour statistics say the 2010
standard occupational classification (SOC) system is used by federal statistical agencies
to classify workers into occupational categories for the purpose of collecting,
calculating, or disseminating data. All workers are classified into one of 840 detailed
occupations according to their occupational definition. To facilitate classification,
detailed occupations are combined to form 461 broad occupations, 97 minor groups,
and 23 major groups. Detailed occupations in the SOC with similar job duties, and in
some cases skills, education, and/or training, are grouped together.
This helped me choose which category my advert would fit into and as my advert is
based with young people it was harder as they don’t fit into the categories so I based
this part of my research on the parents who would decide to watch it and pay for the
viewing and product. Although my viewers would vary I decided to place them in C1
and C2

2. Age and gender
My target audience is aimed at young adults from the age of 15 – 25, but also
elder women around 25 – 30 because it may attract elder women but it is not
specifically aimed at that age. I’ve decided this as my target audience as I
know for a fact the majority of females would rather see a ‘girly’ advert rather
than an action pact one. However, by my own personal opinion I do enjoy
watching action pact adverts because it’s something different to what you
normally see.
Using different methods to find out information on audience research
Method Suitable Reason why
Questionnaires Yes Questionnaires would be good to use
as it is extremely simple for people to
use seeing as it is multiple choice
(most of the time).
Surveys Yes “ ” Once again help conclude what
the audience think would be best
suited, which is something needed in
order to be most successful.
Online forums Partly Probably most suitable as majority of
young teenagers spend most of their
time on the internet, better
communication. And also you can
come across anonymous if wanted.
Interviews Yes The public can describe and express
what they would like to see, what
works and what doesn’t.
Focus groups Yes Focus groups are more informative
as they look in depth of two
comparable reasons for/ and against.
Online ratings Yes The youth of today are forever into
high technology so teenagers are
more likely to pay attention if it’s
accessible and promoted at the right
time. An example of this could be a
‘Facebook’ page.
Magazine reviews No The data would have already been
collected, and would not be specific
to what I’m looking for.

3. Internetforums
Internet forums are often used for audience research as fans from the same genre will discuss what
they hope for a film or even spoilers which may encourage people to see the films. Internet forums
are often a lot more helpful in audience research if the film was a book before as there’ll already be
a big fan base and people waiting for a film.
Internet forums really helped in audience research as much as different methods of my target
audience would be using the internet so I couldn’t find out what they wanted to see or what sort of
things they all wanted to see.
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
. http://www.nielsen.com/uk/en/insights/press-room/2013/uk-consumers-are-less-brand-
loyal-when-trying-new-products.html
Below are graphs I found online stating what percentage of people find new or tend to by
beauty products

4. From this graph, the data given
states that majority of people who
are more like to buy new products
will do so from hearing from
friends and family, compared to
people who have a job and work
(office jobs). As my advertisement
would be seen on the internet and
TV the percentages were lower
than what I expected. The
information given has proven that
majority of people spend more
time noticing adverts online than
they do on TV. This has made me
realise that I will focus more on
making my advert appropriate to
be seen online.
Although this graph was
completed a year ago and is based
on people in the USA it has still
given me an insight into what
social networking sites were most
popular last year. I purposely
looked into the USA stats because I
knew that have almost tripled the
amount of TV channels and that
beauty advertisements will be
shown 24/7.

5. Demographics
A demographic or demographic profile is a term used in marketing and broadcasting, to
describe a demographic grouping or a market segment. This typically involves age
bands (as teenagers do not wish to purchase denture fix ant), class bands (as the rich
may want different products than middle and lower classes and may be willing to pay
more) and gender (partially because different physical attributes require different
hygiene and clothing products, and partially because of the male/female mind-sets).
A demographic profile can be used to determine when and where advertising should be
placed so as to achieve maximum results. In all such cases, it is important that the
advertiser get the most results for their money, and so careful research is done to match
the demographic profile of the target market to the demographic profile of the
advertising medium.
I think the best thing I can do in order to find great way to advertise my product would
be to research into previous adverts on TV and online and evaluate them and try and
develop ideas how I can make mine just as successful within the competitive industry.
I now also need to consider about the pricing of the advertisement and product. If this
were to be for a real client instead of a media assignment I would look into props,
location hiring, lighting, costumes, equipment, camera, cast, production crew, makeup
artist, actors, publicity, director etc. However this is an individual task and I have
thought through each step of my production, where and when I’m going to film and
what I’m doing in each scene.
Thinking ahead, I will need to consider what channels it will be shown on, and where
about online. I will also need to take into account what I would price this perfume bottle
at, to make it an affordable for most regular people or overpriced making it a great
essential pricing.

6. Socio – Economic
What is it?
Socioeconomics is sometimes used an umbrella term with different usages. 'Social
economics' may refer broadly to the "use of economics in the study of society."More
narrowly, contemporary practice considers behavioural interactions of individuals and
groups through social capital and social "markets" (not excluding for
example, sorting by marriage) and the formation of social norms. In the latter, it studies
the relation of economics to social values.
Here is a table I found online that best describes Socio – economic. It is a table based on
the Standard Occupational Classification.
This image above is a summary of job titles listed numerically by SOC200 code. This graph narrows
down the types of people who will be targeted at. It specifies what category people come under as it
gives us a good impression of what they’re like and their lifestyle. In this image above ‘1134’ is whom I
aiming mine towards.