Working out the priority audience for your content strategy is not always as straightforward as it seems. All too often we fall into the trap of tailoring our content plans to our current audiences, instead of our target audiences. When they’re not one and the same, then your return on investment will suffer. This guide helps you to think more about prioritising your audiences and focusing efforts for your content strategy.

1. Working out the priority audience for your content strategy is
not always as straightforward as it seems. All too often we fall
into the trap of tailoring our content plans to our current
audiences, instead of our target audiences. When they’re not
one and the same, then your return on investment will suffer.
This guide helps you to think more about prioritising your
audiences and focusing efforts for your content strategy.
www.picklejarcommunications.com
effective digital communications for the education sector
PRIORITISING
AUDIENCES
FOR YOUR CONTENT STRATEGY

2. A new strategy project is underway, and I’ve kicked off a
programme of stakeholder interviews and on-site workshops.
One of the first questions I’ll ask any client kicks in:
“So, who do you need to reach? Who is your target audience?”
A fairly straightforward question you’d think, right? So, why is it
that the answer I all too often hear could be plucked from the
following options?
“Well, we think that visitors to our current website are…”
“Facebook insights tells us that most of our fans are…”
“Most of our followers appear to be…”
“The people who tend to turn up are…”
On the surface these sound like the beginnings of a reasonable
answer to a fairly straightforward question. But did you spot the
problem here?
The problem is that sometimes when we’re forced to think about
our audiences, we fall into a trap of confusing dogs for cats.
Dogs. They’re always there. They follow you around expectantly.
They hang on your every word with that ears-forward-head-
cocked-to-one-side cuteness. They want to please. They’ll do
anything for your love and attention (and even more for the tiniest
of treats). They adore you and so you respond. You love them.
You’re like Tin Tin to Snowy, or Shaggy to Scooby.
But the problem is, that in order for your organisation to succeed,
you sometimes need to lure in the cats. This is a much harder
task. Cats are aloof. They don’t recognise that they need you.
They need warming up to you. They need to know that you are
someone who is going to add value to their lives, to service their
needs. Then, and only then, may they come to you. And even then
you need to continue to reassure them that you are at their
service. Only when you have proven your worth will they develop
loyalty.
So, sometimes when we think about our audiences it is all too
easy to think about who our current audience is, instead of who
we want them to be. If they’re one and the same, then you’re
doing something right. But often the very reason that you’re
developing a new strategy or communications plan is because
they’re not.
So, next time someone asks who your target audience is, have a
smile to yourself as you think about your loyal pack, but focus in
on the cats that you need to herd. And if you can get your pack to
attract your herd, then you’ve found the holy grail of digital
engagement.
PAWS FOR THOUGHT: IS YOUR CONTENT STRATEGY MORE “WOOF” OR “MEOW”?

3. TARGET
AUDIENCE
CURRENT
AUDIENCE
Aloof
Independent
Skeptical
Must add value to their lives
Do something for them
Prove your worth
Loyal
Pack
Attentive
Look to you
Will work for reward
Requires occasional treats
DO YOUR
COMMUNICATIONS SAY
“WOOF”
OR
“MEOW”?
TRUST LOYALTY
BUILD THEIRBUILD THEIR
ASK IS YOUR CURRENT AUDIENCE THE SAME AS YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE?

4. LOW
ENGAGEMENT
HIGH
ENGAGEMENT
HIGH
PRIORITY
LOW
PRIORITY
MAP YOUR AUDIENCES ACCORDING TO LEVELS OF PRIORITY AND ENGAGEMENT

5. LOW
ENGAGEMENT
HIGH
ENGAGEMENT
HIGH
PRIORITY
LOW
PRIORITY
(HERE’S A BLANK VERSION OF THIS FOR YOU TO PRINT, ENLARGE AND USE FOR THE EXERCISE)

6. LOW
ENGAGEMENT
HIGH
ENGAGEMENT
HIGH
PRIORITY
LOW
PRIORITY
Develop awareness and interest
strategies that pull them towards you by
providing something useful and valuable
to them. May require something that
takes you into their space or pulls them
in (content marketing).
Develop engagement strategies that
maintain their loyalty. Gift them with
valuable and useful content. Make them
feel useful to your community and efforts
by encouraging advocacy and valuing
their views and contributions.
Ignore this group. They are neither
necessary to your objectives nor are they
interested in you. Because they have low
engagement they are also unlikely to be
a threat to your organisation or the cause
that you are championing.
Proceed with caution. They may love you
and take up your time, but to what gain?
Monitor this group for dissatisfaction and
potential reputational harm and identify
potential advocates from amongst these
people. Don’t let them sap your time.
THEN WORK OUT WHAT YOU NEED TO DO WITH EACH SEGMENT. START AT THE TOP.