Creating personas can be a great way to segment your customer base into marketable audiences. Follow along as we lay out how to create a killer customer persona.

1. Portent, Inc.
Personas with Personality
January 2015

2. Portent, Inc. is one of North
America’s elite Internet
marketing companies. Located
in Seattle, WA., Portent is a
full-service agency with in-
house design, creative, and
development teams including
experts in paid advertising,
analytics, SEO, content
strategy/writing, and social
media.
Greetings from
the #smithtower
Ahead of
The Horizon

3. With 18 years in the industry,
you can trust our expertise.
Strategy Analytics Content Creative
PPC SEO Social Media

4. Our Vision
To be the most significant& successful
digital marketingagency in the industry.
To be the top trustedmarketingpartner that
drives digital awareness, engagementand
revenue for our clients.
Our Mission

5. Marketing
Personas
Marketing personas are detailed
descriptions of an imaginary
“customer” that encompasses
things like:
• gender
• race
• marital status
• lifestyle
• age
• income level
• education level
• hobbies
• religion
What are they?

7. *From: Interaction Design

8. *From: Copyblogger

9. Creating
Personas
• Keep it simple, don’t get too
carried away.
• Bullet points are your friend.
• Narrative should include words
that you could see in the copy
later.
• Like keywords!

11. Keywords:
Where to Start
• Look at your keyword list.
• Look in your analytics profile on
what is bringing quality organic
traffic.
• Are these keywords early buying
cycle or later? How specific?
• Write down 3-4 descriptive
keywords per product/service.

12. Pictures
Everything is easier with a picture!
• Don’t pick someone you know.
• Don’t pick someone famous.
• Use good quality stock photos.
• Use photos appropriate to the
persona/reflected in the
description.

13. Photo Example
Good Persona Photo Bad Persona Photo
Persona: Executive Chef of a Restaurant Chain

14. Persona: Mom
Good Persona Photo Bad Persona Photo

15. Name your
People
• Doesn’t have to rhyme or match,
but it is easier to remember.
• Don’t get too quirky.
• If you have access to customer
first names, peruse them. See
what pops up or repeats.

16. Tools
• Google Analytics (or your
handy analytics package)
• Google Search Suggest
• Ubersuggest
• Discussion Forums/Blogs-
anywhere there’s a
conversation
• Customer reviews (both you
and your competitors)

17. Resources
• US Census
• Customer reviews/forums
• Facebook
• Google Analytics
• Ubersuggest
• Lexicons

18. • Location
• New vs. Returning Visitors
• Frequency & Recency
• Browser/Device
• Social Actions
• Referral Traffic
Google
Analytics

19. Location
Use location reports to get a better idea of where your traffic comes from.

20. New vs. Returning
Customers
Use this report to learn whether your persona is familiar with your brand or is
more likely to find what they need and buy on the first visit.

21. Frequency & Recency
Use this report to determine whether or not your persona spends
much time researching your brand and how often they visit.

22. Time to Purchase
How many times do they come back and buy? Take this into consideration
when writing ads for value propositions, benefits or features.

23. Browser/Device
You can use this report to see what browsers, operating systems, and
devices your persona is most likely to use.

24. Social Actions
You can use this report to see how engaged your persona is with
social media and what social media forum they’re likely using.

25. Referral Traffic
You can use the referral traffic report to see what other sites your
persona likes to visit and how they’re likely to find your site.

26. Google Search Suggest

27. Ubersuggest

28. Forums

29. Customer Reviews
Customers will tell you what features they didn’t like, colors and price point
complaints. Take these into consideration when building your persona.

30. Putting
the Pieces
Together
Example client:
Natural/Organic Foods Retailer
What we know:
• Large selection
• Free Shipping
• “Green” oriented
• Non perishable items
• Specializing in gluten free

31. Gluten Free Gabrielle

32. Gabrielle as
a List
• Female
• Over 25
• Single
• Not gluten free by choice, it’s an
allergy
• Entry level employment, under
$40k a year as a lab technician
• Very cost conscious
• College educated
• Often feels “cheated” that she has
dietary restrictions

33. Gabrielle as a List
• Female
• Over 25
• Single
• Not gluten free by choice, it’s an allergy
• Entry level employment, under $40k a year as a lab technician
• Very cost conscious
• College educated
• Often feels “cheated” that she has dietary restrictions
Keyword searches for
“gluten allergy” and
“allergies gluten free
foods”
Most frequent complaint
on forums
Previous customer
information, 70% were
female
Get Creative
Keyword searches for
cheap, discount,
coupon codes
Old enough to shop for
self, tech savvy enough
to do it online
Common sense!

34. Gabrielle’s
Keywords
Gluten free foods
Gluten free recipes
Gluten free food delivery
Gluten free bread mixes
Gluten free desserts
Gluten free cookies
Gluten free food coupons
Gluten free food promo codes
Brand X coupons
Brand X promo codes

36. Gabrielle’s AdsGabrielle’s Ads

37. Gabrielle’s Ads Breakdown
Convenience
Good deal
Coupons
Brand names
Fun
Not missing
out

38. PHOTO
"Quote”
Gender: Age: Education: Marital Status:
Income: Computer Savvy: Occupation:
The story:
Start at the beginning. What is their issue/problem?
What are their likes and dislikes?
What would be their obstacles in purchasing from you? How technical/computer/web skilled are they?
How do they find what they want online?
Name

40. Lots of Happy
Customers
.800+ companies, in fact.

41. Thank
Portent, Inc. 506 2nd Ave. Suite 1700 Seattle. WA 98104-2354 | Tel: 206.575.3740
YOU.