This document discusses defining and researching audiences. It explains that quantitative research uses statistical analysis of closed questions to understand things like readership rates. Qualitative research takes a more personal approach through open-ended interviews, focus groups, and questionnaires to understand what audiences like and dislike. Audience profiles categorize demographics like age, gender, income level, education, and location to effectively target advertising. Understanding psychographics, socioeconomic status, and geodemographics provides insight into lifestyles and spending habits for narrowing the target market. The document provides examples of audience data and outlines how mainstream and niche audiences differ in size and specificity of interests.

1. Defining an Audience
Olivia Griffiths
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2. Quantitative Audience Research:
•
Quantitative audience research is research that takes place to provide information that can
be analysed statistically, rather than based on experience.
•
Quantitative research is often criticised for not giving enough information as it only uses
closed questions.
Quantitative research is normally carried out by two major companies within print media in the
UK:
NRS (National readership survey) – provides a continuous survey completed by the
audience which gives an estimated readership for the print media industry.
ABC (Audit bureau of circulations) – independently verifies and reports media performance.
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3. This is an example taken from the NRS. It shows the number of readers per copy of a
particular magazine.
The company then takes the frequency and records them in a graph so that it is easy to
understand and companies are able to evaluate which magazines are most popular,
especially for their chosen audience.
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4. Qualitative Audience Research
•
Qualitative research takes a more personal approach to the audience. For example, what they
like, what they dislike, where they live, how much they earn etc.
•
This provides more in depth answers, giving the company the ability to make a product that is
more suitable for the audience. This also means the company can broaden the amount of
information they gain, through the use of open questions.
Methods of qualitative research include:
• Focus groups
• Questionnaires
• Face to face interviews
These methods are useful as you get a direct, personal response
of what would be suitable for the audience within the product.
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5. Audience profiles are used within the print industry to help companies sell
advertising space.
Categories are used to break down an audience.
• Age
• Gender
• Class
• Psychographics
• Geodemographics
• Mainstream audiences
• Niche audiences
It is important to profile an audience so that the company is getting the message
across to the right people, so that the product is more likely to be successful.
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6. This is an example graph that shows the demographics of people in the US in comparison to
the global status.
This graph shows
the comparison
between global
income and U.S
income, this helps
to show the
company the
direct
measurements of
income and how it
is affected. So
they can take this
into consideration
when targeting
their audience.
This shows that it is
reaching an older
audience ranging
from 18-50.
Helps differentiate the
people who have
children compared with
those who don’t.
Shows average
income and also
shows most
people earn
over $100k and
only 19% earn
under $30k.
In comparison to income this
shows that most people who
earn over $100K went to college
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or grad school.

7. Socio-economic status (SES):
•
Socio-economic status is the measure of individual’s or family’s economic status or social
position in comparison to others.
•
It is typically broken into 3 categories:
Income
Gender
Occupation
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8. Psychographics:
Psychographics is the study of a persons lifestyle and behaviour. There are seven main types
of psychographics and each category describes a different type of person.
•Belonger
• Achiever
• Emulator
• Socially conscious type A
• Socially conscious type B
• Balanced / totally integrated
• Needs driven
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9. Geodemographics:
Geodemographics is used to present the idea that people who live in the same
neighbourhoods or areas tend to have the same lifestyles, interests and spending
tendencies.
This means that companies, especially advertisers can target an audience within the
same area so that they can ensure they are targeting the correct audience.
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10. Age:
Age is used to classify an audience. This means how old the audience is and how they can be
categorised into age groups so that companies can make a product to suit the age groups
likes and dislikes.
This kind of research is carried out through questionnaires, by finding out a persons age they
can then categorise it and piece together different interests.
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11. Gender:
There are two main categories when referring to an audiences gender.
• Male
• Female
This means that it is a very simple way of targeting an audience.
Knowing an audiences gender can help the company make a product that is more appealing
to a specific gender as men and women tend to have different interests.
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12. Mainstream:
A mainstream audience is a very large audience. It targets the most popular interests
so that it gains a larger group of people.
It addresses topics or hobbies that the majority of people are aware of and are
interested in.
This may include topics such as chart music or blockbuster films.
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13. Niche:
In comparison to a
mainstream audience
and niche audience is a
much smaller group of
people.
Targeting a niche audience
means that
the company would be
targeting an
audience with very specific
interests
and hobbies.
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