Your target market isn't demographic

"I don't like the traditional target market definition that focuses on demographics and firmographics: We sell to small businesses in the UK. Our fast-casual restaurant appeals to college students and young professionals. We target outdoor enthusiasts in the Pacific Northwest Our TV show is targeted at females, 19-29 years old. Sometimes this sort of description warranted. If you sell back-office software specifically for dentist offices under Norwegian law, then a demographic description is accurate. But my experience is that, for most companies, these dimensions incorrectly describe the market."

"Despite the stated demographic, most females 19-29 don't watch that show. Why not⁠-what differentiates those who watch from those who don't? Conversely, many people who are not females 19-29 do watch it. Why? Your actual "target market" is described by whatever characteristics are shared by the watchers, and are distinct from the non-watchers. Even if you're roughly correct that the named demographic accurately describes many viewers, you're missing the deeper value"

Traditional demographic and firmographic labels frequently misidentify the actual buyers for most products and media. Shared behaviors, preferences, aesthetic tastes, genre affinity, and aspirational identity better describe who will engage with an offering. Broad demographic tags often include many non-buyers and exclude buyers outside the demographic band. Advertisements should appeal to the specific attributes and values that unite current users, such as genre preference, actor affinity, writing style, or social signaling. The same behavioral targeting principle applies to business products, where usage context and user motivations determine fit more than age, gender, or company size.

Read at A Smart Bear