Nobody advertises to everyone. Target audience defines the specific group a campaign aims to reach, based on demographics, behaviors, interests, or purchase intent. Get this wrong and everything downstream fails.

Definitions should be specific. Women aged 25 to 40 is broad. Women aged 25 to 40 who bought running shoes in the last six months and live in cities is a target. The tighter the definition, the more relevant the message can be.

Common targeting variables

• Demographics like age, income, and location
• Psychographics like values and lifestyle
• Behavioral data such as purchase history
• Life stage, for example new parents

Over-targeting has a cost. Audiences shrink, costs rise, and the brand may miss potential customers who do not fit the profile but would still buy.