How is Consumer Data Used to Refine Target Audiences in Advertising?

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    Advertising Interviews

    How is Consumer Data Used to Refine Target Audiences in Advertising?

    Imagine unlocking the secret to advertising success with just five piece of consumer data. In today's feature, experts including a CEO and a Founder share their priceless insights. Discover how targeting ads based on location can revolutionize your approach right from the start, leading all the way to gaining an analytical edge with purchase data as the final golden takeaway. Altogether, five insights await to elevate your next advertising campaign.

    • Target Ads Based on Location Data
    • Use Income Data to Boost Sales
    • Leverage Location for RV Campaign
    • Identify Audiences with ZIP Code Analysis
    • Analyze Purchase Data for Targeted Ads

    Target Ads Based on Location Data

    Using location data, I found 60% of my clients' website traffic came from three major cities. Targeting ads to those cities resulted in a 40% higher click-through rate and 20% increase in trial signups.

    Analyzing purchase data, customers attending my live events spent 60% more in their first year. Retargeting them boosted ticket sales 60% and revenue 25%.

    For an edtech client, location data showed 60% of users were within 15 miles of major universities. Ads custom to them led to 40% more clicks and 20% higher trials.

    Data reveals hidden patterns. Whether location, lifestyle, or purchase history, analyzing data uncovers your best potential customers. I dig into data to find unexpected audiences, increasing campaign performance by targeting the most valuable customers.

    Magee Clegg
    Magee CleggCEO, Cleartail Marketing

    Use Income Data to Boost Sales

    As the CEO of an advertising agency, I have access to a wealth of consumer data that allows me to refine target audiences. For example, I once worked with a pet food client who wanted to increase sales of their premium dog food line. By analyzing purchase data, we found that households with incomes over $75,000 and at least one child were 25% more likely to buy premium pet food.

    With this insight, we custom-Facebook ads to target parents in higher-income households. Within a month, the client's sales of premium dog food had increased over 50% year over year. The key was using just one data point—household income—to uncover an audience with a high propensity to purchase the product.

    For another client, a resort, we analyzed travel data to find their best customers booked 3-6 months in advance and stayed for 3-5 nights. We then targeted Facebook ads at households that had searched for vacations fitting this criteria. Conversions from these custom ads were over 2x higher than previous efforts.

    The takeaway is that even a single data point, like income, travel plans, or location, can help uncover your best potential customers. By tailoring ads to these audiences, you'll see significantly higher results. The data is out there; you just have to analyze it.

    Chase Chappell
    Chase ChappellFounder, Sirge

    Leverage Location for RV Campaign

    As the CEO of an advertising agency, I've often used location data to refine target audiences. For a client promoting a new recreational vehicle, we analyzed records of previous RV purchases and found buyers were 25% more likely to come from suburban neighborhoods.

    With this insight, we targeted Facebook ads to suburban households within a 30-mile radius of RV dealerships. The campaign led to a 35% increase in test drives and sales. By leveraging a single data point—location—we uncovered an audience primed to purchase the product.

    For a pet store chain, we studied location data to find their most loyal customers lived within 5 miles of a store. We geo-targeted ads promoting a new loyalty program to these nearby households. Sign-ups for the program tripled, showing the power of location-based targeting.

    The key is analyzing data to find not just any potential customers, but those most likely to act. Location, income, travel habits—even basic attributes can point to your best audience. The data is out there; you just have to dig in and find the gold.

    Jay Owen
    Jay OwenCEO, Business Builders

    Identify Audiences with ZIP Code Analysis

    As a digital marketer, I often use location data to identify audiences for ad targeting. For a client selling high-end watches, I analyzed the home ZIP codes of their top customers over the past year. I found most lived within 10 miles of luxury shopping districts in major cities.

    Targeting ads for a new watch model to those ZIP codes led to a 50% higher click-through rate and a 35% increase in sales. Sometimes the most useful insights come from the simplest data points.

    For an e-commerce company, I segmented purchase data by items frequently bought together. I found customers who bought luxury candles also tended to buy designer stationery. Targeting ads for a new stationery product to customers of the candle brand resulted in the highest return on ad spend of any campaign that year.

    Finding unexpected overlaps in customer bases has driven some of the best results. There are connections in the data if you analyze it from new angles. The key is not just looking at the obvious but digging deeper to uncover hidden opportunities. As a digital marketer, I often have access to insightful consumer data that allows me to laser-focus target audiences. For a client selling home gym equipment, I analyzed six months of customer service transcripts and found many customers specifically praising the "space-efficient" design.

    With this single data point, I ran Facebook ads targeting local fitness enthusiasts living in apartments or condos. The campaign led to a 27% increase in sales from those audiences within a month. The key was identifying one attribute—living space—to find ideal customers.

    For an e-commerce company, I analyzed two years of transaction data and found repeat customers typically made 3-4 purchases annually but with no clear seasonality. I then targeted ads on social media at people interested in the product category year-round. The company's sales grew over 40% as we doubled down on these high-frequency yet steady shoppers.

    The lesson: A single data point, like location or purchase behavior, can identify your best potential customers. Focus your marketing on these audiences, and you'll achieve significantly higher results. The data already exists; you just have to analyze it.

    Luke Heinecke
    Luke HeineckeCEO, Linear

    Analyze Purchase Data for Targeted Ads

    As the founder of a digital marketing agency, I've used purchase data to refine target audiences many times. For a local restaurant, we analyzed their customer data and found people aged 25-35 who dined in groups of 4-6 and ordered appetizers spent 30% more. We targeted Facebook ads at this demographic, and the client saw a 45% increase in appetizer sales the following month.

    For a cleaning service, data showed their best customers booked biweekly or monthly recurring service. We targeted ads on Facebook and Google at households searching for residential cleaning on those schedules in their area. The cleaning service gained 47 new long-term clients from these ads in under 3 months.

    Data insights don't have to be complicated. Even basic information like age, location, or how often someone buys a product can uncover your ideal customers. By tailoring ads to these specific audiences, you'll see significantly higher results. The data is out there; you just have to analyze it.

    Josh Hook
    Josh HookAgency Owner, Hook'd IT Up