Activity 5: Know Your Audience

Instructions:  

Suppose that you were hired by a client called “The Green Paw Project”, which is a brand new online store specializing in eco-friendly pet care products. They offer a wide range of sustainable and ethically sourced pet toys, accessories, and cleaning supplies. Their target audience? Passionate pet owners who prioritize the well-being of their furry companions and the planet.

To develop an effective social media strategy, The Green Paw Project needs to understand their audience’s values, preferences, and online behavior.  This activity will put your research skills to the test!

Phase 1: Unveiling the Pet Parent

The Green Paw Project is still new, so website and social media analytics aren’t available yet.  But fear not!  Here’s how you’ll dig into your target audience:

Demographics:

Research the typical pet owner demographics in the US (or your target region). Resources like industry reports, pet product association websites, or even general population statistics can provide insights into age ranges, income levels, and pet ownership trends (dogs vs. cats, etc.). Provide as detailed demographic data as possible. 

Social Listening:

Explore online conversations relevant to eco-friendly pet care. Look for hashtags like #EcoPetCare and #SustainablePets. Identify:

• Trending topics and discussions within your target audience
• Common challenges pet owners face regarding sustainable pet products (limited options, high cost)
• The tone of voice used in these conversations (informative, humorous, passionate)

Phase 2: Building Your Buyer Persona

Based on your research, create a detailed buyer persona named “Eco-Emma” (or another fitting name). Eco-Emma should embody the ideal customer for The Green Paw Project. Include details like:

• Age, location, and occupation (based on demographic research)
• The type(s) of pet(s) she owns (based on research or survey, if available)
• Her biggest concerns and motivations related to pet care (environmental impact, animal welfare)
• Her online behavior and preferred sources of information (social media platforms, blogs) based on social listening and general pet owner trends.
• Her preferred content formats (engaging images, informative articles, short videos) based on social listening and general online content consumption trends.

Phase 3: Competitor Analysis

The Green Paw Project isn’t alone in the eco-friendly pet care space.

• Research 3-5 competitors offering similar sustainable pet products.
• Analyze their social media profiles, focusing on:
• Content strategy (types of content they post, overall tone)
• Audience engagement (how they interact with followers)
• Content performance (which formats seem to resonate best based on likes, comments, shares)

Deliverables:

Download the worksheet provided and provide a brief report summarizing your audience research findings:

• Include details on your demographic research, key takeaways from social listening, and any survey results (if applicable).
• A well-developed buyer persona profile for Eco-Emma.
• A competitive analysis report outlining the strategies of 3-5 competitors.

Once you are done, upload the file in this section below:

Note: Please ensure that you have answered all questions and click the submit button. Once you’ve clicked submit, click the link below to proceed to the next lesson.

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