Let's jump right in with the definition. A target audience is a group of people defined by various common attributes and characteristics. Simply put: they are the groups of people most likely to purchase your product or service. Defining this audience is an important part of creating a successful strategy.

For example, an online shoe seller may think that their potential customers are all the people who need shoes – virtually everybody in the world. But the group of people looking for elegant pumps are probably different than those searching for waterproof trekking boots.

Investigating your digital brand's existing audience can help narrow the target audience. For the online shoe seller, it will be important to look at the common characteristics and behaviors of existing customers. Consider social media channels, subscribers, geographical locations, and even payment preferences to help narrow the target audience.

But what about when the audience is more difficult to identify. For a platform for online training courses, such as teachable.com, or a software service that adds accessibility to your website, like accessibe.com, this process can involve more in-depth research. Identifying and defining the target audience and specific segments within that audience can be more complicated.