Introduction to Persona Mapping
So, let’s start with a definition – what is persona mapping? Persona mapping is a strategic approach that enhances the user experience (UX) for your perfect customer in marketing. See how elegantly we put together UX and marketing in the same sentence? Beyond its role in marketing, persona mapping plays a pivotal role in digital product development (e.g., app development, website development) as well. It empowers product teams and UX designers to consider the unique characteristics and likes of actual individuals, ensuring that user requirements are thoughtfully integrated into the final app, website or marketing campaign.
So, throughout this article, we will switch from persona mapping for UX (user persona) and persona mapping for marketing (marketing persona) – so you will have thorough information on both.
The Persona Mapping technique involves crafting imaginary customer profiles using factors like demographics, personality traits, challenges, and more, all tailored to your intended audience.
However, if you still have questions or need help after reading this blog article, please contact the WeAgile team. WeAgile is a London-based digital agency, and we have a vast experience with app design & build, web design & development, and social media marketing – thus also Persona Mapping.
User Persona vs Marketing Persona
The key distinction between a marketing persona and a user persona lies in the fact that a marketing persona doesn’t necessarily have to be a user of what they purchase. Although, there are cases where they might be. In essence, a user persona aids in aligning the needs of your visitors with your design and development, whereas marketing personas guide the creation of offerings, content, and marketing campaigns tailored to your audience’s preferences. Marketing personas offer insights for strategic marketing investments. They serve as a valuable tool for businesses, enabling improved communication with customers. On the other hand, user personas are derived from field research involving real individuals and authentic stories. They involve users throughout the design and development journey. Designer Samantha Pede highlights that user personas are more intricate than traditional marketing personas and serve to mitigate potential design risks by profoundly understanding users.
Persona Mapping for Web and App Design Efficiency
Essentially, a primary user persona that directs product design (and subsequent marketing endeavours) is created by defining existing or target customers based on important shared features. To ensure that all user base segments within the target market are considered, multiple persona maps may be built in certain instances.
Persona maps enable team members to apply user-centred design concepts in their solution-building during the design thinking process. The objective is to develop fictitious buyer or user personas based on the requirements and interests of future clients.
Gathering Data
So, now we are ready to explore the various sources and methods to collect data for persona creation, including surveys, interviews, and analytics.
To craft a comprehensive profile of your ideal user or customer, you’ll gather both qualitative and quantitative data. Depending on your customer base, this information can be collected through polls, surveys, community groups, customer interviews, emails, and social media interactions.
Begin by capturing basic demographics like age, gender, occupation, and location. These details lay the foundation for your customer map, offering initial insights. However, the persona of customers shouldn’t be solely based on these demographics; they act as a starting point. They aid in formulating pertinent questions that enhance the customer experience.
Further, delve into their social presence. Explore their social media behaviour, preferred reading materials, and sharing patterns. Engage with the various social platforms they frequent, gaining a deeper comprehension of how to effectively disseminate your campaigns across those channels. This approach also offers valuable insights for shaping your own social media posts. P.S. If you need help with your social media management – reach out to us – the team at WeAgile – as we can help you with that too.
Demographics, Psychographics, Technographics
Let’s have a closer look at the factors that define a persona, such as age, gender, location, interests, behaviours, values, and challenges.
Demographics such as age, location, income, and gender, along with psychographics like personality traits and interests, browsing habits, and influences, as well as technographics based on technology usage and other characteristics, play a crucial role in shaping your user persona. Gathering data from surveys, customer records, purchase history (if you have any already), and other sources provides valuable quantitative insights into your user base. Yet, a user persona goes beyond mere statistics. User personas, buyer personas, and customer personas require descriptive details that foster genuine empathy towards them as individuals. This is why incorporating names, stock photos, and lifestyle descriptions becomes significant in breathing life into each persona.
Creating Personas
So, let’s look at a step-by-step guide on how to craft comprehensive and accurate buyer personas using the collected data. You can have a go and follow these guidelines, however, don’t forget that if you need help with any of this, reach out to the WeAgile Team, and we will happily help you.
Step 1 – Ask the right questions
Step 2 – Analyse your data
Step 3 – Map your answers
Here are some examples of great questions to ask:
- What role do they perform at work?
- What makes them happy?
- Do they have the final say on purchasing decisions?
- What device do they use?
- Do they use social media?
- What do they use social media for?
- What are their hobbies?
- What are their career goals?
- Who do they shop for other than themselves?
- What are their values?
- What workplace culture are they in right now?
- Who are they following?
- What are their favourite brands?
- What language do they use?
Persona Validation and Refreshing
Your user personas are adaptable and constantly evolving entities. To ensure their resonance with the authentic needs of your customers and to ensure your product development and marketing strategies remain attuned to them, it’s valuable to regularly validate and refresh your user personas. This can be accomplished through real user testing of assumptions and hypotheses, consistent user research and interviews, thorough analysis of user engagement and feedback using analytical tools, monitoring shifts in the market and customer preferences, and periodically reviewing and refining your user personas. This practice fosters a dynamic alignment that empowers your business growth.
Real-Life Examples
You might have already noticed that we’ve mentioned the fact that the WeAgile Team can help you with persona mapping (among all the other things we do). Obviously, we do not want to miss the chance to showcase our success stories and examples of businesses that we have helped to effectively utilise persona mapping to drive their marketing strategies. Have a look at our case studies here. But let’s have a closer look at some of our clients.
Casablanca Paris – our process commenced with a thorough exploration of the audience, leading to the meticulous crafting of distinct personas for every market segment. Subsequently, we devised tailored user journeys that resonated with the unique motivations of each persona, acknowledging the variations stemming from their varying degrees of brand awareness.
Quintessentially Travel – we embarked on a transformative journey with our client during a Brand Communication Workshop. Central to this process was our meticulous persona mapping endeavour, where we delved deep into understanding the diverse dimensions of their target audience. Through in-depth research and collaborative sessions, we sculpted vivid personas that encapsulated the essence of each customer segment. By aligning every communication element with the distinct motivations and aspirations of these personas, we forged a cohesive and compelling brand identity that resonates powerfully with the hearts and minds of the intended audience.
Pitfalls to Avoid in Persona Mapping
We’re nearly done. But before we finish the article, we just wanted to let you know some common mistakes to steer clear of when creating and utilising personas.
• Making too many or too few personas
• Expecting to create the perfect persona right away
Relying on assumptions or stereotypes
• Adding too much or too little detail
• Forgetting about the user journey
• Failing to use or share your personas
• Seeing persona creation as a one-off/final exercise
WeAgile is a UK-based digital agency, and our team of designers, developers, and marketers has a vast experience with app design and development, web design and development, and digital marketing. And as you know by now – all of the aforementioned services need Persona Mapping. So, reach out today and let’s work together on your new and exciting digital project or campaign today!
