From User Research to Product Marketing: Building Products that Resonate with Your Audience

In the past few weeks, I have chatted with a few early-stage companies catering to consumers, SMBs, and enterprise customers.In these conversations, a common topic was how all of them had launched products to their intended audience – and failed – meaning, the product didn’t drive the expected user adoption.This caused these companies to pivot to other ideas and/or solutions, often evolving into completely new efforts.While these were all valuable learnings in a startup journey, it’s also valuable time that is spent without finding the right PMF and driving traction for a company.

Many components influence whether a product is deemed successful or not.One of the critical components of the journey is the value of conducting proper user research at the very beginning of the product development journey.In more mature companies, this is often done by Product Marketing and Research teams. However, in start-ups, it’s a task often done by multiple early employees across Product, Engineering, Sales, and even founders.

In this article I’ll give my perspective on the value of user research and insights to inform the product development process, and subsequently, the definition of target audience, positioning, and promotion of a new product for an intended audience. 

Defining your Target Audience

Defining a target audience is a crucial step in the product development process. It involves identifying the specific group of people who are most likely to benefit from and engage with your product.Without a clear understanding of your target audience, it becomes challenging to create a product that meets their needs and resonates with them.

Defining your target audience involves conducting market research and gathering insights about potential users. This includes analyzing demographics, psychographics, behaviors, and pain points.By understanding who your ideal customers are, you can tailor your product to their specific preferences and challenges.Product Marketing can generally drive the target audience definition, with a clear hypothesis and validation.The definition of a target audience will inevitably start broad and then will be refined over time as you start learning more about your ideal users.

Let’s take a well-known company in the creator space – Patreon. Patreon is a platform that connects creators with their fans. Based on my analysis of the company, Patreon’s target audiences include:

• Creative professionals – including artists, musicians, video producers, podcasters, etc. – who look to expand their presence online beyond their current platforms (e.g. Instagram) and are willing to provide additional services to their biggest and/or most engaged followers, in exchange for additional revenue. 

• Engaged fans and/or supporters who are passionate about specific creators and their work, and are willing to pay to sustain and encourage their creative endeavors. They seek to find a deeper connection with their favorite creators and want access to exclusive content and/or perks in exchange for their support.

Once you’ve defined your initial target audience, what’s next?

Quick and Cheap Ways to Do User Research 

Startups and/or smaller organizations often face resource constraints, making it essential to find quick and cost-effective ways to conduct user research. Here are some approaches to consider:

1. Online Communities and Forums: Engage with relevant online communities and forums where your target audience gathers. Observe discussions, ask questions, and learn from their experiences. This can provide valuable insights into their preferences, pain points, and desires.

1. Social Media Polls: Leverage social media platforms to conduct quick polls or surveys. Platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn offer polling features that allow you to gather user feedback in a concise and engaging manner.

1. Prototype Testing: Create a basic prototype or MVP and conduct usability testing sessions. This can be done by recruiting a small group of users who match your target audience profile. Observe their interactions, gather feedback, and iterate on your product based on their input.

1. Customer Interviews: Reach out to potential customers and conduct one-on-one interviews to gain in-depth insights. Leverage personal networks, industry events, or social media platforms to connect with individuals who align with your target audience.

1. Analytics and Data Analysis: Utilize tools like Google Analytics, heatmaps, and user behavior tracking to gather data on user interactions with your website or app. Analyze this data to identify patterns, drop-off points, and areas for improvement.

Incorporating User Research into the Product Development Process

User research should be an integral part of the product development process. It should inform decision-making at every stage, from ideation to launch. Here are a few tips on where to incorporate user insights as part of your strategic thinking and product development process:

1. Ideation: Use user research insights to guide idea generation and brainstorm solutions that address specific user needs and pain points.

1. Prototyping: Develop prototypes based on user research findings and test them with users to gather feedback, validate assumptions, and refine the product concept.

1. User Testing: Conduct user testing sessions at various stages of development to validate usability, features, and value proposition.Incorporate user feedback into design and functionality improvements.

1. Positioning and Messaging: Utilize user research to define the product’s positioning and craft messaging that highlights its unique value proposition and addresses user pain points.

1. Launch and Beyond: Monitor user feedback, track product metrics, and engage in ongoing user research post-launch. Use this information to guide product enhancements and updates based on real-world user experiences.

By following these tips, startups can ensure that user research informs every stage of the product development process. It helps create products that resonate with the target audience, leading to higher user adoption and satisfaction.

Remember, investing time and effort into user research and involving product marketing from the outset can significantly enhance the chances of launching a product that meets and exceeds customer expectations.

The post From User Research to Product Marketing: Building Products that Resonate with Your Audience first appeared on KVERGE.