Grow The Show - Episode 211: Are You Targeting the Wrong Audience?

Host: Kevin Chemidlin
Release Date: February 11, 2025

Introduction

In Episode 211 of Grow The Show, host Kevin Chemidlin delves into a critical mistake many podcasters make when defining their audience. Titled "Are You Targeting the Wrong Audience?", this episode provides valuable insights for podcast creators striving to grow their shows effectively by accurately understanding and targeting their ideal listeners.

Identifying the Common Mistake

Kevin begins by addressing a prevalent issue observed among his clients and members of the Grow The Show Academy: the over-reliance on demographic proxies, such as age and generation, when defining an audience.

Kevin Chemidlin [00:01]: "I want to point out a mistake that you might be making as you work to define your audience."

He explains that many podcasters declare their target audience based on broad demographics like "women who are Gen X and above the age of 40," which leads to vague and ineffective audience definitions.

Case Study: Misaligned Audience Definition

To illustrate this point, Kevin shares a conversation with a Grow The Show Academy member who defines her audience as:

Kevin Chemidlin [00:50]: "I am looking to reach women who are Gen X, who are above the age of 40 and who want abundance in their life. They want authority and personal brand and these types of things."

Kevin critiques this definition, highlighting that such broad demographic terms often encompass individuals who may not be the ideal fit for the podcast's content.

Kevin Chemidlin [03:15]: "What most people do is they use age and generation as a proxy. ... you are using age and generation as a proxy for what you are actually there to help with."

Through further probing, he helps the member realize that her actual target audience should be defined by specific psychographics rather than merely age and gender.

Kevin Chemidlin [07:30]: "Wouldn't you say then that your audience is women who are established in their career and want to establish a personal brand outside of their career?"

This refined definition focuses on the audience's professional status and aspirations, providing a clearer and more actionable target.

Demographics vs. Psychographics

Kevin emphasizes the distinction between demographics and psychographics in audience definition:

• Demographics: Concrete, slowly changing attributes such as age, gender, marital status, and location.

• Psychographics: Dynamic aspects like mindset, desires, pain points, fears, and hopes that directly influence content consumption.

Kevin Chemidlin [10:45]: "A demographic is something that is concrete and rarely changes... Whereas psychographics, which is your mindset, the situation that you're in in life, your desires, your pain points, your fears, your hopes..."

He argues that psychographics provide a deeper understanding of the audience's motivations and needs, enabling podcasters to create content that resonates more effectively.

Benefits of Defining Audiences by Psychographics

By shifting focus from demographics to psychographics, podcasters can:

1. Enhance Clarity: Clearly articulate who the show is for based on their experiences and aspirations rather than broad age groups.

2. Increase Relevance: Develop content that directly addresses the audience's specific challenges and goals.

3. Improve Growth and Monetization: Attract a more engaged and loyal listener base, making it easier to grow the show and generate revenue.

Kevin Chemidlin [15:20]: "If you can convey your podcast in that way, this show is for people who are here and instead want to be here. It's going to be easier to grow your show."

Actionable Steps for Podcasters

Kevin offers practical advice for podcasters looking to refine their audience definitions:

1. Evaluate Current Definitions: Examine if demographics are being used as stand-ins for psychographics.

2. Define Psychographics: Identify the specific mindsets, desires, and challenges your ideal listeners face.

3. Articulate Clearly: Communicate your target audience based on their experiences and aspirations to attract the right listeners.

Kevin Chemidlin [18:40]: "Think about what demographics are you currently using to define your audience, and how can you look past those demographics to convey a psychographic, to convey a symptom and an outcome?"

Conclusion

In this episode, Kevin Chemidlin effectively highlights the importance of moving beyond demographic-based audience definitions to embrace a psychographic approach. By doing so, podcasters can better understand and serve their true audience, leading to more meaningful engagement and sustainable growth.

Kevin Chemidlin [24:10]: "No matter how long you have been in the game, the second you start articulating this stuff more clearly is the second that it becomes easier to grow your show."

Kevin encourages all podcasters, whether new or seasoned, to reassess and refine their audience definitions to ensure their content reaches and resonates with the right listeners.

Key Takeaways:

• Avoid using broad demographics as proxies for defining your podcast audience.
• Focus on psychographics to understand your audience's desires, challenges, and motivations.
• A well-defined audience based on psychographics leads to better content relevance and podcast growth.
• Regularly reassess and articulate your audience definition to maintain clarity and effectiveness.

Grow The Show continues to empower podcasters with actionable insights to transform their content into powerful business assets. Stay tuned for more episodes packed with strategies to elevate your podcasting journey.