– Using digital personas to improve your web design –
Using digital personas can be an extremely effective starting point when developing your web design strategy.
Correctly used, personas will help you and your team to develop site design and functionality that supports the needs of your desired customer.
What is a digital persona?
A tool that you and your team will use to develop a fictional character, with a set of very specific characteristics, that enables you to focus on your web users.
Developing them will allow you to direct desired communications to each of your personas. Take a look at the below example:
Why using digital personas will help your web design?
Your website communicates your key messages to your audience and guides them through to a desired outcome. For example: visit to subscription or visit to sale.
Having established your personas, you can concentrate on how the layout, design and functionality of your site will best enable your visitors to reach these goals.
Using your personas will also help your team in other areas of digital marketing including:
- Producing the appropriate marketing content
- Focusing on delivering it through the best channels
How to construct your digital personas
Establishing your target audience is your first step. This will reduce your potential client pool into a group that is easier to work with.
The information required will consist of demographics, personal goals, motivations and frustrations (pain points).
To gather this information and data, we suggest that you use some (or all) of the below methods:
- Analysing existing google and social media analytics
- Interviewing your sales and customer service teams
- Interviewing your clients
- Analysing your current database of client information
You can now segment your data in order to create much more specific personas. Aim for between 3 – 5. It is important to give your persona a photo (or an artist impression) and a name.
Being as detailed as possible is critical in ensuring that your teams better understand your clients and their needs.
Once completed you will be better placed to tailor your communications in a way that leads to better results for your business.
What if I am a new business?
Now if you are just starting out with your business then the above will be difficult (or impossible).
Here are a few suggestions to get you started if you don’t have access to the above methods:
- Conduct interviews by reaching out to your personal social media networks. Focus on your target markets and ask people to refer you to people in their networks.
- Set up your social profiles before your website and start to grow your following.
- Create an online survey that is easy and convenient to complete and easy to share.
- Research the customers of your competitors. Look at their testimonials, social following and people who are engaging with their content!
This gives you a place to start but remember your personas are dynamic. This means you will need to adapt as your business grows.
It is important to consistently review and update your personas so that your online presence remains specific to your customers.
Conclusion and free template
In conclusion creating your digital personas is an effective way of ensuring that your web design will meet the needs of your potential clients.
This first step allows your business to immediately communicate the key messages to your desired audience once your site goes live.
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE DIGITAL PERSONAS TEMPLATE
Feel free to share your thoughts in the box below.
Let me know what you agree/disagree with or what else you might consider when creating digital personas. Good luck!!
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