gor[b] Paul Gorbould: Words and Pictures

Who are you?

Today I attended a presentation on CBC.ca audience research. The focus on the activities and demographics of site visitors, and how they have changed over the past year. Which is well and good - while I would have prefered a comparative analysis that included our competition, it does help to know who your existing audience is, and isn't.

But the last half of the presentation was a bit of a tough sell. Like everyone else, CBC.ca is now interested in "market segmentation" research: identifying groups of customers with like attitudes and behaviours. It's a useful exercise, if a bit forced: research firms love to fabricate phoney names, backgrounds and even pictures of these imaginary people to help you visualize your real or potential audience. [Today's Globe says that Wal-Mart uses "Linda"]

Which got me thinking: what are the market segments of visitors to this blog? Site Meter gives me a rough idea, based on referrals, keyword searches, locations and so on. Based on that information, here are my imaginary friends as Decima would present them.

For the record, my ever-supportive wife wrote her own column there. She's a kindergarten teacher, and dislikes blogs because they are too snarky. I have no response to that. *

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