Psychographic segmentation is a kaleidoscope of human behaviour and motivation.
With each twist and turn, you discover new facets of your brand’s target audience and new dimensions of their desires and motivations.
And with each new revelation, you refine your approach and fine-tune your copywriting to create marketing campaigns and landing pages that connect with your target audience on a far deeper level.
So don’t just think of psychographic segmentation as a tool for marketing.
Think of it as a way of understanding your audience, of seeing them not just as consumers, but as dynamic human beings.
With psychographic segmentation, you don’t just know the who, what, and where of your audience.
You know what drives them, what they believe in, and what their aspirations are.
And with this knowledge, you create a marketing strategy that transcends the superficial and gets to the core of your consumers.
Contents.
- What is psychographic market segmentation?
- Can demographics and psychographics be used together to segment marketing campaigns?
- What is a popular tool or framework for segmenting that uses psychographic data?
- Why do brands use the VALS framework?
- What is an example of psychographic segmentation?
- What are the 3 psychographics?
- Lifestyle psychographic segmentation
- Behavioural segmentation vs psychographic segmentation variables
What is psychographic market segmentation?
Psychographic market segmentation is a method of dividing a market into smaller groups of consumers based on shared personality traits, values, attitudes, interests, and lifestyles.
This type of segmentation provides a more in-depth understanding of consumers’ motivations, values, and attitudes, which can be used by businesses to develop more personalized and effective marketing strategies, messaging, and products.
The offshoot of using psychographic profiles is increased brand loyalty, a higher volume of sales and a higher average order value.
Wise marketers know that the secret to every good marketing campaign is to connect with your target audience on a level beyond just demographics.
Psychographic segmentation is a marketing strategy that divides consumers into groups based on their personality, values, interests, lifestyle and social status. It provides insights into consumer behaviour and lifestyle patterns and helps marketers to create more targeted and personalized marketing campaigns to effectively reach and engage with their target audience.
Some common psychographic variables used for market segmentation include:
- Personality: This refers to the consumer’s traits, such as extroversion, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism.
- Values: Consumers are often driven by personal values, such as achievement, security, or creativity.
- Attitudes: Attitudes refer to a consumer’s overall evaluation of a product or brand, including their opinions and beliefs.
- Interests: This refers to the consumer’s hobbies, pastimes, and leisure activities.
- Lifestyle: Lifestyle refers to the way people live, including their social and economic status, and the activities and interests that define their daily routine.
From understanding the psychographic profiles of your target audience, you can create messaging that resonates with consumers, build stronger brand loyalty, and ultimately drive sales and revenue.
Can demographics and psychographics be used together to segment marketing campaigns?
Yes, demographics and psychographics can be used together to segment a marketing campaign.
Demographic segmentation divides a market based on characteristics such as age, gender, income, education, and occupation.
On the other hand, psychographic segmentation divides a market based on personality, values, attitudes, interests, and lifestyles.
Using both demographics and psychographics together provides a more comprehensive view of the market, allowing companies to create highly targeted and personalized marketing strategies.
For example, a company selling high-end fashion products may segment its market based on demographic characteristics such as age and income, as well as psychographic characteristics such as values (luxury and exclusivity) and lifestyle (fashion-conscious and trendy).
Additionally, psychographic segmentation can also be used to segment markets in different geographic, demographic, or behavioural categories.
This allows companies to identify specific segments within their target audience that have similar psychographic characteristics, and create tailored marketing strategies to effectively reach and engage with each segment.
For example, a company selling high-end sports equipment may segment its market based on psychographic variables such as:
- Personality (adventurous and competitive)
- Values (achievement and personal improvement)
- Interests (outdoor activities and fitness)
- Lifestyle (active and health-conscious).
Combining demographics and psychographics can help companies to create a detailed picture of their target audience and better understand their motivations, needs, and behaviour patterns. This can lead to more effective marketing campaigns, higher customer engagement, and ultimately, increased sales and revenue.
What is a popular tool or framework for segmenting that uses psychographic data?
A popular tool for segmenting that uses psychographic data is the VALS (Values, Attitudes, and Lifestyle) framework.
Developed by SRI International (formerly the Stanford Research Institute) in 1978, VALS has become a widely used and well-established system for understanding consumer behaviour and psychographic segmentation so that consumer behaviour can be predicted.
The VALS framework was later updated in 1989 and categorizes consumers into eight different segments based on their values, attitudes, and lifestyles.
And with each segment, you discover new and unique insights into their motivations, their behaviours, and their desires.
- Innovators
- Thinkers
- Achievers
- Experiencers
- Believers
- Strivers
- Makers
- Survivors
Why do brands use the VALS framework?
VALS is a framework like no other, a way of understanding your audience that goes beyond the surface-level data and gets to the root of what makes them tick.
It’s a way for a brand to see the world through their customer’s eyes, to understand their motivations, their passions, and their dreams.
And with a similar understanding, you can create marketing strategies that speak directly to your customer’s hearts and souls.
You can craft messages that resonate with their values, tap into their aspirations and reflect their lifestyles.
Your marketing campaigns not only reach them, but inspire them, engage them, and drive them to action.
So don’t just think of VALS as a framework for segmentation.
Think of it as a journey of discovery, a path to understanding the very essence of your target audience.
With VALS, you can create marketing strategies that are not just effective, but truly unforgettable.
The VALS framework provides a comprehensive approach to psychographic segmentation, taking into account a range of factors, including:
- Primary motivations: With VALS Primary Motivations, you’re exploring the motivations that drive your target audience, the underlying forces that shape their lives, and the values that define their character. such as achievement, personal development, or social status
- Resources: The consumer’s financial, educational, and social resources. It’s a way of understanding the wealth, education, and social connections of your audience and how they influence their spending habits and lifestyles
- Emotional state: VALS Emotional State is a way to understand the emotions that drive and shape the lives of your target audience. It’s a way to get to the heart of what makes them feel, what inspires and motivates them, and what brings them joy or sadness. Their emotional state may include feelings of security, confidence, and anxiety
- Self-orientation: VALS Self-Orientation is a window into your target audience’s self-image and self-perception, and how they influence their attitudes, behaviours, and lifestyles. Think of it as a way to get to the heart of who they are, what they believe in, and what they aspirate to be
So if you’re looking to understand your audience, to connect with them on a deeper level, and create marketing strategies that resonate with their very souls, then VALS is for you.
What is an example of psychographic segmentation?
An example of psychographic segmentation is a company that sells high-end sports equipment targeting consumers who are adventurous; competitive; achievement-oriented; active; and health-conscious.
The company then segments its market based on the following psychographic variables:
- Personality: Consumers who are adventurous and competitive, with a desire for personal achievement
- Values: Customers value personal improvement and physical fitness
- Interests: Interested in outdoor activities and fitness
- Lifestyle: People who lead an active and health-conscious lifestyle
The marketing campaign almost writes itself and by better understanding the psychographic profile of its target audience, the company can reap stronger results.
For example, the company could also offer special promotions and discounts to its targeted segment, or create targeted social media campaigns that showcase its products in use by adventurous and active consumers.
The company could also partner with fitness influencers or organize events for fitness enthusiasts to create a deeper connection with its target audience.
Additionally, the company could use its understanding of the psychographic characteristics of its target audience to inform product design and development.
For example, it may create new products that cater to the adventurous and competitive nature of its target segment or incorporate features that appeal to consumers who value personal improvement and physical fitness.
This enables a company to create a more personalized and effective marketing approach.
What are the 3 psychographic?
The “3 Ps” of psychographic segmentation refer to the three key variables that are used to segment a market based on consumers’ psychological and personality characteristics. The three Ps are:
- Personality: The enduring patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviours that characterize an individual
- Values: The beliefs and principles that are most important to an individual, such as financial stability, family, or personal growth
- Lifestyle: How an individual lives, interests, activities, opinions, and values
Lifestyle psychographic segmentation.
Lifestyle psychographic segmentation is a method of market segmentation that divides consumers into groups based on their lifestyles, including their patterns of behaviour, interests, opinions, and values.
However, lifestyle segmentation is categorised as psychographic segmentation, because it focuses on the psychological and personality characteristics of consumers, rather than demographic or behavioural data.
In lifestyle psychographic segmentation, consumers are grouped based on shared lifestyle characteristics, such as their:
- Hobbies and interests: Leisure activities that consumers enjoy and the topics they are interested in
- Social activities: Events and gatherings that consumers attend and the groups they are involved in
- Attitudes and values: Beliefs and principles that are most important to consumers, such as environmental awareness, financial stability, or personal growth.
- Spending patterns: The way consumers allocate their resources, including their spending on leisure activities, food, clothing, and other items
Behavioural segmentation vs psychographic segmentation variables.
Behavioural segmentation divides customers into groups based on their behaviours, such as their purchase history, usage rate, and brand loyalty.
Psychographic segmentation, on the other hand, divides consumers into groups based on their psychological and personality characteristics, such as their values, interests, and lifestyle.
It’s worth noting that psychographic segmentation can be combined with other methods of market segmentation, such as demographic or behavioural segmentation, to provide a more comprehensive view of the target audience.
For example, a company could use both demographic and psychographic data to segment its market.
The demographic data might include information such as age, gender, income, and education, while the psychographic data would focus on the values, interests, and lifestyles of consumers.
By combining both types of data, the brand has a richer understanding of its target audience and segments.