What Is a Persona in Social Media Marketing?

In social media marketing, we often use the concept of persona to help us understand our audience. A persona is a semi-fictional representation of your ideal customer. Think of it as a detailed profile that brings your target audience to life. It's like creating the ideal customer and defining it with key elements like:

• Age

• Location

• Job or profession

• Interests and hobbies

• Challenges or “pain points”

• Goals and motivations

• Online habits (which platforms they use and for what)

  
  

Creating a persona will help you speak to your audience more effectively. By knowing you you are talking to, you can adjust your message, address their pain points and create content that truly resonates with this persona.

Example of a Social Media Persona

Let’s say you’re managing social media for a local sustainable coffee shop. Here’s what one of your personas might look like:

• Name: Joanna the Eco-Conscious Shopper

• Age: 28

• Location: Montreal, Quebec

• Job: Graphic designer

• Values: Sustainability, minimalism, local products, supporting local businesses, homemade food.

• Challenges: Wants to shop sustainably but is on a budget

• Goals: Find a coffee shop near her that supports her values.

• Preferred Platforms: Instagram and Pinterest

• Content Preferences: Educational content, behind the scenes, nature documentaries, podcasts

  
  

Now that you have “Joanna” in mind, it's easier to know who you are talking to when you create content. Your posts could include sustainable recipe ideas, ingredient sourcing, or stories about how your coffee shop is involved in the community. The important part here is that you are tailoring your content to this persona.

Personas within the content strategy

Once you have researched and defined your personas, you can start building content with them in mind. Establishing your persona(s) is a good thing to do before creating your content. Having 2 personas is a good place to start.

During the process of defining your persona, you will also discover which platform they are most likely to use and for which reason. Keep that in mind when deciding what content to post where. Choose the right platforms based on where your personas spend their time.

How to Get Started

To build your first persona, start by:

• Reviewing your analytics (demographics, top posts, engagement patterns)

• Talking to real customers or followers

• Using social media polls and questions in stories

• Looking at your competitors’ audiences

Personas can evolve over time, start small and refine.

Understanding personas is like getting a map before you start your social media journey. You’ll know who you're talking to, what they care about, and how to connect with them more meaningfully.

Whether you’re managing social media for a small business, or your own brand, personas help you post with purpose and connect with your audience.

Happy marketing!