Using Quantcast to Understand Markets

Using Quantcast to Understand Markets

It’s important for Internet marketers to understand their audience.  By understanding their audience, they can create targeted marketing materials.  Thus, they can increase their following and their sales.

There are lots of different ways to analyze a market.  You can conduct market research, or hire someone to do a competitor analysis.  While both of these are great ways to discover your audience, they cost money.  If you want to use a free (and simple) way to analyze your market, use Quantcast.

What is Quantcast?

Quantcast monitors statistics for website owners.  People can use Quantcast to review statistics on:

• The number of men who view their site
• The number of women who view their site
• The age of site visitors
• The ethnicity of site visitors
• The number of kids visitors have
• The amount of money site visitors make
• How much education site visitors have
• Traffic frequency
• Business activity
• Geographic location of site visitors
• Page views
• Data source

There are two ways to use this data.  First you can use the data to analyze your competitors’ websites in order to get a better understanding of your target market.  Second, you can get Quantified with Quantcast so you can see your own site statistics.

I’m going to show you how to do both.

Analyze Competitors’ Websites

The first thing you can do is use Quantcast to analyze your competitors’ sites.  This analysis will help you discover who your target market is.

It’s a good idea to do this when you first start out with your niche site.  That way, you can design your marketing materials around your target market.

For example, let’s say that you’re going to create a niche site for the Apple iPad 2.  You could go to Google and search for “iPad 2.”

Apple’s site is at the top of the search results.  Since they created the iPad 2, I know that a lot of their customers will visit their website.  Thus, I can check Apple’s statistics with Quantcast in order to get a better idea of the types of customers they serve.

When I go to Quantcast, I just need to put their website’s URL into the search box and click “Search.” 

When I do that, a list of different statistics will come up.  I can click on the “Demographics” button in order to get detailed results. 

After I view the demographics, I know that the customer base is split almost evenly between men and women.  I also know that the majority of the customer base:

• Is between the ages of 18-34
• Has kids
• Makes at least $60,000 per year

I can use this information to create powerful marketing materials that will speak directly to these people.

View Your Own Site Information

You can also use Quantcast to view your own website’s information.  First though, you need to get Quantified.

In order to get Quantified, you have to sign up for an account with Quantcast.  Then, you’ll need to put a snippet of code on your website.

If you want to get Quantified, go to https://www.quantcast.com/user/signup.  Once there, create an account.

Then, Quantcast will send a confirmation email to your account.  Follow the steps in the email and then get Quantified.

Once your site is Quantified you’ll be able to go to Quantcast, type in the site address, and view statistics.  At that point, you’ll need to check the statistics to make sure you’re reaching the right audience.

For instance, if your competitors are reaching an equal amount of men and women, but you’re only reaching women, you’ll need to change your marketing methods in order to reach more men.  Basically, you’ll use the information from Quantcast in order to make chances so you can reach the right people.

Now that you know how the process works, take the time to do some competitor research and get Quantified with Quantcast.  This free tool will help you get your site on track so you can maximize your outreach with regards to helping folks and make more sales akso. 

Let me know what you think of Quantcast.  Do you plan on using this tool to help you find your target audience?  Also, if you’ve already used Quantcast, tell me about your experiences with it.

Thanks for reading Using Quantcast to Understand Markets and please share on Google+, Facebook and Twitter.

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