Finding The Right Target Audience In eCommerce: 16 Proven Strategies

Sometimes, finding the right target audience for your eCommerce store can be like searching for a needle in a haystack—unless you have the right info or tools.

Without a clear understanding of “who” your customers are, you might end up going in circles, wasting time, and missing out on opportunities.

In this blog, we’re exploring 16 strategies that will help you identify your ideal customer personas and connect with them meaningfully. 

16 Strategies On How To Find The Right Target Audience For Your eCommerce Store

1. Look at your competition

Reviewing your competition is like getting a backstage pass to what’s already working in your industry and figuring out where you can stand out.

Here’s how studying your competition can help you appeal to your target audience:

✅ Check their “Hero Moments” 

Look for standout moments in your competitor's brand journey that everyone’s talking about—like a viral ad, a breakthrough product launch, or a campaign that resonated with people. 

Understanding their hero moments can help you pinpoint what customers love, but it also lets you brainstorm your own brand’s unique “hero moments” that leave a mark.

✅ Become their customer

Say you’re launching a new coffee subscription service. 

Order from a couple of competitors and experience the whole process: the website, the checkout process, and even customer service. 

You might find they have a paid shipping process—now, you can market your store with ‘free shipping’. 

✅ Track their predictable patterns (and break the mold)

Competitors often follow predictable patterns in product releases, promotions, or content. 

Spot these patterns and consider how you can mix things up. 

If they’re always having seasonal sales, you could focus on limited-edition product drops. 

This adds an element of surprise and makes your brand feel fresher in comparison.

2. Conduct surveys or focus groups

Sounds stale?

With surveys and focus groups, you can foster a deeper connection with your target audience.

And it can give you a jumpstart on finding the right target audience for your eCommerce store.  

Some tips to conduct engaging feedback loops:

✅ Gamify your surveys

Instead of a standard questionnaire, turn your survey into a fun game.

Create a quiz format with points for answering questions correctly, or include interactive elements like sliders and clickable images. 

For instance, a fashion brand could have their TG choose their favorite styles in a “this or that” format, scoring points as they go. 

At the end, participants could enter a raffle for a gift card or product to encourage completion.

✅ Incorporate user-generated content

Before conducting a survey, encourage participants to share their experiences with your product on social media using a specific hashtag. 

Then, gather and analyze this user-generated content for themes and insights. 

You can also showcase some of these stories in your focus group to create a relatable starting point for discussion.

✅ Follow up with a “thank you” survey

After a focus group, send a follow-up survey that asks participants to rate their experience and share any additional thoughts. 

Frame it as a “thank you” for their time, reinforcing that their input is valuable. 

You might include a small incentive, like a discount on future purchases, to encourage participation.

3. Use social media to your advantage  

Your target audience is already online—so why not listen in? 

Here’s how to use social media to find the right target audience for your online store: 

✅ Create a branded hashtag 

Hashtags aren’t just for decoration—they’re your secret weapon to getting noticed.

Create a fun, catchy branded hashtag for your campaigns and encourage your followers to use it whenever they share their experiences with your products. 

Plus, don’t forget to explore niche hashtags that relate to your industry. 

You’d be surprised how many new friends (ahem, customers) you can meet this way. 

✅ Dig into comments: Your target audience’s voice!

The comment section on social media is like a treasure chest of feedback.

Take some time to read through what your audience is saying about your posts.

You might find some golden nuggets of insight—questions they have, things they love, or even areas for improvement. 

Responding to comments shows your followers that you care and builds a real sense of community. 

✅ Hack the Instagram Explore page

As you observe what content gets featured on the Explore page, take notes on the types of posts that resonate with their target audiences. 

Pay attention to which posts get the most likes, comments, and shares. 

Understanding these engagement patterns will help you craft content that appeals to your target audience, ultimately driving more traffic to your store.

The Explore page often features user-generated content that showcases real customers using products. 

This can provide valuable insight into how your potential customers perceive similar brands. 

Take note of what they’re saying and how they’re engaging with products. 

This can inform your marketing strategy and help you create campaigns that resonate with your audience.

4. Partner with micro-brands 

Collaborating with micro-brands that target a similar audience but operate in different product categories is a savvy way to expand your reach and create unique cross-promotion opportunities.

Here’s how you can find the right target audience for your online store: 

✅ Sell themed bundles

Instead of standard product bundles, create themed packages that tell a story. 

For instance, if you sell candles and your partner sells herbal teas, offer a “Relaxation Bundle” that includes a candle and a selection of calming teas. 

You could even include a short guide on how to create the perfect cozy evening. 

This provides added value and creates an user experience that feels curated and special for customers.

✅ Co-branded loyalty programs

Consider launching a co-branded loyalty program that rewards customers for engaging with both brands. 

For every purchase made, customers earn points that can be redeemed for discounts at either store. 

This encourages customers to explore both brands and builds long-term loyalty. 

It’s a win-win—more savings for the customer and more engagement for both brands!

✅ Host a joint giveaway challenge 

Encourage participants to create content featuring products from both brands, tagging both accounts. 

This generates buzz and engages your audiences in a fun way. 

Not only does it build community, but it also generates authentic user-generated content that can be used in future marketing efforts.

5. Create a VIP beta tester club

A VIP beta tester club can be an excellent strategy to engage your most loyal customers, gather valuable feedback, and build excitement around your products. 

✅ Make the application process fun 

Forget boring forms—spice it up! 

Create a quirky quiz where potential members answer fun questions like, “If you were a product, what would you be?” or “What’s your ultimate testing superpower?” 

This not only gives you insights but makes them excited about being part of something cool.

✅ Host a casual “Tester Talks”

Set up laid-back sessions called “Tester Talks” where members can share their thoughts and ideas. 

Keep it informal—maybe even a video call with snacks.

Use themes like “What’s Your Dream Product?” to spark creative discussions. 

Let them know that their voices matter and you genuinely want to hear their thoughts.

✅ Build a co-creation challenge

Hold a challenge where testers can pitch their ideas for new products. 

The best ideas could be developed, and the winning tester gets to collaborate with your team.

This makes them feel like they’re part of the creative process, and who wouldn’t want to have a hand in making the next big thing?

Example: Lego Ideas 

6. Analyze your loyalty program date to create personas

Exploring your loyalty program data can help you create customer personas. 

This way you’re boosting your marketing efforts and building a community of enthusiastic brand advocates.

✅ Host referral contests

Create excitement around your referral program by hosting contests. 

For example, reward the customer who refers the most friends within a month with a grand prize, like a gift card or a special product. 

This competitive element adds a fun twist and encourages more people to participate.

✅ Dig into your loyalty program data

In your loyalty program data, look for trends and patterns in customer behavior. 

Check out who’s racking up points, what products they’re loving, and how often they’re making purchases. 

You want to gather all the juicy details to help you understand your target audience better.

✅ Celebrate and thank your referrers

Always acknowledge and thank your referrers. 

Send personalized thank-you notes or small rewards to show appreciation for their efforts. 

Share success stories of customers who joined through referrals, highlighting how they were welcomed into the community. 

This reinforces the value of your program and encourages continued participation.

7. Use consumer research tools 

The goal is to connect with your target audiences on a deeper level, ensuring that you’re always one step ahead of their needs and preferences.

✅ Map your customer journey

Think of Google Analytics as your personal treasure map to uncover customer behavior. 

With its robust data, you can track everything from user demographics to their journey through your site. 

Dive deep into “User Flow” to visualize the paths customers take. 

Maybe they’re browsing your trendy summer dresses but then bounce right before checkout. 

Use this info to pinpoint where the excitement fades and strategize how to keep them engaged. 

✅ Get to know what’s on your TG’s mind

Ever wonder what questions your potential customers are asking? Enter AnswerThePublic.

This tool generates a visual map of questions people are searching for around your keywords. 

It’s a goldmine for content ideas and helps you understand your audience’s pain points. 

Create blog posts, FAQs, or even product descriptions that directly address these queries, showing your customers you’re tuned into their needs.

✅ Ride the waves of change

Stay on top of what’s hot with Google Trends. 

This tool allows you to see the popularity of search terms over time. 

If you notice a spike in searches for a particular product category, it’s a perfect opportunity to adjust your inventory or marketing strategies accordingly. 

You can even get creative and align your social media campaigns with trending topics to capture more attention.

8. Leverage AI and automation tools  

AI-driven chatbots gather information on customer preferences and behaviors through interactive conversations

✅ Customer profiles built in real-time

Chatbots are like real-time data alchemists—they take every interaction and spin it into insights. 

Picture this: each time a customer chats with your bot, it’s building a profile. 

Not just “likes this” or “clicked that,” but nuanced details about their shopping motivations, preferences, and quirks. 

This unique, data-rich profile is yours to personalize recommendations, create targeted email lists, or even find hidden trends across audience groups that manual analysis might miss.

✅ In-chat product try-ons with AR integration

Some advanced AI-driven chatbots can pair up with augmented reality (AR) to create an interactive product experience. 

Imagine a customer considering a pair of sunglasses—they chat with your bot, which suggests they “try on” the shades using AR right in the chat. 

This creates a seamless, virtual try-before-you-buy experience that boosts engagement and reduces returns.

✅ Anticipating Customer Needs

Advanced AI chatbots can employ predictive analytics to anticipate customer needs based on historical data and trends. 

For instance, if a target audience frequently shops for seasonal items, the chatbot can proactively remind them about upcoming seasonal launches or suggest complementary products based on past purchases. 

This boosts sales and enhances customer satisfaction, making their shopping experience smoother and more intuitive.

9. Create relevant content 

Keyword-enriched content draws in your target audience and builds genuine connections with them.

✅ Short-form content for quick wins

In today’s fast-scrolling world, short-form content like Instagram Reels, TikToks, and YouTube Shorts are perfect for bite-sized entertainment or information. 

Show quick tips, product benefits, or a behind-the-scenes peek in 15 seconds or less! 

Try fun “before and after” transformations, DIY hacks, or relatable memes that resonate with your target audience. 

These formats encourage quick engagement, as they’re shareable, which means they can reach new eyes faster than a blog post or long-form video.

✅ Go beyond the basics

Blogs are fantastic, but the trick is to make them genuinely useful. 

Skip the fluff and write about topics that people are actively searching for. 

Instead of “5 Tips for Summer Style,” create “5 Minimalist Wardrobe Hacks for Every Season” or “The Science Behind Sustainable Fabrics.” 

The more niche and useful the topic, the more it’ll stand out and rank well in search engines, bringing in the right readers. 

Bonus: make them interactive with infographics, quizzes, or mini-guides that keep readers hooked.

✅ Authentic UGC: Real faces, real stories

There’s nothing more authentic than customers showing off your products. 

Encourage UGC with fun hashtags, offering incentives, or simply asking customers to share how they use your products. 

Real people sharing their real experiences can be more compelling than any ad, and it creates a sense of community around your brand. 

Reposting UGC also makes customers feel valued and seen, boosting their loyalty.

10. Implement targeted advertising

Behavioral targeting not only gets you in front of the right people but does so in a way that feels relevant and personal.

✅ Use retargeting to create a “second chance” connection

When people visit your site and leave, they’re often just a nudge away from converting. 

Retargeting ads let you reconnect with them in a friendly way. 

Show them the specific products they checked out, pair them with user-generated content for added trust, or entice them with a subtle offer. 

Retargeting done right feels less like a “we noticed you left” and more like “Hey, here’s what you loved!”

✅ Test seasonal behavioral patterns

Behavioral targeting isn’t just about everyday habits—it’s also about understanding seasonal shifts. 

People shop differently during the holidays than in the summer, for instance. 

So, analyze your audience’s seasonal behavior and target them with seasonal campaigns that speak directly to their needs and interests at those times. 

For example, a fall season might prompt more interest in home decor or wardrobe refreshes, which could inform the timing and messaging of your ads.

✅  In-moment ads based on live browsing data

This is where real-time behavioral targeting shines. 

If someone’s been browsing jackets on your site, you could serve them an in-the-moment ad with styling tips or “top jacket picks.” 

The ad is contextually relevant to what they’re doing right then and there, creating a seamless and highly effective ad experience. 

Real-time targeting lets you turn curiosity into conversion so you’re right on cue with what they’re interested in.

11. Target customers visiting specific locations

When you customize offers and recommendations based on where a customer is from, your store immediately feels more relevant to them. 

✅ Geolocation-based product recommendations

When a visitor lands on your site, let their location influence what products you showcase. 

If someone from a hot climate visit, you might spotlight your summer clothing or lightweight, breathable materials on the homepage.

For customers in colder regions, you could highlight warm jackets, blankets, or cozy accessories. 

This subtle touch can feel super intuitive to shoppers and keep them browsing the products that are relevant to them.

✅ Local inventory availability alerts

If you have local fulfillment centers or warehouses, let customers know if the items they’re viewing are available nearby. 

Use geolocation to display messages like “Available for fast local delivery!” or “Only 2 left at your nearest warehouse.” 

This creates urgency while giving customers confidence that they’ll get their orders quickly.

✅ Geotargeted cart recovery and retargeting ads

When a customer leaves without purchasing, geotargeted ads can bring them back with a personal touch. 

If they’re located in a particular region, send them an ad with relevant messaging: “Hey [City]! Don’t forget, your [product] is waiting!” 

You can even mention specific delivery benefits if you offer faster or cheaper shipping to their area.

12. Eavesdrop on community forums 

✅  Find out what they’re asking

Community forums like Amazon Q&As, Quora, and Reddit are goldmines for real, unfiltered questions. 

Here, people openly discuss their concerns, needs, and opinions—often in ways they wouldn’t in a direct survey. 

You can get a behind-the-scenes view of their pain points, interests, and even the language they use. 

These insights can help you tailor your messaging and product descriptions so they resonate with your audience on a much deeper level.

✅ Learn the lingo of your target audience

People’s language on forums is usually conversational and unfiltered. 

Observing how your target customers talk about products can help you adopt their tone and terminology in your messaging. 

This creates a sense of familiarity and trust, showing them that you "speak their language" and understand their needs.

✅  Adapt product listings based on FAQs

The questions asked on Amazon Q&A or Quora about similar products can reveal the details that matter most to customers. 

Use this to refine your product listings, making sure you’re addressing those questions upfront. 

It’s like giving your audience the info they’re looking for before they even have to ask, which builds trust and removes barriers to purchase.

13. Use limited-edition products to target enthusiasts

When you create limited edition products, you’re not only selling a product—you’re creating an experience that fuels excitement, loyalty, and an eagerness to come back for more.

✅ Build buzz with pre-launch teasers

Before the official drop, build anticipation with sneak peeks into your limited-edition product.

This makes niche target audiences feel in on a special event and gives them something to look forward to. 

Sharing exclusive looks on social media, sending “save the date” emails, or running behind-the-scenes content keeps them hooked until product launch day.

✅ Make it part of a series to encourage collecting

If you release a series of limited-edition products, enthusiasts might want to collect each piece. 

It’s like creating your little fandom, where customers return with every release. 

Announce the first in the series with hints of future releases to keep them coming back and looking forward to what’s next.

✅ Set clear limits for extra exclusivity

Specify exactly how limited the edition is. 

Whether it’s 100 items or 1,000, being upfront about the quantity adds to the exclusivity. 

When customers see there’s a real limit, they’re more likely to act quickly and feel proud to be one of the few owners.

14. Fine-tune A/B test for different customer journeys 

A/B testing is all about perfecting the customer journey at every touchpoint. 

When done thoughtfully, you’re not just tweaking features—you’re crafting an experience that feels intuitive to each visitor.

✅ Optimize key stages of the buying process

With A/B testing, you can tweak each step of your customer’s journey—homepages, product pages, checkout flows, and beyond. 

Maybe one audience prefers a single-page checkout, while others respond better to a more guided, multi-step checkout process. 

Or perhaps showing estimated delivery dates early on boosts confidence in one group, while others prioritize seeing a strong return policy first. 

Testing these details helps ensure each touchpoint is doing its job effectively.

✅ Tailor experiences for new vs. returning visitors

New visitors and returning customers often have different expectations. 

For new visitors, you might test a journey that emphasises trust-building elements like testimonials and detailed product descriptions. 

For returning customers, try a journey that highlights loyalty perks or recently viewed items. 

When you tailor each path, give each customer group an experience that feels uniquely relevant to them.

✅ Adjust messaging based on source channels

How people arrive at your store can say a lot about their intent. 

Those coming from social media might be more open to casual and playful messaging, while those from an email may prefer a more straightforward, information-rich journey. 

When you A/B test the messaging based on their source, you make each customer’s journey feel customized and intentional, which can significantly boost engagement.

15. Localise SEO 

When it comes to eCommerce, local SEO is crucial for attracting customers in specific geographic areas. 

✅ Optimize your Google business listing

Your Google My Business (GMB) profile is your digital storefront for local search. 

Claim your listing, fill out all relevant information, and keep it updated with your latest hours, services, and photos. 

Don’t forget to encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews—it boosts your credibility and local rankings. 

✅  Implement schema markup

Schema markup is a code you can add to your website to help search engines understand your content better. 

For local businesses, it’s essential to highlight your address, phone number, and business hours. 

This markup enhances your visibility in local search results and can improve your click-through rates.

✅ Monitor and respond to local reviews

Actively monitor reviews on Google and social media. 

Responding promptly to both positive and negative reviews shows that you value customer feedback and helps build community trust. 

Plus, reviews play a significant role in local search rankings.

16. Analyze metrics 

Consistently analyze metrics to understand your current audience.

This also helps to refine your marketing strategies to reach new potential customers. 

✅ Click-through rates 

Analyze your click-through rates on emails, ads, and website links. 

A high CTR indicates that your content resonates with your audience. 

Look at which segments of your audience are engaging the most—are they younger consumers reacting to trendy ads, or are they older demographics responding to practical messaging?

Create targeted campaigns based on the data.

For example, if younger target audiences respond well to playful content, focus on that in your marketing efforts.

✅ Add-to-cart metrics

Tracking how many shoppers are adding products to their carts is crucial for understanding purchasing intent. 

If a particular product consistently has high add-to-cart numbers but low conversion rates, it could indicate that while the product is appealing, there may be issues in the checkout process or pricing that deter purchases.

Segment your audience based on their behavior. 

Are certain demographics more likely to add items to their cart? 

Tailor your marketing strategies to address any barriers preventing them from completing their purchases.

✅ Cart Abandonment Rates

Cart abandonment rates can tell you a lot about potential roadblocks your customers are facing. 

High abandonment rates may suggest that shoppers are interested but encounter issues like unexpected shipping costs, complicated checkout processes, or a lack of payment options.

Conduct surveys or implement exit-intent pop-ups to gather feedback from shoppers who abandon their carts. 

This can help you identify pain points and refine your checkout process. 

Analyzing which products are often abandoned can also help in targeting campaigns to entice shoppers to return and complete their purchases.

Ace Your Target Audience Profile for More Conversions

98% of visitors who visit an eCommerce site—drop off without buying anything.

Why: user experience issues that cause friction for visitors.

And this is the problem Convertcart solves.

We've helped 500+ eCommerce stores (in the US) improve user experience—and 2X their conversions.

How we can help you:

Our conversion experts can audit your site—identify UX issues, and suggest changes to improve conversions.