Who cares? If you don’t know your audience, nothing else matters

The One Thing You're Likely Getting Wrong About Social Media

Let me ask you something: Do you really know your audience, or are you just guessing? I get it—most of us have fallen into the trap of assuming we know who’s on the other side of that screen, but the truth is, without real insights, you’re just throwing spaghetti at the wall. And no, it doesn’t always stick. Trust me, I’ve been there.

Why Understanding Your Audience Matters

When I first took over the global social media strategy for Heineken at DDB, I thought I knew our audience. Beer drinkers, right? How hard could it be? Turns out, very. It wasn’t until we dove into data that we realized we weren’t just selling beer—we were selling a lifestyle. The 'Man of the World' lifestyle, to be specific. And understanding what that lifestyle meant to different people across different regions changed everything.

This is where most brands miss the mark. They think, “Oh, we know our audience,” when in reality, they’re guessing. And let’s be honest, that’s a bit like playing darts blindfolded—your chances of hitting the bullseye are slim to none.

IF YOUR? AUDIENCE ISN’T FRONT AND CENTER OF EVERYTHING YOU DO. THEN WHY WOULD YOU CALL IT A SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY.

Three Things You Need to Know About Your Audience:

1. Who They Are ??: This is more than demographics. Yes, age and job title matter, but so do behaviors, preferences, and values. Without this clarity, you’ll be creating content for everyone and speaking to no one.
2. What They Want ??: It’s not enough to know who they are—you have to understand what problems they’re trying to solve. When I was managing social media for McDonald’s, it wasn’t about pushing Big Macs. It was about understanding that our audience wanted to create feel good memories with their family.
3. How to Serve Them ??: Once you’ve got the “who” and “what” down, this is where the magic happens. Crafting content that feels personalized—like it was made just for them—turns casual followers into loyal customers. Research has always been a vital part of our jobs.

Case Study: McDonald's Instagram Launch ??

In the summer of 2016, McDonald’s The Netherlands was ready to launch its Instagram account, but we didn’t want to rush it. Instead of jumping straight into the platform, we took a step back and asked the most important question: What does our audience actually want to see from us?

This is where the magic of research comes in.

We knew that Instagram would play a huge role in connecting with Millennials, but here’s the catch—Millennials are notoriously hard to engage. They’d grown up with McDonald’s, but their loyalty had begun to fade. We needed to create a strategy that spoke directly to them, and we couldn’t rely on assumptions.

The Power of Audience Research:

To build a winning strategy, we went to the source: our audience. We published a survey on Facebook and asked our fans directly what they wanted to see from us on Instagram. Within 24 hours, we had over 1,200 responses. Their feedback was invaluable in shaping our launch strategy.

What did we learn? Millennials didn’t want generic posts or corporate messaging. They craved authenticity, creativity, and content that connected with their lifestyle. They wanted to see product launches, behind-the-scenes content, and promotions—delivered with a visual flair.

The ABCs of Research: Audience, Brand, Culture

1. Audience: Understanding your audience is everything. We realized that Millennials were critical of brands but highly engaged when content felt relevant to them. By involving them in the process, we not only built trust but also gained insights into how we could create content that resonated with their desires.
2. Brand: McDonald’s is a household name, but we knew we couldn’t rely solely on brand recognition. Instead, we needed to position our products in a way that aligned with the culture of Instagram—visually appealing, authentic, and fun. Our research allowed us to fine-tune our messaging to highlight the brand’s role in the everyday lives of our target audience.
3. Culture: Instagram is driven by visual storytelling. We looked at brands like Nike and Starbucks, which had mastered the art of blending product with lifestyle. We knew McDonald’s couldn’t just be another fast food account—we had to create content that was culturally relevant and visually compelling.

The Winning Strategy: Co-Creation with McFans

The research led us to launch McDonald’s The Netherlands Instagram account in July 2016 with a strategy built in co-creation with our fans. We launched with three content pillars that were informed directly by their feedback:

• #NoFilter (Product Beauty): Authentic, unedited product photos, because our fans wanted realness.
• BurgerTalk (Topical Posts): Fun, creative content that brought humor and personality to the brand.
• Up-Close (Product Beauty): Detailed, beautiful shots of our iconic products.

Within 10 days, we had 31,700 followers on Instagram. But more importantly, we had built a positive, engaged community by making our audience the hero of the story.

Why This Matters:

This case study highlights the difference between a strategy that’s built on assumptions and one that’s built on research. By putting our audience front and center, we created content that not only resonated with them but also led to tangible business results.

Gathering Insights—How to Actually Know Your Audience

If you’re just relying on instinct, stop. Use social listening tools (e.g. Sprinklr, Brandwatch, Meltwater) to monitor what people are saying about your brand. Run surveys, ask questions, and yes, use analytics. Remember, data isn’t a crystal ball, but it does give you a roadmap.

The Feedback Framework

Here’s a little secret: feedback isn’t a one-time deal—it’s a loop. You listen, you adjust, you listen again. It’s like a never-ending game of ping-pong (without the frustration). If you’re not in constant dialogue with your audience, you’re not doing social media right.

Stop Guessing and Start Knowing

Ready to stop guessing and start knowing your audience?

Join Social Frontiers, where we transform social media managers into strategic leaders who get real results.

About the Author: Anneli Rispens is a pioneer in the social media industry and founder of Social Frontiers. She empowers social media managers to rise as strategic leaders and has worked with global brands like Heineken, McDonald’s, Nestlé and Philips. Join her mission to transform social media—one leader at a time.