target audience

A target audience is the specific group of consumers most likely to want or benefit from your product, service, or message, making them the primary focus of your marketing campaigns. Instead of trying to appeal to everyone—which often dilutes your message and wastes your budget—defining a target audience allows you to tailor your tone, imagery, and channels directly to the people who care the most. Target Audience vs. Target Market

While closely related, these terms operate at different scales:

Target Market: The broad, overall group of potential consumers a company wants to serve (e.g., all marathon runners).

Target Audience: A narrower, more specific subset within that market being served a particular advertisement or campaign (e.g., prospective runners of the Boston Marathon living in Massachusetts). How Audiences Are Segmented

Marketers group individuals into target audiences using several data categories: How to Identify Your Target Audience in 5 steps – Adobe