By Gender

Knowing the gender of your target audience can help you work with influencers. For some products and services, it is not important. But there are many companies for which this aspect will come first. And when choosing an influencer, you need to know your audience exactly. If you are selling courses for single mothers, there is no point in choosing an influencer who broadcasts to a male audience. And vice versa.

The behavior of men and women on the Internet is slightly different. Numerous studies tell us about this. To understand how to act on a specific audience and which platforms to look for influencers, let’s look at some facts.

Gender marketing

Gender marketing is based on the various properties assigned to men and women, both physical characteristics and interests. From early childhood, it’s possible to observe the two sexes develop different preferences and behavioral patterns; with long-established patterns, such as girls playing with dolls and boys opting for toy cars and building blocks. The toy industry has been exploiting this trend for decades, generating enormous profits by targeting girls and boys separately. But even in adulthood, most people never fully abandon ingrained gendered behavior; for example, in personal grooming, it’s still far more common to associate floral and sweet scents with women, while products aimed at men tend to be more smoky or woody. Gender marketing uses these patterns in an attempt to establish the criteria that influence consumer behavior and determine what leads people to making a purchase.

Men tend to take a rather more linear path to their product, only going through each phase one time. They generally concentrate on their current requirements and therefore go through each individual stage successively. The consensus when it comes to men’s shopping habits is that they search for a good solution to their ‘problem’, i.e. finding the appropriate product for their needs.

A typically ‘masculine’ approach to purchasing involves creating a list of criteria that the product should meet. If he then finds a product that fulfills all these requirements while comparing alternative products on the market, he tends to choose this product, thereby ending the process.

Women tend to go through a spiraling thought process when purchasing items, passing through individual decision phases several times. A typically ‘feminine’ approach is to find a perfect solution to their problem. A ‘feminine’ decision is usually determined by a detailed list of criteria, which can often change. A woman’s decision-making process is usually more complex and lengthier than that of men. Ultimately, the product must satisfy the woman’s requirements in as many ways as possible. Furthermore, if a woman finds a satisfactory product, they still won’t necessarily buy it straight away: 61% of women visit several stores before making a final decision about their purchase. 

Gillette is a particularly good example of a successful gender marketing campaign, with its separate products and campaign strategies for women and men. Not only do women’s razors differ to the men’s in their design; the products are even marketed with different advertising campaigns and separate websites. In doing this, the company emphasizes the different advantages their razors have for their intended target groups. Men’s razors are usually presented as sporty and dynamic, with a prominent sports star often appearing in commercials and advertising campaigns. Meanwhile, the advertisements for the feminine counterpart emphasize the razor’s skin-enhancing properties, promoting shaving as part of a luxurious and indulgent skincare routine. The company has cleverly managed to create one product with two successful product lines, in which both the product design and marketing are adapted for the two sexes.

Message

Based on the previous point, it is clear that the message for men and women should be different.

To men, your messages must be concise and to the point and use power words, prove what you say with facts. Provide solutions to problems utilizing the products you are selling.

When selling to a female audience your messages should tend towards being descriptive, use disclaimers, and offer softer words and most importantly your message must end in such a way that it gives the feeling that you understand them and that you will support them. Always provide women the ability to connect and converse in order to make a same-day sale. 

Social networks 

Many studies have found that women are more likely to use Facebook, MySpace, Pinterest and Instagram. Picture sharing sites overall are very popular among women. Pinterest alone attracts three times as many female users than male. Men are more likely to participate in online forums like Reddit, Digg or Slashdot. Also, the male audience is higher on YouTube and Twitter. The gap in gender differences has become less apparent in LinkedIn.

How to find your customer’s most common gender?

1. Statistics on social networks

2. Statistics of advertising campaigns

When choosing an influencer, look not only at how well their account and message fit your topic. Ask for audience analysis and think if this is right for you. If your target audience is approximately or ideally the same, it is worth ordering advertising. If your audience is male and the influencer has 80% female followers, keep looking. Don’t forget to customize your ad to suit your audience’s needs. But if your product or service isn’t gender-specific, target both male and female needs in your campaigns and creatives.