What is a Customer Persona in Digital Marketing + Template

In this article, we´ll get to know the customer persona in marketing.

In previous article about the Target Audience, you learned everything you need to know about creating your target group.

Table of contents

What is a Marketing Persona?

A marketing persona is a fictional but detailed profile of an ideal customer that companies create based on real data and research.

The goal is to better understand the needs, motivations, preferences, and behaviors of customers so that companies can more effectively tailor their marketing strategies and products.

By precisely characterizing their behavior, life goals, challenges, and values, you can narrow down your target audience to a single persona.

This is your target individual to whom you want to sell your products and services.

Example your customer persona- pet shop

How to Build a Customer Persona in Marketing?

There are two ways to create customer persona.

If you have customers, you can collect data and perform a series of interviews with your customers.

Using these conversations, you can combine common characteristics into one person. Create one persona for each demographic.

Or, second option is imagine your ideal customer.

IWhen you have no data, you have to start with a hypothetical customer persona based on logical assumptions and market research.

Your goal is to create a working version that you will later test and refine as you gain more information.

1. Define Your Product or Service

Start by asking yourself these questions:

• What problem does my product/service solve?
• Who would care most about solving this problem?
• What benefits am I offering?

Example: If you sell eco-friendly cleaning products, your potential customers might be people who care about the environment or the health of their families.

2. Imagine a Typical Customer

Even without data, you can use your knowledge of the market, trends, or competitors. Think about:

What daily problems do they face? (e.g., lack of time, searching for sustainable alternatives).

Who would benefit most from your product/service? (e.g., young families, freelancers, retirees).

Where could you find them? (e.g., online, at fitness centers, on social media).

3. Get Inspired by Competitors

Analyze who your competitors are targeting:

Look at the language and visuals they use – it’s often tailored to a specific audience.

Check their social media, websites, reviews, and ad campaigns.

4. Use Public Surveys and Statistics

Search for freely available resources such as:

• Market statistics (e.g., age groups, income levels, shopping habits).
• Industry reports and trends.
• Discussions and questions on forums (e.g., Reddit, Quora) – people often express their problems and needs there.

5. Create Hypothetical Profiles

Based on your assumptions, draft a few simple profiles.

6. Test your Assumptions

Once you start attracting customers or visitors, observe:

• Who is actually showing interest?
• What questions are they asking?
• Which channels bring the most interactions?

This will help you refine your initial hypothesis based on real-world insights.

7. Be Ready to Iterate

A hypothetical persona is just a starting point.

As you gather real data (e.g., through surveys, sales statistics, or social media interactions), you’ll be able to update and make your persona more accurate.

Customer Persona Template and Example

Here’s a detailed example of a customer persona for a coffee shop.

Customer Persona:

• Name: Anna Novak
• Age: 29
• Occupation: Marketing Specialist
• Income: $40,000–$60,000/year
• Location: Urban city center
• Lifestyle: Fast-paced, always on the go, career-focused

Goals:

• Needs high-quality coffee as part of her daily routine.
• Values a quiet place to work or take a break.

Behaviors:

• Orders coffee through a mobile app to save time.
• Looks for sustainable and ethical coffee brands.
• Shares coffee experiences on Instagram.

Preferred Channels:

• Instagram and TikTok for visual inspiration.
• Google Maps reviews to find highly rated local coffee shops.

Hobbies:

• Exploring trendy coffee shops in the city.
• Reading self-development books.
• Attending yoga and pilates classes.
• Sharing aesthetic coffee and lifestyle photos on Instagram.

Biggest Fears:

• Falling behind on work or missing deadlines due to poor time management.
• Spending money on a subpar coffee or café experience.
• Supporting unethical brands (values sustainability and fair trade).
• Lacks time for lengthy meal breaks.
• Wants a balance between affordability and quality.

Challenges:

• Struggling to find cafés with fast service during peak hours.
• Maintaining work-life balance while constantly being on the go.
• Juggling a tight budget while still indulging in small daily luxuries like coffee.
• Finding coffee shops with good Wi-Fi and ample seating for working remotely.

Customer Persona Template

On the below you can download template for customer persona.

I hope that my article will help you for creating your ideal buyer persona.

If you have any questions or want to share your experience, leave me a comment.