How to Make Sure Your Ads Reach the Right Audience

An ad seen by the wrong people is wasted money, no matter how many people see it. Ad targeting is about putting your message in front of people who are likely to buy. Here's how to do it across offline and online channels.

This guide is part of our client acquisition strategy series.

Step 1: Define your ideal customer

Use data, not guesses:

• Customer records: location, industry, purchase size, repeat rate
• Sales conversations: what problem brought them to you?
• Surveys: how they found you and what they read, watch and listen to (survey tips)
• Website analytics: where visitors come from and what they read

Write a short profile: who they are, where they are, what they want, and what stops them buying.

Step 2: Map where they pay attention

Life moment	Channels
Commuting	Radio, podcasts, billboards, transit
At home evenings	TV, connected TV, streaming, social
At work	LinkedIn, trade publications, email
Searching for a solution	Google search, maps, review sites
In their community	Local media, events, community groups

Step 3: Target by channel

Radio

Choose stations by audience demographics, not personal taste. Ask for ratings in your target group, by daypart. See radio advertising in Canada.

TV and connected TV

Buy programs your audience watches, and use CTV for geographic and interest targeting. See TV ad scheduling and CTV advertising.

Billboards and OOH

Pick locations on your customers' routes and near where they buy. See choosing billboard locations.

Search

Target keywords that signal intent ("emergency plumber Calgary," "PR agency for startups"), plus your brand name.

Social

Use location, demographics and interests, and build lookalike audiences from your customer list (with appropriate consent).

Retargeting

Show ads to people who already visited your site. See retargeting ads.

Step 4: Match the message to the audience

The same product may need different messages for different segments. A home renovation firm might talk about resale value to one audience and family space to another. Test messages; see how to test creative.

Step 5: Check you're reaching the right people

• Lead quality: are leads a good fit? See why ads attract low-quality leads
• Customer source: "How did you hear about us?"
• Audience reports from stations, vendors and platforms
• Conversion rates by channel and segment

Common targeting mistakes

1. Targeting yourself: buying the station you like or the neighbourhood you live in
2. Too broad: "everyone 25–65"
3. Too narrow: so tight you can't reach enough people for frequency
4. Ignoring exclusions: showing ads to current customers when you want new ones
5. Set and forget: audiences change; review quarterly

Balance precision and reach

Precise targeting reduces waste, but awareness channels like radio and billboards also reach future customers who aren't in your "profile" yet. Use both. See radio vs. digital ads, then budget with how much to spend on advertising.