Target Audience Feedback

In my previous post, I interviewed a girl of my specific target audience on various aspects of a music magazine to gather information on what she would like to see in a music magazine and what qualities would convince her to buy a music magazine etc. Within the video, a two-shot was used throughout the handheld footage. I used this type of shot as I believed it would suit an interview's purpose best. It gave a clear view of the interviewer and interviewee whilst involving the audience in the full communicational exchange between the two subjects. This means that facial expressions, reactions and movement is clear to the audience when viewing this video of both subjects, accompanying the dialogue of the video. Within this video, I did believe that some of the dialogue was particularly difficult to hear due to the filming taking place in a public area. To overcome this problem, I added subtitles to the video, meaning that the audience can read along with the video if they are unable to grape what a certain one of the subjects is saying.

The first question I asked was, 'What is your favorite music genre and why?'

The interviewee, Layla Cairns, is of the female gender and fits within the age range of 16-30, whilst also fitting within the targeted audience code, rating E on the audience code as a student. Cairns comments that she 'enjoys Contemporary R&B because [she] really loves that style of music and also prefers the artists themselves'. This not only applies to the proposed genre of my magazine but gives me the idea that my interviewee (target audience) regularly use social media to follow the artist they enjoy. I will definitely continue to use the genre I have chosen in order to target my primary audience, but it also gives me the idea that my target audience as a whole will be of social media users, suggesting that my magazine should have accompanying social media accounts in order to interact with my argot audience and my magazine's artists, for example, a Twitter page. This also means that celebrities can share articles featuring them gaining a larger audience from their fan base, whilst also spreading the word of my magazine over the internet.

The second questions I enquired was, 'How much would you be willing to pay for a professional music magazine?'
Cairns replied that she would pay approximately '£4.00 for a monthly magazine', of which mine is. As the magazine will be professional, with a gloss finish and exclusive aspects, I believe that £4.00 is a generally good price and will allow my magazine to compete with the more classic, high-end music magazines. I will take this information and apply it to the considerations of my magazine price.

Thirdly, Cairns was questioned, 'What encourages you to buy a magazine?'
I asked this question so that I could gain ideas as to what would catch my audiences attention when looking for a magazine. My interviewee answered, 'I think there needs to be a attractive celebrity on the cover that I am interested in, then cover lines that will appeal to me.' I will use this information t consider what will be featured on the front of my magazine as these will be what draws my target audience in. I want to ensure that a popular artist of my genre is featured on the cover as a use of celebrity endorsement, in order to attract my target audience who will more than likely be fans of that particular artist, encouraging them to buy the magazine and find out more about this artist. Some find that this gives them a more enhanced understanding of the lyrics that the artists use and provides a better listening experience, also encouraging them to purchase future issues of my magazine as they will desire this enhanced understanding of artists that will be employed in my magazine in the future.

Next, I asked, 'Do you prefer a text or image led double-page spread?'
My interviewee replied with the answer, 'probably image, I think it's important to have at least one page filled with a image as it looks really attractive. It would make me want to read it.' From this reply, I have gathered that due to her indecisive tone, the subject would most likely enjoy a bit of both, whilst preferring the image. Her comments on how attractive it would make the double-page spread look make it a factor that I would seriously consider using within my magazine. She also comments on the way it would encourage her to read the article, and I believe that if the larger image was a photo of an artist of her genre, based on her previous answer of 'What encourages you to buy a magazine?', an artist of her genre who she enjoys would more than likely encourage her to read the double-page spread.

Furthermore, I went on to enquire, 'Would you prefer a question and answer (interview) style in your double-page spread, or would you like a story?'
Cairns answered, 'I think, probably a story.' This short and simple answer gives me a idea of what my tarot audience would like to see in the magazine. This adds to the way in which I would like my magazine to provide a more enhanced understanding of the artist. The use of a story as my double-page spread will most likely cover a range of aspects of the artist's life and personality, giving an idea behind the lyrics.

I then asked, 'Do prefer several images or one main image?'
My interviewee answered, 'One main image' in a very certain tone. I believe that one main image will fit my target audience very well because of this definite answer, whilst also ensuring that my magazine maintains the classy and high-end feel that I want it to employ.

Moreover I questioned, 'What colors are you most attracted to?'
Cairns replied, 'Black and white, I think, really contrast well and if I was to add a pop of colour, it would be red.' I was really pleased with this answer as it completely matches the look I want my magazine to have. I would love to employ this black and white theme to add an element of class to my magazine and I believe the color red would be very striking and adds connotations of strength, power and class, relating to things such as 'the red carpet'. These are feelings that I'd lie my magazine to employ.

Next, I asked, 'Would you prefer a hard copy of a magazine or would you refer to read it on something like a tablet?'
My interviewee commented, saying, 'A hard copy, I think it's better to have it in person'. When embarking upon further investigation, I also gathered that people are more likely to want a hard copy of a magazine, despite technological advancements, due to them wanting to keep and collect copies. I will definitely sell my magazine as a hard copy due to my target audience preferring this, but depending on the progress my magazine makes, I would consider selling it online to be sent to, for example, the Newspaper app on the iPhone.

Lastly, I asked, 'What sorts of contents and articles would you like to see in the magazine?'

Cairns informed me that she would like, 'trending music, up and coming musicians and maybe some celebrity gossip'. I will certainly use trending music and up and coming music as I am planning on creating a magazine that will be published a month in advance of the music it will be based around. This creates a feel with the audience that they are setting the trends within music and that they know everything before the majority of people.

Audience Profiles

Reader Profile

Response to Pitch Feedback

In response to the feedback I receive from a member of my target audience, I was really pleased with their view on my Magazine Proposal. The subject seemed to like various aspects of my ideas, especially the colour theme, the celebrity endorsement and the way in which my magazine will be published a month in advance, in order to give the audience the hits a month before every other magazine.

The only thing that arose in the dislike section was the negative connotations surrounding the artists, possible within their interview articles. This may be down to personal preference, however, it is important that I follow guidance from the consumers of my magazine, therefore I will ensure that my magazine does not focus too heavily on negative aspects of the artist's lives, and rather will place focus on positive elements of their lives/careers.

I feel like having a member of my target audience reviewing my proposal gained another/an important perspective on the ideas for my product and feel like from here I can progress and produce a product that my target audience will love and hopefully want to purchase.

Pitch Feedback

To gain some target audience feedback from my magazine proposal, I printed off a copy of the post and gave it to a member of my target audience and asked them to highlight what they liked in blue, what they disliked in orange and then to give some pointers at the end. This is what I received:

Target Audience Surveys

I have created several surveys on SurveyMonkey.com to gain more information about my target audience and what they want. I believe this is one of the most important aspects due to my magazine's success depending on how many magazines are distributed to and bought by this audience.

Survey 1.) This survey explored the artists that my target audience were interested in. I created a multi-choice survey with various artists for them to choose from and these were my results:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-NQRMDR5S/

From this survey, I became aware of who should be featured in my magazine, and if I were to include up and coming artists, what category of artists/music my target audience enjoy, tailoring the magazine to them and therefore designing a product that they will enjoy and hopefully want to purchase.


Survey 2.) The second survey I created, questioned how much my target audience would be willing to pay for a professional music magazine. Here are my results:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-M8XKYT5S/

This survey told me that the majority of my audience would be willing to pay £4+ for a high quality, professional music magazine. Therefore, I will take this knowledge on and use it to adapt my final product.


Survey 3.) The third survey I created was centralised around my Double Page Spread. Here are my results:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/results/SM-FP2TRN5S/

From this survey I gained knowledge about the kind of DPS my target audience would want. From here I will ensure my single image takes up one page, that it is balanced (50/50) with text, and that the article itself is story based.

Target Audience Research

I have interviewed an example of my target audience to answer some questions that would allow me to gather information for my magazine. This ensures that my magazine not only caters to what I believe will suit my target audience, but these answers will allow me to employ aspects that my target audience want.


Below I have embedded a final video that I edited together using iMovie and posted to my AS Media Studies YouTube channel. Within the video, I have use a two shot. This is because I believe that this shot was the best way to add a conversational interview feel, and it easily displays the interviewer and interviewee. The two subjects are turned towards each other in a polite manner and have a chatty, but slightly formal exchange of conversation. The camera is taken through a handheld shot. This was partly because I felt like this added more of a conversational feel and will make the audience feel more as if they were there with the interviewer and interviewee. 

If you cannot view this video, please click this link: 


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSKkaDxXXvE

Target Audience Research Questions

'What is your favorite music genre and why?'

'How much would you be willing to pay for a professional music magazine?'

'What encourages you to buy a magazine?'

'Do you prefer a text or image led double-page spread?'

'Would you prefer a question and answer (interview) style in your double-page spread, or would you like a story?'

'Do prefer several images or one main image?'

'What colors are you most attracted to?'

'Would you prefer a hard copy of a magazine or would you refer to read it on something like a tablet?'

'What sorts of contents and articles would you like to see in the magazine?'