“If you’re making videos for everyone, you’re making them for no one.” I’ve said that a bunch of times and I’ll say it again… because if your audience isn’t clear, your videos become invisible. Really. They just disappear into the internet void like a stray sock in a dryer. And here’s a stat that will make you sit up: 78% of people prefer to learn about a product or service by watching a short video, more than by reading text or ebooks. That’s a massive shift toward videos. So, let’s break this down. Who is your audience? What are they actually trying to accomplish? And how do you make videos they don’t just watch but respond to?
Step 1: Stop Guessing: Get Specific on Who You’re Talking To
You’ve probably heard people say “define your target audience.” Great advice. Useful advice. But the rubber hits the road when you actually do it. Start with demographics: age, location, job, interests. Then go deeper: behavior. What do they watch? Where do they watch it? What problems keep them up at night? Audience segmentation (breaking your market into smaller groups based on behaviors, interests, and preferences) is fundamental. It tells you who matters most right now. Here’s a practical framework (ask yourself):
- Who buys from you the most?
- Who watches your videos longest?
- Who engages, comments, shares, clicks?
Look at analytics. Not the vanity metrics, real viewer behaviors. Which sections of your videos do people drop off? Which parts do they replay? That pattern tells you exactly what they care about and it only comes from cold, hard data.
Step 2: Understand the “Why” Behind Viewing Behavior
This is where most people get lazy. They include market data like: “People watch videos on TikTok” or “Instagram Reels get tons of views”. All true, but why? Look at usage stats: TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram are at the top of the list for where viewers actually consume brand video content, and TikTok’s growth is outpacing everything else. Most importantly, 62% of people prefer watching video on phones… meaning mobile-first editing is a requirement. And this matters because a video tailored for desktop might perform terribly on mobile or the same video that works on TikTok might flounder on LinkedIn. Your audience’s platform shapes the style of the video.
Step 3: Figure Out Their Pain Points (Really Think About It)
When a viewer clicks your video, they’re asking a silent question like:
- “How can this help me?”
- “Is this worth my time?”
- “What am I going to learn?”
If your video doesn’t answer the question quickly, they’re gone. Fast. And we do have data backing this up: 77% of marketers believe short-form video has the highest ROI, meaning audiences today want things succinct and powerful. So your content structure matters. Hook them in the first 3-5 seconds, give meaningful value by the middle and end with a clear next step. Not a vague next step, a specific one. (We’ll get into that in a minute.)
Step 4: Use Tools You Actually Have Access To
You don’t need fancy magic algorithms to understand your audience. Start with Native Platform Analytics, like YouTube’s Audience Insights, TikTok Pro Account analytics, Instagram Insights. These platforms tell you what real people are doing with your video. Not guesses. You can also use surveys and comments. Ask your existing viewers what they want to see. Literally ask. Engage in comments. Respond. Have conversations. It’s old-school data… but it’s gold.
Step 5: Tailor the Type of Video to the Type of Viewer
This is a big one that few people actually do well. Your audience stage affects the kind of video you should make:
- Top of funnel (Discovery)
- Short, snackable content
- Educational or inspirational pieces
- Middle (Consideration)
- Testimonials, case studies
- Longer explainers that answer specific questions
- Bottom (Decision / Conversion)
- Product demos
- Straight-to-the-point offers
This isn’t guesswork. It’s performance optimization. And platforms reward it because they keep users watching longer.
Step 6: Measure What Matters
You should be looking at these core metrics:
- Watch time - Engages viewers longer
- Retention rate - Are people watching to the end?
- Click-through rate - Are they taking your suggested action?
“Views” is a nice ego number. But watch time and retention tell you if your audience connected with what you made. Tools like YouTube Analytics and TikTok analytics give you this breakdown for free. Here’s the deal: studies show consumers retain 95% of a message watched on video, compared to just 10% when read in text. That’s huge. So yeah, optimize for time watched.
Step 7: Iterate, Don’t Stagnate
You’re not publishing a sermon on stone tablets. You’re making living, breathing media. So create ---> test ---> repeat. Do A/B testing on thumbnails. Test hooks. Change intros. Change lengths. The market evolves fast. Your videos should too. It’s not about perfection. It’s about progression.
You don’t just make videos for an audience. You make videos with them.
Here’s the Secret Most Folks Miss
You don’t just make videos for an audience. You make videos with them. Videos that integrate feedback, audience behavior, and real-world data outperform guesswork almost every time. This is why detailed audience work isn’t optional. It’s mandatory.
Rocket House Pictures: Your Partner for Video That Works
If you want video that truly hits the mark, not just gets pumped into the internet and forgotten, you need a partner who understands both the art and the audience science behind it. That’s exactly what we do at Rocket House Pictures. I’m Gio Toninelo, and I’ve worked on projects big and small that don’t just look great, they land with the viewers you actually care about reaching. We’re here to help you figure out who your audience really is, what they respond to and how to make video that moves them to action.
Because at the end of the day? Video should do something. Let’s make that happen.
Gio Toninelo - Producer & Cinematographer at Rocket House Pictures
