Audience SegmentationWays of looking at visitors

Elaine Heumann Gurian2007

Elaine Heumann Gurian 2007

INTRODUCTION• This was written to help

museum staff dissect their users into segments.

• This power point allows a staff to first segment their audience and then consider the needs of each subset and the best way to customize their offerings in order to better serve each group.

• The concept of audience segmentation and tailoring programs to them is often new to members of staff.

Elaine Heumann Gurian 2007

Social groups: (volitional users)Such as:• Families• Couples• Cohorts / Friends• Individuals

Elaine Heumann Gurian 2007

Organized GroupsFor example:• Classrooms• Tours and Clubs• Camps and summer programs

Elaine Heumann Gurian 2007

Levels of Engagement:Examples could include:• Expert / Novice• Skimmers, dippers, divers• Number of times visiting this

museum.

Dallas Museum of Art: Levels of Engagement with Art. Does studies on audience levels of engagement and tailors their programs to percentages of users in each group.

Elaine Heumann Gurian 2007

Basic Facts• Gender• Age• Language• Occupation• Economic Status• Ethnicity• Family structure• Education• Disability

• O’Neill, Mark, Museums and Their Communities, The Manual of Museum Planning, 2nd Education, Lord, Gail Dexter & Lord, Barry, ed, AltaMira Press, 1999, p.27.

Elaine Heumann Gurian 2007

MOTIVATIONS / EXPECTATIONS• Socializing / congregant

behavior.• Reverential/ spiritual.• Entertainment, leisure,

enjoyment. • On a personal quest.• Homework, fulfill an assignment.• Unique exhibition, blockbuster.• Good for the family, children.• Escape from chores.

• Soren, Barbara J. Meeting the Needs of Museum Visitors, in Lord, Gail Dexter and Lord, Barry, The Manual of Museum Planning, Alta Mira, 1999, p.58.

Elaine Heumann Gurian 2007