nhouseholder/audience-psychology

Audience Psychology Breakdown

Turn audience understanding into specific messaging angles and content topics that stop the scroll and build trust.

When This Fires

• "Break down my target audience"
• "Who am I talking to?"
• "What messaging will resonate?"
• "Help me understand my audience"
• Before creating content pillars or calendars (run this first)

Prerequisites

1. Read brand-context.md in the project root. Required — do not proceed without it.
2. Check for existing audience-profile.md — update rather than replace if it exists.

Workflow

Phase 1: Demographic Profile

Build the surface-level picture:

| Dimension | Detail | |-----------|--------| | Age range | [From brand context + inference] | | Gender split | [If relevant to the niche] | | Income level | [Affects pricing sensitivity and content tone] | | Tech savviness | [Determines jargon level] | | Job titles | [Common roles in this audience] | | Geographic focus | [Where they are] |

Phase 2: Psychographic Deep Dive

This is where the real value lives. For each dimension, provide 3-5 specific examples:

Frustrations (What keeps them up at night)

• [Specific frustration] → Messaging angle: "[How to frame content around this]"

Desires (What they dream about achieving)

• [Specific desire] → Messaging angle: "[How to frame content around this]"

Fears (What stops them from acting)

• [Specific fear] → Messaging angle: "[How to address/overcome this]"

Daily Habits (How they consume content)

• Morning routine: [What platforms, what content types]
• Work breaks: [Quick-hit content they consume]
• Evening wind-down: [Longer content they engage with]

Identity (How they see themselves)

• "I am the kind of person who..." [3-5 identity statements]
• This matters because: people share content that reinforces their self-image

Phase 3: Content Consumption Patterns

| Platform | When They Use It | What They Engage With | What They Ignore | |----------|-----------------|----------------------|-----------------| | Twitter/X | [times] | [content types] | [turn-offs] | | Instagram | [times] | [content types] | [turn-offs] | | YouTube | [times] | [content types] | [turn-offs] | | TikTok | [times] | [content types] | [turn-offs] | | LinkedIn | [times] | [content types] | [turn-offs] |

Phase 4: Messaging Angle Matrix

Convert insights into actionable messaging:

| Angle Type | Hook Formula | Example | Why It Works | |-----------|-------------|---------|-------------| | Pain agitation | "Tired of [frustration]?" | [Specific example] | Validates their experience | | Aspiration | "What if you could [desire]?" | [Specific example] | Shows the possibility | | Fear reversal | "[Fear] is a myth. Here's why." | [Specific example] | Removes barriers | | Identity | "Smart [role] already know..." | [Specific example] | Tribal belonging | | Proof | "[Result] in [timeframe]" | [Specific example] | Removes skepticism | | Contrarian | "Everyone says [common belief]. They're wrong." | [Specific example] | Pattern interrupt |

Phase 5: Content Topic Generator

From the angles above, generate 20 specific content topics:

• 5 that address top frustrations
• 5 that paint the desired outcome
• 5 that overcome fears/objections
• 5 that reinforce audience identity

Each topic includes: headline, hook sentence, key message, CTA.

Phase 6: ICP Builder (Jobs-to-be-Done Framework)

Build a one-page Ideal Customer Profile using JTBD:

Functional Job — The specific problem they solve by consuming content like yours:

• "When I [situation], I want to [action], so I can [outcome]."

Emotional Job — How they want to FEEL after seeing your posts:

• [3-5 emotional states they're seeking]

Social Job — How they want OTHERS to see them for following you:

• "I follow [brand] because it makes me look [perception]"

Their Exact Language — How THEY describe their problem (their words, not yours):

• Research from communities, reviews, forums, Reddit
• [5-10 actual phrases/complaints in their vocabulary]

Scroll-Stopping Topics — 3 content topics derived from JTBD that stop their scroll:

1. [Topic] — maps to [which job]
2. [Topic] — maps to [which job]
3. [Topic] — maps to [which job]

Belief Correction — 1 common belief they hold that you can publicly correct to build instant authority:

• "Most people think [wrong belief]. The truth is [correct frame]."
• Why correcting this builds authority: [explanation]

Format the ICP as a one-page reference card saved to icp.md — something to reference before writing every post.

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Output

Save to audience-profile.md in the project root (ICP goes to icp.md). Structure:

1. Audience snapshot (1 paragraph)
2. Demographic table
3. Psychographic deep dive
4. Content consumption patterns
5. Messaging angle matrix
6. 20 ready-to-use content topics

Rules

1. Specific over generic — "data-driven sports bettors aged 25-40" not "people interested in sports"
2. Evidence-based — derive from brand context, not assumptions. Flag when you're inferring.
3. Actionable angles — every insight must map to a messaging approach
4. Anti-slop — no "in today's digital age" filler. Real psychology, real angles.
5. Cross-reference — if social-strategy.md exists, align audience work with it