Buyer Personas, Revised and Expanded, 2nd Edition

Introduction: Listen First, Then Speak

A lot has changed in the marketing world since the first edition of Buyer Personas was published in 2015.

• Digital marketing has continued its rise as the Internet, social media, and mobile technology are deeply embedded and interconnected in how we live our lives and how we look for solutions to meet our varied needs.
• Search engine optimization (SEO) has become more sophisticated as brands compete to capture their customers' attention and engage with them in more productive ways when they do.
• Marketers are increasingly using data to personalize their campaigns as advertising, product recommendations, and tailored content have all become more sophisticated.
• Companies are experimenting (and having success) with emerging approaches such as account-based marketing (ABM) and product-led growth (PLG).
• Generative AI (GenAI) is changing the way marketers develop ideas and create engaging content more quickly at scale.
• Throw in the rise of video marketing, user-generated content (UGC), interactive content, voice search optimization, and on and on – and well, you get the picture.

Undoubtedly, as some of these approaches gain traction and evolve, others will die off without demonstrable results, and new methods of engaging with prospective buyers will emerge. The one thing that hasn't changed – or ever will – is the need for marketers to deeply understand what causes buyers to purchase your solution, a competitor's products, or nothing at all