Målgruppen

Målgruppen, in marketing usage, is the term for the specific group of people a product, service, or message is aimed at. It translates roughly to “the target audience” or “the target group.” Identifying målgruppen helps organizations tailor offerings, messages, and channels to those most likely to respond, rather than broadcasting to a broad, undefined public.

To define målgruppen, researchers use market segmentation. Common dimensions include demographics (age, gender, income), geography, psychographics (values, interests, lifestyle), and behavior (purchase history, usage rate, loyalty). Needs, problems to solve, and desired benefits are often explicit drivers of segmentation. In practice, organizations may create one or several personas that embody typical members of målgruppen.

Once defined, målgruppen guides product development, pricing, distribution, and communications. Messaging, tone, and value propositions are crafted to appeal to målgruppen’s priorities. Channel choices—such as social media, search advertising, or direct outreach—are aligned with where målgruppen spends time. This focus also supports measurement, allowing teams to evaluate reach and response among the target group and adjust as needed.

Tools and methods for identifying målgruppen include surveys, interviews, and usability testing, as well as analytics, customer journey mapping, and competitive analysis. Ongoing monitoring of trends and feedback helps keep målgruppen accurate as markets evolve. Cautions include avoiding stereotypes, recognizing multiple sub-groups, and balancing specificity with scalability.

In summary, målgruppen is a central concept in creating effective, efficient communication by concentrating resources on the people most likely to benefit and engage with the offering.