The online gender divide

Is your customer base made up of more women than men? Many are: there are the obvious examples such as women’s clothes shops, beauticians, and spas – and there are also those areas where, for some reason, women seem to do the final decision-making, like house-buying, grocery shopping, and kitchen fitting. Well, you will know your own customers best – have you noticed that they are predominantly female?

If so, you might be interested in research from the University of California which has found that women, more than men, value their online communities. Women, apparently, are more prone to forge relationships online, leading to lasting, valued friendships.

What does that mean for you? Well, a canny business owner who wants to target women would do well to remember that Facebook advertising allows you to segment by a number of factors, including gender. In other words, you can deliver your advertisements directly to the people most likely to need your services. And because women are online more, they are ripe for marketing.

If you don’t fancy paying for your advertising, don’t forget the massive value of setting up a Facebook page, which is free to do. By providing a space for customers to chat, comment, and even socialize, you might just find you’re tapping into the ‘female effect’ anyway.