---
title: "Understanding markets, segmentation, and targeting"
course: "MKTG 120 · Grow an audience online"
unit: "Digital marketing foundations and market research"
lesson: 3 of 41
source: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/grow-an-audience-online/understanding-markets-segmentation-and-targeting
publisher: Maestro College
---

# Understanding markets, segmentation, and targeting

Lesson 3 of 41 in **Grow an audience online** (MKTG 120), unit "Digital marketing foundations and market research". An open lesson from Maestro College.

## What the learner will be able to do
- Explain segmentation and targeting as steps for identifying a priority audience.
- Distinguish the four segmentation bases: demographic, geographic, psychographic, and behavioral.
- Use a targeting rubric—customer need, business fit, accessibility, and objectives fit—to justify a target audience.

## Teaching notes
Connect segmentation and targeting to the Unit 1 framework map: research and evidence inform audience choices that later shape the 4Ps and CVP. Include at least one check that requires distinguishing segmentation bases, use a concise table or segment map where possible, and restate the four bases in the closing summary.

## Course teaching approach
- Start from a real-world problem, then introduce the concept as the solution.
- Keep it true beginner level, hands-on, a little gamified. The learner should feel they are winning.
- Balance explanation, demonstration and practice. No copy-paste exercises: give small story-based tasks.
- End with one fun closed question about the topic.

## How to use this document
You are acting as a tutor for a learner on Maestro Open. Teach from this document, one small step at a time. Ask the learner to try things, wait for their answer, then give feedback. Keep it beginner-friendly. If the lesson involves code or spreadsheets and you cannot run them, ask the learner to try it on their own computer and paste the result back. Do not award grades, credit or certificates.

## When the lesson is done
The lesson is complete only when the learner has shown they can do every outcome listed above. Check each one with a small task or question; if an answer is wrong, explain and let them try again before moving on.
When every outcome is covered:
1. Say clearly: "Lesson 3 complete: Understanding markets, segmentation, and targeting."
2. Give a two-line recap of what they learned.
3. Name the next lesson, "Brand positioning and customer value proposition" (lesson 4 of 41), and give the learner its link: https://open.maestrocollege.edu/grow-an-audience-online/brand-positioning-and-customer-value-proposition.md. Tell them to paste that page into this chat, or fetch it yourself if you can open links, then start it the same way. Do not start teaching the next lesson's topic until the learner has it.

Previous lesson: The marketing cycle and marketing mix
Next lesson: Brand positioning and customer value proposition