How to create customer personas

You’ve done the work, the interviews, the surveys, the social listening. You’ve started spotting patterns in what your customers want, need, and care about. Now comes the part where most businesses either stall or overcomplicate it: turning those insights into something useful. 

That’s where customer personas come in. But not the dusty, one-size-fits-all profiles that sit in a slide deck and never get used. We’re talking about clear, practical personas that actually inform your marketing,  from what you write to where you show up. 

The goal isn’t to create fictional characters. It’s to build focused audience snapshots rooted in real insight. Personas that guide how you communicate, what you create, and who you prioritise. 

In this blog, we’ll discuss: 

• What makes a good persona (and the bits more commonly missed) 

• How to turn your audience research into clear, usable personas 

• How to use them to shape content, messaging, and campaigns 

• What to do if you’re marketing to more than one type of customer 

Let’s turn your insight into action,  and make your marketing actually speak to the right people.  

What makes a good persona (and the bits more commonly missed) 

By now, you’ve done the research, interviews, surveys, and real-world observation. You’ve gathered valuable insights. The next step is to organise that data into focused, usable customer personas. 

Here’s how to structure them so they become practical tools, not just static documents.  

Step 1: Group similar responses 

Start by reviewing your notes and highlighting patterns.

• Are there recurring goals?

• Common frustrations?

• Similar buying habits?

Group these into clusters that feel coherent, not just demographically, but by mindset and motivation. For example, you might notice a group of customers consistently talk about wanting to “simplify” or “streamline” their work. That’s a signal that one of your personas is driven by efficiency, not necessarily by job title or sector. 

Step 2: Define each persona around a core goal 

Once you’ve identified clear clusters, shape each persona around what that group is trying to achieve. This gives your marketing real focus. A persona built around “launching a business with limited time” will lead to very different content than one built around “scaling without losing control.” 

Keep the focus tight. If you try to represent too much in one persona, it stops being useful.  

Step 3: Add challenge, motivation, and channel insight 

For each persona, outline: 

• What they’re trying to achieve (goal) 

• What’s standing in their way (challenge) 

• What matters to them (values/motivations)

• How they prefer to engage (channels or formats) 

These are the things that will shape your messaging, content, and delivery, not just their age or job title. 

Step 4: Keep it simple and usable 

A persona doesn’t need to be long. It needs to be clear. One page is enough. Avoid trying to write a biography, focus on what’s relevant to your marketing decisions. 

Ask: If I had this persona in front of me, would I know how to speak to them? Would I know what they need to hear next? 

Brand example: Squarespace does this well. They don't just target “entrepreneurs”  they build content and campaigns around creative types launching side hustles, service businesses who want control, and small teams who care about brand image. You can see it in their ads, templates, and tone: each campaign speaks to a distinct type of customer with a clear goal.  

How to actually use your personas in your content and communication strategy 

Creating personas is only useful if they help you make better decisions. This is where theory becomes action: your personas should shape what you say, how you say it, and where you show up. 

Here’s how to apply them across your content and communication: 

1. Use personas to plan your content themes 

Each persona has different goals, pain points, and motivations, so your content should reflect that. Build content calendars with specific personas in mind, rotating focus across your different audience groups. 

For example, a SaaS company with two personas, Founders looking to save time and Ops managers needing visibility, might alternate blog posts like: 

• “How to automate your first 5 processes” (Founder) 

• “How to build better reporting workflows” (Ops manager)  

2. Tailor your messaging, and the voice behind it 

It’s not just about what you say, it’s how you say it, and who says it. 

Each persona responds to different language, tone, and priorities. One might be driven by clarity and speed, another by credibility and proven expertise. Use the language your audience actually uses, not internal jargon or abstract claims. If a customer says, “I’m drowning in spreadsheets,” reflect that. That’s what makes them feel understood. 

But resonance isn’t just about tone, it’s also about trust. An ops manager isn’t going to be impressed by a fluffy listicle written for SEO. They’re looking for real insight from someone who understands the complexity of their world. 

So don’t delegate deep content to the wrong person. If you're writing for senior decision-makers, involve subject matter experts. Co-create content with your ops lead, your product manager, or an external specialist. Get real examples, grounded knowledge, and tactical depth. That’s the difference between content that fills a slot in your calendar, and content that drives real engagement. 

3. Prioritise channels strategically 

Your personas should inform where you show up,  not just what you say. One persona might prefer email and LinkedIn. Another might respond better to Instagram reels or webinars. 

There’s no rule that says you need to be everywhere. Use your personas to double down on the platforms that matter most to your core segments. 

4. Align calls to action with what matters 

Think about what each persona needs to hear in order to take the next step. Some are motivated by results, others by values. Some want to test first, others want to speak to someone. 

Don’t use the same CTA for everyone. Instead of always saying “Book a call,” try tailoring: 

• “See how much time you could save” 

• “Try it free, no credit card needed” 

• “Read how other founders solved this” 

Example: Who does this well? 

Mailchimp is a great example of a brand that tailors content and tone to different personas. Their messaging to DIY business owners focuses on ease, speed, and support. For marketing pros, the messaging shifts to automation, integration, and scale. 

Same product, different emphasis,  shaped by audience insight. 

Final reminder: If your content doesn’t align with at least one persona, don’t publish it. 

This rule helps avoid diluted, catch-all messaging,  and ensures every piece of content is working towards something specific. 

What to do when you have more than one persona (and how to tailor without diluting your message) 

Most businesses don’t have just one customer persona, and that’s perfectly normal. But here’s where things get tricky: trying to speak to multiple audiences without losing clarity or watering down your message. 

Here’s how to stay focused when your marketing needs to reach more than one type of customer: 

1. Don’t cram every persona into every message 

One piece of content can't (and shouldn’t) speak to everyone. Instead of trying to make every blog post, landing page, or ad appeal to all your personas, focus each one on a specific segment. Rotate your content mix over time to ensure each persona is being served, but one at a time. 

Example: If you're marketing a project management tool for both freelancers and enterprise teams, don’t create a single generic landing page. Create one page focused on flexibility and independence for freelancers, and another on collaboration, visibility, and scale for larger teams. 

2. Segment your channels where possible 

Some platforms are ideal for segmenting by persona. Use email lists, landing pages, and targeted ads to tailor your messaging. You can even personalise website content based on behaviour or audience segments. 

You don’t need an enterprise-level CMS to do this. Even simple tweaks, like different lead magnets or email follow-ups,  can help you stay relevant to each persona. 

3. Keep one consistent brand voice, with flexible messaging 

Tailoring doesn’t mean rewriting your entire brand personality. Your tone can stay consistent, but the angle, priorities, and examples should shift based on who you’re speaking to. 

Think of it like a good presenter who adjusts their delivery depending on the audience,  they’re still recognisably themselves, but they emphasise different things to connect more effectively.  

4. Be strategic with shared content 

Some content will be relevant to multiple personas, and that’s okay. Just be clear about the shared motivation that connects them. If both startup founders and marketing managers are reading the same post, ask yourself: what’s the common thread that makes it worth their time?  

Brand example: Slack 

Slack serves small teams, enterprise IT departments, and everything in between. They use persona-specific landing pages and onboarding journeys, but maintain a consistent tone across all touchpoints. Their content for developers leans technical, while their content for managers focuses on productivity and collaboration. Same product, tailored perspective.  

Summary: Serve your personas one at a time 

Trying to please everyone in one go is what leads to vague, forgettable messaging. Be clear about who each piece of content is for,  and don’t be afraid to speak directly to one group at a time. 

Why your personas aren’t fixed (and how to refine them over time) 

Creating your customer personas isn’t a one-off task. People change. Markets shift. Your business evolves. If your personas don’t evolve with them, your messaging will slowly drift out of sync, and you’ll start to notice weaker engagement, drop-offs, or less effective campaigns. This is why the best marketers treat personas as working documents, not static profiles. Here’s how to keep them useful over time:  

1. Revisit your personas regularly 

Set a regular review schedule, quarterly or after major campaigns. Ask: 

• Are these personas still accurate? 

• Are we seeing new behaviours or motivations? 

• Is there a segment we’re missing or over-prioritising? 

Even light updates can keep your personas aligned with reality. 

2. Keep a running insight bank 

Every customer call, review, support ticket or sales conversation is a source of insight. Create a shared doc or folder where your team can drop useful quotes, objections, and recurring themes as they hear them. Over time, you’ll build a living view of how your audience thinks, which can feed into sharper content and more relevant campaigns. 

3. Track performance by persona 

Where possible, tag leads or customers by persona in your CRM or email tool. Then track how content, campaigns, or offers perform across segments. You’ll learn which messages hit, which ones miss, and where you need to adapt. Example: You might notice your "time-poor founder" persona consistently clicks on “how-to” guides but ignores in-depth industry commentary. That’s a signal to keep things concise and action-focused for that group.  

Final thought: Personas are only useful if they reflect reality 

A great persona should help you make decisions. If it’s no longer doing that, or if it starts to feel vague or forced, go back to the source. Listen to your customers again. They’ll always tell you what you need to know, if you’re paying attention.  

Need help building your customer personas? We’ll do the legwork 

Creating strong customer personas takes time, focus, and consistency,  and we know not every business has the bandwidth or the team structure to make it happen. If you need support, we can help. 

At Bagna, we do the legwork for you. We'll: Interview your customers Compile and analyse the insights Build clear, actionable personas that guide your content, comms, and campaigns So whether you're starting from scratch or need to refine what you already have, we’ll help you build a clearer picture of who you're really speaking to,  and how to reach them. 

Want to learn more? 
Drop us a message at info@bagnamarketing.co.uk or come say hi at the Rose Bowl or Platform in Leeds. We'd love to help you turn audience insight into action.