The Ultimate Battle: Segments vs. Personas

Two of our most requested marketing research methodologies are Segmentation and Personas. While Segments and Personas may look similar, they are built on two very different approaches and serve different needs.

Let’s explore W5’s approach and point of view on this topic in more detail…

W5 typically conducts Segmentation prior to Personas to provide a statistically reliable identification of key segments (via a Typing Tool) that can be leveraged for recruiting in other qualitative and quantitative studies, including Personas.

W5 conducts qualitative research to develop Personas which feature personal stories through ethnographic investigation to bring segments to life and make them more human and accessible. This iterative approach also allows consistency between Segments and Personas to avoid generating contradictory insights.

While we see the two working together as complementary pieces of research, we’ve also executed Segmentation and Personas as standalone approaches which still produces a plethora of insights!

Interested in learning more about W5’s approach? Check out our white papers, W5 on Segmentation and W5 on Personas.

Want to see Sample Reports and Deliverables? Drop us a line!