What is psychographic segmentation?

Psychographic segmentation groups people by attitudes, values, interests, and lifestyle rather than demographics or behavior. It answers why someone makes decisions, not just what they do or who they are.

Values drive priorities. Sustainability-minded customers respond differently than convenience-focused ones. Quality-seekers engage with different messaging than bargain-hunters.

Interests indicate passion areas. Someone interested in technology will engage with different content than someone interested in wellness, even if they share the same age and income.

Lifestyle shapes context. Busy professionals need efficiency-focused messaging. Parents need family-relevant content. Hobbyists want depth on their passion topics.

Personality traits influence communication style. Some prefer data and details. Others want emotion and story. Analytical types and intuitive types respond to different approaches.

The challenge with psychographics is measurement. Unlike demographics (easy to collect) or behavior (easy to observe), psychographics require either explicit collection through surveys and preference forms, or careful inference from behavioral patterns.

When you get psychographics right, messaging resonates at a deeper level. You're not just relevant, you're understood.