Audience targeting for B2B

Overview

Audience targeting for B2B research means finding the right companies and the right people within them, not just any consumer. A business purchase usually involves more than one person, so before you screen anyone, decide exactly who you need to hear from, someone who uses the product day to day is a different person to talk to than someone who approves the budget.

Decide who you actually need

Before writing your screener, be specific about the role you need. For example:

• Someone who will use the product day to day
• Someone who influences the decision, without necessarily approving it
• Someone who has final approval on the purchase

These are different people, often within the same company. If your research is about daily usability, you need the first group. If it's about budget and vendor selection, you need the third. Write your screener questions to confirm this directly, for example: "Are you involved in evaluating or purchasing software for your team?" rather than assuming a job title tells you enough.

Other ways to target a B2B audience

• Company facts — industry, company size, or which tools they currently use, when these affect who qualifies for your research
• Current activity — whether a company is actively looking into a solution like yours right now, versus not currently in the market at all

Targeting considerations specific to B2B

Screen for role, not just job title. Titles vary a lot between companies. If your research depends on someone being involved in a specific decision, ask about that directly, rather than relying on their title alone.

Expect a smaller pool of participants. Business audiences, especially specialists or senior roles, are naturally limited in number. Plan your sample size with this in mind, and consider whether a smaller number of in-depth interviews might work better than a large survey. See How many participants do I need.

Ask about the company, not just the person. If your research depends on company size, industry, or how a company uses a particular product, add screener questions for these, since one person's answers may not reflect their whole organisation.

Be clear about confidentiality. Business participants are often more cautious than consumers about sharing details tied to their employer, especially around budgets or internal decisions. Being upfront about how their answers will be used can improve both response rates and honesty.

Allow more time for scheduling. If you're running live sessions, business participants usually have narrower availability than consumers. Set a longer scheduling window and offer a wide range of time slots to make booking easier.