Creating high-quality content is only half the battle. The other half? Making sure it actually reaches the right people.
Effective content distribution isn’t about showing up in as many places as possible — it’s about showing up in the places your audience already spends time. That’s why identifying your audience’s preferred channels is essential if you want to make your marketing efforts more targeted, efficient, and impactful.
In this post, we’ll show you how to uncover where your audience hangs out online, what platforms they trust, and how you can meet them there with content that converts.
Why Audience Research Matters
When HubSpot launched their podcast, The Shake Up, the marketing team didn’t just hope their ideal listeners would find it. They started with research.
As Jen Brault, HubSpot’s social strategy and operations lead, explains:
“We looked at who our audience was, what kind of shows they were already listening to, and which platforms they were using to discover new podcasts. Then we invested in ads on those platforms, host-read sponsorships on relevant shows, and display ads on the websites they visited.”
The result? Content distribution that actually reached the right people — because it was rooted in insight, not assumption.
6 Ways to Identify Your Audience’s Preferred Channels
Here’s how to gather the data and insight you need to choose the most effective content distribution channels for your campaigns:
1. Start With Buyer Personas
Buyer personas aren’t just for messaging — they’re critical to your distribution strategy too.
Personas give you a semi-fictional snapshot of your ideal customer, built from real data and research. Done well, they include:
- Demographics and behaviours
- Pain points and goals
- Preferred platforms and research habits
Don’t have detailed personas yet? Now’s the time. They’ll serve as a foundation for every marketing decision, including which channels to invest in.
2. Conduct Desk Research
There’s a goldmine of publicly available insights if you know where to look.
For example:
- HubSpot’s State of Marketing Report offers data on global marketing trends, including channel usage.
- Content Marketing Institute’s B2B Benchmarks Report breaks down how brands are using different distribution channels — and which ones are working.
- Wistia, Statista, and Pew Research also publish valuable insights on digital behaviour and content consumption.
This type of secondary research can help validate (or challenge) your assumptions, especially if you’re exploring a new segment or channel.
3. Ask Your Existing Audience
Your current users, customers, or members already have the answers you’re looking for — you just need to ask.
Here are a few simple ways to gather first-hand feedback:
- Surveys: Great for broad input, especially when distributed via email or social media.
- Social media polls: Quick, informal ways to gauge habits (e.g., “Where do you usually discover new content?”).
- Interviews: More in-depth, one-on-one chats that reveal the why behind user preferences.
- Focus groups: Small group sessions that can surface shared behaviours or opinions.
Tip: Use open-ended questions wherever possible to avoid leading responses and encourage real insight.
4. Use Audience Insight Tools
If time is tight or you’re targeting a new audience, tools like SparkToro can speed up the research process.
SparkToro lets you search for your audience (e.g., “university administrators” or “B2B marketers”) and shows:
- The podcasts they listen to
- The websites they visit
- The social accounts they follow
- The hashtags they use
It’s a brilliant way to uncover channel preferences and content themes — especially when building outreach strategies or paid media plans.
Other tools to consider:
- HubSpot’s Social Media Management (for monitoring and managing engagement)
- Socialbakers (Emplifi) (for analysing market-wide behaviour and trends)
5. Analyse Your Own Data
Already distributing content? Don’t overlook what your own analytics are telling you.
Platforms like HubSpot and Google Analytics can help you uncover:
- Which channels are driving the most traffic
- Where your most engaged leads come from
- Which touchpoints contribute to conversion
HubSpot’s Attribution Reporting even shows you which channels are influencing the most new contacts and customers — so you can double down on what works.
6. Test and Learn — Then Optimise
No amount of research can replace real-world testing.
Start by picking one or two channels per campaign. Run A/B tests. Compare performance over time. Then iterate.
You might find that:
- Your LinkedIn ads drive more leads than Facebook — even with the same budget.
- Email works best for conversion, but TikTok drives awareness.
- One persona prefers webinars, while another loves short videos on YouTube.
That’s the beauty of channel research — it’s not static. It evolves as your audience does.
Final Thought: Don’t Just Publish — Be Present Where It Matters
You could create the best content in your industry… but if it’s in the wrong place, the right people won’t see it.
The best content distribution strategies begin with one question:
Where is my audience already paying attention?
Do your research. Use the tools. Ask the people who already know and trust you. Then meet your audience where they are — with content they genuinely want.