The Diplomatic Post: How I Defined the Journal’s
Target Audience
Date : 2025
Role : Product Designer
Scope : User research, Product management
This project was conducted for The Diplomatic Post, a French media platform. The media outlet was publishing content without a defined target audience, resulting in low reader engagement. My goal was to define the core user segments and analyze their content consumption patterns in order to increase readership.
1.Why The journal struggles to gain visibility
The journal was launched and began publishing articles without a clear understanding of its target audience. The goal was to make political content accessible to young professionals and students, but their habits and device usage were not considered, limiting the impact and visibility of the publications.
2.Understanding User Motivations to Better Target the Audience
The goal was to understand the consumption habits of potential users. Over two months, working independently, I conducted user research (surveys and interviews) to determine the types of content and interface best suited for the journal’s target audience.
The dominant age group was 24 to 34 years old, corresponding to young professionals, and most consumed vertical videos on mobile daily. Short-form content, such as videos and brief articles, was the most appreciated, while longer formats generated much less interest.
24-34
Targeting this age group
journalist
29 years old
I appreciate short, explanatory content, such as videos, that I can consume on my phone, but I also like articles that explore the subject in greater depth
To go further, I conducted ten user interviews to better understand their media habits and expectations regarding political simplification. As it was difficult to meet all participants in person, I opted for deferred user interviews—a method I wrote about in a Medium article. This approach allowed me to progress on other aspects of the project while collecting detailed qualitative feedback on consumption frequency, device usage, motivations, and frustrations related to reading articles on mobile.
These findings revealed clear needs: users want to consume mobile content anywhere, access clear and verified information, and easily grasp complex topics while maintaining an overall understanding of political issues. These insights were critical in defining the type of content to produce and guiding interface design to effectively meet the target audience’s expectations and increase the journal’s visibility.
3.The Importance of Knowing Your Audience to Build the Right Product
Following this research, The Diplomatic Post can now adjust its content and strategy based on the insights gathered and expect +4% reader engagement
the company expects a 25% increase in new sign-ups over the next three months, along with stronger engagement in the loyalty program.
+4%
Reader engagement