AYTM personas are built-in tools within the AYTM platform that allow research users to segment audiences based on shared characteristics like demographics, behaviors, preferences, or values. In simple terms, they act as detailed audience profiles that represent different types of customers you want to learn from. By designing surveys around these profiles, teams can run more tailored and targeted research that generates higher-quality responses.

The power of these personas lies in their structure and integration. Instead of running one-size-fits-all surveys, you can design multiple flows within the same project that match the specific context, language, and tone of each audience group. This leads to a more personalized experience for respondents – and more reliable data for your team.

How AYTM Personas Work in Practice

The process typically follows these steps:

• Define your target audiences: Start by identifying the core segments that matter for your product or service. These could include loyal customers, first-time buyers, or lapsed users.
• Build personas within AYTM: The platform allows you to create distinct profiles based on variables like age, income, behavior patterns, motivations, and more.
• Design your survey around personas: Within one survey, you can route each persona through a custom logic path – adjusting the language, stimuli, and questions presented to match their traits.
• Compare segment results: Once your survey is live, you can analyze results by persona to see which concepts resonate with which audience – instead of viewing results in aggregate.

Let’s say you’re testing a new line of plant-based protein snacks. AYTM personas could help you explore how health-conscious young professionals vs. busy parents respond to your messaging. Each group might have different purchase drivers (nutrition claims vs. convenience), so tailoring how you position the concept during research can help you identify the most compelling angles by segment.

Creating effective personas doesn't require an extensive background in consumer segmentation, either. The AYTM platform streamlines the process with guided persona tools that are easy to use – especially when supported by experienced researchers who know how to craft meaningful profiles and logical survey flows.

For teams trying to balance speed, quality, and budget, this kind of persona-based workflow makes DIY market research smarter, not just faster.

Traditional surveys often assume that every respondent interprets questions or concepts the same way – but that’s rarely the case in the real world. A soccer dad in Texas and a college student in New York might both be “target customers,” but their lifestyle, preferences, and product needs can vary widely. That’s where persona-based research becomes essential. By building in tailored survey flows through tools like AYTM personas, you can test products, services, and messaging in context – and get results that reflect authentic customer reactions.

Benefits of a Persona-Based Approach in Concept Testing

Integrating personas into your concept testing offers several key advantages:

• Increased relevance: People respond better to questions that feel like they were written specifically for them. Tailored surveys improve engagement and reduce dropout rates.
• More meaningful feedback: Personas enable you to probe deeper into motivations, barriers, and attitudes that might be masked in generic surveys.
• Clearer segment comparisons: With persona-driven data, you can confidently assess how different audiences perceive your concept – and why.
• Smarter go-to-market decisions: The insights generated help teams prioritize which ideas to launch, which to refine, and which to rethink – grounded in real consumer perspectives.

For example, consider a company testing three new beverage flavors. Instead of showing all three to a general market sample, a persona-based survey can reveal that Gen Z segments lean toward bolder, experimental flavors while Gen X prefers familiar, nostalgic tastes. With that insight, your marketing and product teams can shape specific campaigns to each group – with confidence that the strategy is data-driven.

Also worth noting: persona-based concept testing doesn’t have to be overwhelming. The AYTM platform does much of the heavy lifting – and when paired with expert support from On Demand Talent, the results become even more powerful. These professionals not only know how to build effective surveys, they can fine-tune messaging, align stimulus across segments, and ensure data is interpreted the right way.

For organizations experimenting with DIY market research or scaling up internal capabilities, working with temporary, high-caliber talent offers important advantages. Unlike freelancers or junior contractors, On Demand Talent includes experienced researchers who can ramp up quickly, deliver strategic value, and even coach your internal teams to get more out of your market research tools long-term.

As consumer expectations evolve and market timelines speed up, leveraging persona-based research isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s a competitive advantage for organizations that want more certainty in the products and messages they bring to market.

One of the most valuable features of the AYTM platform is the ability to merge persona development directly into your concept testing surveys. When used intentionally, AYTM personas allow you to tailor your tests to clearly defined customer segments, leading to more relevant and actionable consumer insights.

Start by Selecting or Creating Personas

Before launching your concept test, begin by identifying the personas that align with your target market. AYTM allows you to build personas using demographic, behavioral, psychographic, and attitudinal data – or you can select from pre-built persona templates as a starting point. Each persona represents a distinct customer type, such as "budget-conscious moms," "tech-savvy students," or "wellness-focused professionals."

Integrate Personas Into Your Survey Flow

Once you’ve defined your personas, you can use screening questions or AYTM's segmentation tools to guide respondents into tailored survey paths. This is often called a "persona flow" – where each group sees questions, language, and stimulus that is designed to resonate with their unique mindset and preferences.

Tailoring stimuli and messaging by persona helps ensure that responses aren’t diluted by a generic survey experience. For example, a fictional case might involve testing a new snack bar. While athletes may be drawn to protein content, busy parents might focus on convenience. With AYTM's persona-based surveys, you can test how each segment reacts to different product claims or packaging designs within the same study – without running multiple surveys.

Key Setup Tips:

• Use clear criteria to assign respondents to personas during screening.
• Keep messages and visuals tailored, but not so different that results can’t be compared later.
• Make sure your survey logic is set up properly so the right respondents see the right stimuli.

Persona-based frameworks encourage sharper concept testing by speaking directly to what matters most to each group. And the beauty of tools like the AYTM platform is that much of this can be set up within a DIY system – especially when paired with proper planning and expertise.

Once your AYTM persona-driven concept test is complete, the real value comes from analyzing how different segments reacted. Comparing concept performance across customer personas helps uncover which ideas resonate most – and why – to inform smarter go-to-market strategies.

Why Segment Comparison Matters

Without segmentation, concept testing results often reflect an average across your entire sample. But averaging can mask critical differences. A concept that scores respectably overall might actually tank with a key audience – or overperform with a niche group you hadn’t considered targeting. Persona-driven testing lets you avoid one-size-fits-all conclusions and unlock deeper consumer insights.

How to Analyze Segment Results Effectively

The AYTM platform provides built-in tools to compare metrics like purchase intent, uniqueness, comprehension, and emotional connection across segments. With filter and cross-tab features, you can break down results by each persona's reactions. Look for:

• Which concepts performed best for each persona group
• Where preferences diverged (Ex: Parents vs. Gen Z)
• Which features or claims resonated – or fell flat – in each segment
• Opportunities to tailor messaging or product variations per group

For example, in a fictional case about a new beverage line, data might reveal that environmentally-conscious millennials love the sustainable packaging, while price-conscious families prefer larger value sizes. These insights give teams direction on refining product mixes or customizing campaign messages based on audience priorities.

Instead of a single “winning” concept, you might uncover multiple viable versions – one optimized for each customer segment. This multi-path approach allows brands to build with intention, rather than defaulting to the average opinion.

Ultimately, comparing persona-based survey data helps guide product positioning, marketing strategy, and even innovation roadmaps. It ensures that insights professionals are delivering outcomes tied to real consumer behavior – not assumptions.

While the AYTM platform is designed to support quick, DIY research, there are moments when expert guidance can transform a good survey into a great one. This is especially true when working with complex persona frameworks or trying to ensure that your concept testing delivers truly strategic consumer insights. That’s where On Demand Talent can make a measurable difference.

Bringing in Expertise When It Matters Most

SIVO’s On Demand Talent professionals step in at just the right moments – whether it’s helping define personas, optimizing stimulus, or interpreting nuanced segment data. These are not freelancers or junior support roles. They’re seasoned insights professionals who know how to navigate market research tools and translate data into business actions.

You might consider bringing in On Demand Talent when you...

• Need support customizing persona flows and testing logic in AYTM
• Want to align DIY research with strategic business objectives
• Lack in-house expertise to interpret advanced segment comparisons
• Are rolling out a new product and need high-stakes results you can trust
• Have short timelines or staffing gaps but still need high-quality execution

In one fictional example, a fast-growing health brand used On Demand Talent to help their team build out AYTM personas and design a tailored concept test for four customer groups. Not only did this accelerate their timeline, the brand came away with clear recommendations for which features to highlight by segment – helping drive confident greenlight decisions internally.

Build Up Internal Capabilities, Too

One unique benefit of SIVO’s On Demand Talent is that our experts don’t just “do the work” – they can also strengthen your internal team’s capabilities. Whether it’s a knowledge transfer session, a guided project, or tool-specific coaching, we help your researchers get more value out of their DIY market research investments over time.

In a fast-moving world where teams are trying to do more with less, tapping into flexible, qualified market research professionals can provide both short-term relief and long-term growth. With On Demand Talent, you get both the brains and the boots to execute confidently – all without the long ramp-up or hiring effort.