Even if you know your market well, it’s easy to miss things. Most businesses have a general idea of who their customers are – but when it comes to driving real growth, the broad picture sometimes isn’t enough. That’s where market mapping comes in.

What is market mapping?

Market mapping (sometimes called market scoping) is a robust way to understand more about the people and businesses you’re trying to reach. It helps you get a clearer view of your audience, what matters to them, and how they interact with the wider market – including your competitors.

It’s not just about making decisions based on gut feel, or the customer types you’ve always targeted. It’s about building a proper understanding of how people behave, what influences them, and where the best opportunities truly sit.

Watch our video on market mapping

We’ve put together a quick video that breaks market mapping down into simple steps, with examples and tips to help you get started. Whether you’re new to the idea or want to see how it can be applied, it’s a great way to understand more.

Why do a market mapping study if you already know your audience?

Many businesses think they know their audience, however when this is put to the test, they often realise they’ve made some big assumptions. Market mapping helps you challenge those assumptions with real data. You might discover that the people you’re targeting aren’t actually your most valuable customers. Or that there’s a group you’ve overlooked who could become loyal customers too, if you can just make a few tweaks to your offering.

More than just demographics

A good market mapping exercise goes far beyond age brackets or job titles. It includes things like:

• What drives buying decisions
• How people research before they buy
• Which brands they already use, and why
• What barriers or frustrations they face
• How pricing, convenience or values affect their choices

These types of insights can then help to shape everything from your marketing messages to your product offering.

Don’t forget the competition

A big part of market mapping is understanding where you sit alongside others. This means looking at who your competitors are, what they offer, and how they position themselves. Do they focus on price? Quality? Speed? A particular type of customer?

When you map all of that out, it becomes much easier to spot where there are gaps or areas where customers might be underserved. That’s where you can start to think about your brand’s own positioning and proposition with a smarter, more targeted approach.

Making it practical

At Clusters we make sure that market mapping isn’t just a theoretical exercise. It’s something you can apply directly to improve decision-making within your business; whether that’s refining your marketing plan, launching a new service, or identifying where to focus next.

And it’s ok if you want to start small, as even simple mapping of competitors, key audiences, or behaviours can reveal patterns that help shape your business plan. Our projects are all fully bespoke so we can focus on the areas that are most important to you.

The long-term view

Market mapping isn’t a one-off task. Your audience, their behaviour, and your competitors can all shift over time, so it’s worth checking in regularly to make sure your strategy still makes sense.

If you’d like to explore market mapping in more detail, we’re here to help. Get in touch today to arrange a call with us.