Audience Research Tools: A CMO’s Playbook
CMOs today aren't short on data. They're short on clarity!
Amidst endless tools and fragmented insights, genuinely understanding your audience is tougher (and more crucial) than ever.
This week, I want to spotlight three research platforms on my lookout for audience strategy right now:
SparkToro,
Wynter,
and Peec AI.
This 3-tool playbook below tells you exactly where your ICP spends time, thinks, and searches.
It gets real level feedback on your messaging. And it tracks your brand’s footprint in AI-driven search. Meanwhile, your competitors are probably still flying blind…
P.S.: Summer got a bit busier, and my posting schedule will be more erratic. Still aiming for 2 posts/month and preparing a few templates to up your marketing game :)
🔑 Key takeaways from this week's newsletter:
How SparkToro identifies niche channels and hidden gems your audience frequents.
Why Wynter solves the brand ROI headache through real-time executive feedback.
How Peec AI provides clarity on brand visibility in LLM search.
Let's break this down.
SparkToro: Audience intelligence you can actually use
When you're targeting B2B SaaS buyers, like ERP software decision-makers, don’t waste time shouting into the void. Tools like SparkToro help you see where your audience hangs out and what they pay attention to.
In a recent test run, SparkToro surfaced two clear signals: ERP buyers gravitate toward LinkedIn and GitHub. Not quite shocking, for sure. But this sense of clarity helps you prioritize your media mix and back up your decisions.
Another insight?
A strong Microsoft preference.
This crowd leans toward Windows environments and even uses Bing (yes, really😅). That aligns with a corporate culture using primarily Microsoft systems & Teams, with slightly older demographic; ages 36–50 dominate these accounts.
But SparkToro’s real value?
The hidden gems like niche podcasts, YouTube channels, and underrated blogs that your ICP actually follows, but your competitors overlook.
That’s gold for:
content placement,
partnerships,
campaign inspiration.
Pro Tip: I do recommend the Business+ plan for any usage, even for 1 month of research. Seeing the Top 150 results instead of the Top 50 gives you the real niche communities & influencers. The Top 50 usually gets dominated by wider channels and influencers e.g. CNN, Forbes, and Gary Vee & Neil Patel types.
Plus, SparkToro delivers presentation-ready analytics. I’ve seen others mention it, and they’re right. These reports slot seamlessly into marketing decks and actually back up your strategy with data that matters.
*SaaS Growth-Hack:
If you are running a SaaS product, consider this a growth-hack. Rand also mentions it in his social media.
Great presentation-ready analytics that are easily shareable create brand mentions by people who love sharing them.
Helping your internal champions helps you grow your product as well!
One downside to flag, though: Right now, data coverage is limited to the U.S., UK, and Canada. So if you’re running EMEA-wide demand gen, you’ll need to wait a bit. Rand Fishkin says broader coverage is coming – probably next year 😃– and for a tool this useful, it’s worth the wait.
Τakeaway: SparkToro turns audience research from guesswork into strategic clarity. And it looks damn good in a slide deck too!
Wynter: Fast-track your brand with direct C-suite input
48% of B2B marketers say they would invest in their brand if they could prove it works.
But here’s the issue: they’re measuring brand impact like it’s a Google Ad, expecting ROI in weeks, not months or years. Brand doesn’t fit neatly into short attribution windows. Trying to measure it that way guarantees frustration. 😩
According to a recent survey of 100 B2B SaaS marketers by Wynter’s Peep Laja:
48% can’t secure brand budget due to immediate pipeline demands.
34% cite inability to measure brand ROI as their main hurdle.
Most marketers are trapped using short-term, last-click attribution, measuring brand like its direct-response.
When we talk about brand growth, here is the deal: If you’re chasing quick wins, you’re playing the wrong game. 🦑🎲
Brand growth isn’t a monthly scoreboard.
It’s a marathon of building awareness, flipping perceptions, and being consistently shortlisted by your ideal customers!
Wynter tackles this exact pain by providing immediate C-level feedback and precise brand tracking. By using it you can:
Quickly run targeted surveys, tapping directly into executive insights.
Test messaging, copywriting and positioning instantly with actual decision-makers.
Identify real market demand, not just hypothetical interest.
The brutal truth?
Awareness without consideration is worthless.
Most B2B brands chase visibility but overlook why customers should care. Wynter’s data-driven insights move brands beyond vague awareness into measurable market impact.
Takeaway: Brand building demands patience and laser focus. Wynter cuts through the noise, so that you can finally prove brand impact that goes way beyond the short-term ROI hustle.
Peec AI: Own your brand narrative in the age of LLMs
Think Google search was tricky?
Wait till you see how brands are popping up in AI-powered queries. Peec AI is built precisely to help brands navigate – and dominate – this new frontier.
So, Peec AI monitors how your brand appears in LLM-generated responses. Fresh off a $7 million 🚀 funding round (announced by the Platform’s CEO Marius Meiners a couple of days ago), Peec.ai is set to upgrade their tool and help us marketers fly higher on LLM insights.
The tool already surfaces what users are asking, tracks where your competitors land, and reveals the sources LLMs draw from. Access to genuine user prompts is rare, but this one gets you as close to the truth as it gets.
Here's how it works:
Real-Time Brand Monitoring: Know instantly if and how your brand gets recommended by popular LLMs. 📡
Competitive Intelligence: Identify who’s owning topics like “best marketing agencies Europe” or "top ERP software." Get direct insight into your competitors’ LLM footprint.
Query Analysis & Topic Grouping: Peec AI clusters real user prompts under actionable topics, revealing genuine market intent rather than vague keyword data.
As AI search rapidly reshapes discovery and decision-making, tools like Peec AI will become essential, not optional. Mark my words: brands that ignore LLM visibility today will be playing catch-up tomorrow.
Takeaway: Peec AI gives you immediate visibility into how your brand is represented by LLMs, allowing you to proactively own your narrative instead of scrambling to fix it later.
Editor’s note: In Peec.ai’s case we took a demo call with the tool’s founder to get a better understanding of the tool. As we don’t yet use this, but it’s in our scope to review the potential use of this tool as AI results become the norm over the following year.
The bottom line
Winning as a CMO today means mastering where your audience lives, what they think, and how AI shapes their search. These tools give you that edge.
Use them to:
Cut through the noise.
Claim your space.
Turn insights into action.
No more guessing. Just results. 🚀🔥
That’s it for now. See you next time with another round of impactful insights for your marketing strategies.
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