How often should you audit and update your buyer personas?

[JorieMunroe]

Buyer personas can be created through research, surveys, and interviews — all with a mix of customers, prospects, and those outside your contacts database who might align with your target audience.

But like all data, even information you gather on your audience (your personas) can go out of date. After all, business models change, companies merge or shift direction, and your audience can (and likely will) evolve. In your professional opinion, how often should you audit and even update your buyer personas?

*To learn more about this, check out the Using Buyer Personas in HubSpot lesson via HubSpot Academy. 

[MGlenn]

This would vary by business and could be yearly, quarterly, or less. 

[NBurkart]

I would say that we should update our personas as needed but at least check them once a year

[CGabriel2]

I think you should audit and update your buyer personas based on your current job or when you make major purchases. I think your buying personas will always evolve with time and age. For example as you make less money your buying persona is different and will change one you make more therefore I think you should access buying persona based on life events. 

[JfMoncada]

This is very ambiguous, you can do it yearly, but with the current trends about marketing everything changes so fast, I would say minimum every six months.

[AnnaliseHartley]

I would think annually unless you have a change in your business/customers that would imoact personas. 

[SHeisselberg]

Half yearly is ideal but yearly is sufficient.

[Sunnydaniel]

Hello Jorie,

I suggest updating our personas for every 6 months.

[SKuttiyan]

Complicated process, normally I get an idea post first demo or interaction with the client. In some cases, based on industry vertical, thier personal interests and past companies they worked with and objectives/goals of client. 

[CWilkinson]

I think annually would be perfect. 

[KPavel]

Yearly

[ishabehl]

a

[RocioMote]

Every year, but if necessary before it must be done

[BRiback]

How do you qualify an appropriate representative sample size to ensure accuracy? Would you please share a practical example of a buyer persona set up where the accuracy of the persona is validated algorithmically / tweaked, over time (if impacted by seasonality, for example), based on click behavior of those to whom this persona has been assigned

[CMcGilvray]

Buying personas should be updated regularly. Each year we review our buying personas to ensure that they match our target customers. If services or products change, we would also update that buying persona or create a new one.

[Agro-Evangelist]

There is no standard time allocation for persona audit but it is said that audit should happen monthly and whenever a new product is to be introduced.

I run an edtech for agribusiness, and we are 2 years old.I realized the customer persona we have looks different from our insight on social media engagement.When I noticed that, I made it a point of duty to access personas weekly and before any new course is launched.

[JWright10]

I think yearly is a great place to start as you are able to see potential growth from the previous year and apply that to your new direction.

[SKrause]

This would be depending upon the changes in the business.- If you add a new product line or there are other significant changes to the business, there would likely be reasons to re-examine the personas. If things are staying relatively the same, then at least annually, take a look at them to be sure everything is still accurate.

[JenMalins]

Yearly

[sfarshgar]

depends on the sales and marketing strategy and market changes that affect the buyer persona. evey 6 month would be good to review the personas.

[KKamlager]

annually, unless a major business change occurs. Most likely, dramatic changes will not happen, unless a major event happens to disrupt the customer/business model/etc.

[Lexlyb]

I think running an audit once a year would keep persona's relevant and up-to-date with industry and trend changes.