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But like all data, even information you gather on your audience (your personas) can go out of date.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. 

[SWilson4]

I agree that quarterly should be sufficient, at a minimum.

[LRector]

Every new campaign that is being launched 

[KMcleod8]

I believe that we should update buyer personas continually as we learn more about our buyers either through direct interaction or research. 

[abumere]

I believe as the audience preferences change daily as well as the goals and objectives of the company, the need to update the buyer persona would depend on the perception of such changes to the team and should be done based on this. Hence for some it may be done monthly if your audience are people who are into fads and loose interest in things easily and for some it may be quarterly or even bi annually.

[NStewart3]

My opinion.  Annual is sufficient; unless a significant change of business climate occurs (ex. pandemic).

[CDeano]

I'd agree that reviewing personas on a quarterly basis (at a minimum), but the frequency is also dependent on any new insights found in the data collected OR if there has been any change in strategic objectives or goals.

From a non-profit trade association perspective, I'd be curious as to others thoughts here!

We're currently creating new membership-level personas. However, we have several services and products that are sold to generate non-membership dues revenue. Would you find it important/necessary to also create buyer personas by product and service, too?

Membership-Level Personas
Service-Level Personas
Product-based Personas

[KWilliams-]

Quarterly!

[kmagnusson]

Quarterly

[jennafuhlman]

Buyer personas need to be aligned with company goals and target audience. Assuming company goals change you will need to change your buyer persona regularly. My company is in the financial servicies industry, which is rapidly changing. Having the data to make sure our company's target audience is accurate is critical to have.

[RByas]

Buyer personas need to be aligned with your business's target audience. Understanding your audience's expectations is the key to successfully implementing accurate buying persona data.

[saumshetty]

Buyer personas are what busineses are built on and are the crux on which a campaign is built on. I would say again depending on the size of the organization this needs to be updated regularly.

[CKean]

I think it depends on the industry you are in and whether consumer patterns change rapidly in your industry.

In my industry, once or twice per year should be sufficient.

[KMShin]

Ideally quarterly, but at least twice per year I think is sufficient.

[MNicholas]

The goal should be quarterly but should definitely be reviewed when there's any form of change in leadership.

[jkraftlv]

My opinion.  Annual is sufficient; unless a significant change of business climate occurs (ex. pandemic).

[Alessia12]

I think it should be done twice or thrice a year. 

[Yunzhi_Tao]

Like some other replies in this section, I think sticking to "once a year" or "twice a year" is not enough, although it's still a kind of goal. Updates should be made whenever important shift of comsumer trends happens. It might be multiple times a year if necessary.

[BHammond]

Also depends on the size of your marketing team and the industry you are in.  It is a very important topic that deserves a brainstorming session at least once a year

[APurohit]

Twice a year at least

[DGarvin]

Quarterly. 

[AKVyas]

Quarterly.