I found a extremely helpful source called 'Culture Hive' which shows studies providing primary data through interview led exit surveys to gain a deeper understanding of visitors, who they are, their motivations and attitudes. It examies reasons for visiting, marketing reach, exhibition awareness and engagement, and visitor satisfaction. The insights informed recommendations for how Baltic could deepen engagement and improve the offer, and provided comparative data when set against other regional/national museums or art galleries.
Baltic has a regular, core audience of visitors, an estimated 67,000 regular visitors made over half of the 390,000 visits recorded from January to December 2007. They visit on average 3.3 times a year, a third of them to use the café or shop. They are happy not knowing what exhibitions are on before they arrive, they expect there will be something to see. These visitors are reliable, loyal and should be nurtured and developed.Baltic’s iconic architecture, location, views and reputation as a major attraction in the region, means that it continues to attract a significant number of new visitors. In 2007, around 120,000 people visited Baltic for the first time, the vast majority from outside the region and overseas (over 30,000 visitors were from outside the UK). Whilst a third of them say they are very likely to visit again (about 40,000 people), Baltic needs to ensure that it provides a high quality, engaging visitor experience that leaves them wanting to come back.
Whilst it is retaining its audience, and continuing to be a major draw for tourists to the region, only 11% have been to Baltic before and are returning. What this means is that visitors to the building are far more likely to be either regulars or first timers, it does not tend to appeal to infrequent visitors, or to those who may have visited in the first few months of opening. This presents both a challenge, and an opportunity, for Baltic, as potentially there is still a local and regional market that could be reactivated by the organisation.
First timers are keen to learn more about art 51% of first timers said that one of the reasons for visiting was to improve their knowledge of art. It is important for Baltic to respond to this desire to
learn if they are to meet their needs.
Most visits made to Baltic are intentional but tend not to be exhibition specific. 71% of visitors were making a general visit to see whatever exhibitions were on, only 10% came specifically to see one or more of the artists showing in November-December. The building continues to be a draw for new and lapsed visitors. The challenge is to ensure these ‘building driven’ visitors are engaged sufficiently to feel that there are other elements of the offer that will give them a reason to return. Baltic needs to find ways of ensuring visitors engage with the art, through how the work is displayed, and most importantly interpreted. It must communicate, clearly, other aspects of the offer that provide a reason to return, such as the activities, tours, high quality catering and retail etc. More lapsed and first time visitors found the visit relaxing and stimulating than they expected to and these messages would be worth communicating as visitor benefits. Regular visitors have a range of reasons for visiting, some of them are regular users of the café and visit Baltic because it is a social space with art, rather than for the exhibitions themselves. Some visit because they want to see awe inspiring artworks, and others want to be able to relax and re-charge. Generally their needs are being met, but not exceeded. They are confident about what they want from their visit and they get this, but, given the proportions who are not currently using the full range of facilities there is potential to deepen their engagement and exceed expectations.
This chart is helpful as it shows activities visitors would be interested in doing while at the Baltic, a free tour, shop online, library archive, family activities and adult activities are all aspects that could made into a digital experience.
All data available from http://culturehive.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Baltic-2008-audience-profiling.pdf
Target audience personas
Personal details:
Name : Chris Smith
Age : 35
Nationality : British
Location : London
Occupation : Accountant
Income : £42,000
Education : BA Hons in Economics at Newcastle University
Family : Married and a father of two
Technical details:
Handheld device : Apple Iphone 7
Preferred browser : Safari
Internet skill level : High
Internet / digital device usage per week : 24 hours
What does the user want and need?:
- Fun creative activities for himself and the family either using digital devices or away from them.
- A user friendly interface that keeps him engaged
- Easy accessible information at his disposal
Personal details:
Name : Pauline Graham
Age : 61
Nationality : British
Location : Durham
Occupation : Retired high school teacher
Income : Pension
Education : MA in History at the University of Manchester
Family : Married with two children and five grandchildren
Technical details:
Handheld device : Samsung S4
Preferred browser : Firefox
Internet skill level : Low
Internet / digital device usage per week : 5 hours
What does the user want and need?:
- A basic and stripped back UI to allow an easier experience
- To leave with a greater understanding and a reason to return
- No confusing UX thatll distract from the artwork
Personal details:
Name : Alex Jones
Age : 15
Nationality : British
Location : Newcastle Upon Tyne
Occupation : Student
Education : Studying GCSE'S
Family : Lives with his Mam and Dad and two older brothers
Technical details:
Handheld device : Apple Iphone 5
Preferred browser : Google Chrome
Internet skill level : High
Internet / digital device usage per week : 15 hours
What does the user want and need?:
- A chance to include his social media life with his day to day activities
- Fun and engaging activities that he can enjoy on his own and with friends or family
- To learn and to be more enthusiastic about art
Personal details:
Name : Xabi Torres
Age : 23
Nationality : Spanish
Location : Newcastle Upon Tyne
Occupation : Games designer
Income : £26,000
Income : £26,000
Education : BA Hons Games Design at the University of Arts London
Family : Family resides in Barcelona
Technical details:
Handheld device : Google Pixel phone
Preferred browser : Google Chrome
Internet skill level : High
Internet / digital device usage per week : 35 hours
What does the user want and need?:
- An experience that has no language barrier
- Activities to engage him on new levels of art experience
- A sense of being welcome and a part of something
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