How to Write Effective Personas for Signal

Quick answer: Effective personas are specific buyer queries showing intent (not generic keywords). Include pain point, urgency, location (if local), and decision criteria. Test 5-7 personas covering different buyer types (emergency, budget, quality, maintenance).

Reading time: 10 minutes

What you’ll learn:

• Formula-based approach for buyer intent queries: [Pain point] + [Product/Service] + [Location if local] + [Buying criteria] transforms generic “HVAC” into specific “Emergency AC repair Phoenix same-day weekend”
• Bad vs good persona examples with AI response patterns: generic keywords like “HVAC” yield educational responses (useless for business visibility), specific scenarios like “Emergency AC repair Phoenix same-day service weekend” yield business recommendations
• Diversification strategy testing 5-7 personas across buyer psychology types (emergency price-insensitive, budget-conscious comparing quotes, quality-focused premium, preventive forward-thinking, replacement researching major purchase) instead of 7 variations of same persona
• Common mistakes that reduce effectiveness: keyword stuffing instead of natural speech, testing only your strengths (5 emergency personas reveal no gaps), ignoring geographic specificity for local businesses, over-specifying to edge cases no real buyer searches
• Iteration workflow over time: Month 0 broad baseline personas (identify major gaps), Month 3 targeted low-Presence personas (focus on 18% budget buyer gap), Month 6 maintain improvements + explore adjacent angles (test related variations)

Formula: [Pain point] + [Product/Service] + [Location if local] + [Buying criteria]

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The Persona Writing Formula

Bad Persona (Generic Keyword)

Example: “HVAC”

Why it’s bad:

• No buyer intent (could be researcher, student, competitor)
• No context (emergency? new installation? maintenance?)
• AI gives generic educational response (not business recommendations)

AI response (ChatGPT):

“HVAC stands for Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. It’s a system that…”

Result: Useless for measuring business visibility.

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Good Persona (Specific Buyer Query)

Example: “Emergency AC repair Phoenix same-day service weekend”

Why it’s good:

• Pain point: Emergency (AC broken)
• Service: AC repair
• Location: Phoenix (local intent)
• Buying criteria: Same-day, weekend service (urgency)

AI response (ChatGPT):

“For same-day emergency AC repair in Phoenix on weekends, try:

1. Acme HVAC - 24/7 emergency service, 60-90 min response time
2. Competitor A - Weekend availability, 2-hour response
3. Competitor B - Emergency service, call for availability”

Result: Tests whether AI recommends you for this specific buyer scenario.

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The 4 Components of Effective Personas

Component 1: Pain Point or Need

What problem is buyer trying to solve?

Examples:

• Emergency (AC broke, need immediate fix)
• Preventive (want maintenance before problem occurs)
• Replacement (old system dying, need new one)
• Budget constraint (need affordable option)
• Quality concern (want best, price less important)

Include pain point in persona:

• “AC not cooling, house 90 degrees” (emergency pain)
• “Want to prevent AC failure before summer” (preventive need)
• “15-year-old furnace making noise” (replacement signal)

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Component 2: Product or Service

What is buyer searching for?

Be specific:

• ✗ “HVAC” (too generic)
• ✓ “AC repair” (specific service)
• ✓ “3-ton AC installation” (specific product + size)
• ✓ “furnace maintenance plan” (specific offering)

Match your service language:

• If you call it “emergency HVAC repair”, use that (not “urgent heating fix”)
• If you call it “maintenance plan”, use that (not “service contract”)
• Use buyer language, but align with your terminology

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Component 3: Location (If Local Business)

Critical for local businesses (HVAC, plumbing, law firms, restaurants):

Include city or neighborhood:

• “Phoenix”
• “Scottsdale”
• “North Phoenix”
• “Arcadia neighborhood Phoenix”

Why location matters:

• AI platforms filter by geography
• “Best HVAC” (national results) vs “Best HVAC Phoenix” (local results)
• Tests whether you dominate local market (vs getting lost in national noise)

For national businesses: Skip location, focus on use case instead.

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Component 4: Buying Criteria

What factors influence buyer’s decision?

Common criteria:

• Urgency: “same-day”, “24/7”, “emergency”, “weekend”
• Price: “affordable”, “under $200”, “budget-friendly”, “cheapest”
• Quality: “best”, “top-rated”, “certified”, “premium”
• Trust: “licensed”, “insured”, “5-star reviews”, “BBB A+”
• Convenience: “near me”, “free estimate”, “online booking”, “financing”

Include 1-2 criteria per persona:

• “Best HVAC Phoenix” (quality-focused)
• “Affordable AC repair Phoenix under $200” (budget-focused)
• “24/7 emergency HVAC Phoenix same-day” (urgency-focused)

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Persona Formula in Practice

Formula

[Pain point] + [Product/Service] + [Location] + [Buying criteria]

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Example 1: HVAC Emergency Repair

Pain point: AC not working Product/Service: AC repair Location: Phoenix Buying criteria: Same-day, weekend

Persona: “Emergency AC repair Phoenix same-day service weekend”

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Example 2: Budget-Conscious HVAC

Pain point: Need maintenance but tight budget Product/Service: HVAC maintenance plan Location: Phoenix Buying criteria: Affordable, under $200/year

Persona: “HVAC maintenance plan Phoenix under $200 per year affordable”

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Example 3: Quality-Focused Replacement

Pain point: Old AC dying, want best replacement Product/Service: AC installation Location: Phoenix Buying criteria: Best, top-rated, certified techs

Persona: “Best AC installation Phoenix certified technicians top-rated 3-ton system”

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Bad Personas vs Good Personas

Bad: Single-Word Queries

Examples:

• “HVAC”
• “Plumbing”
• “Lawyer”
• “Restaurant”

Why bad: No buyer intent, AI gives definitions (not business recommendations).

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Bad: Brand Searches

Examples:

• “Acme HVAC”
• “Competitor A reviews”

Why bad: Tests brand awareness, not category visibility. You already know if AI mentions your brand name. Need to test if AI recommends you when buyers DON’T know your name yet.

Exception: Use brand searches for competitor analysis (test how AI describes Competitor A).

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Bad: Question Format (Usually)

Examples:

• “What is HVAC?”
• “How does AC work?”
• “Why is my furnace not working?”

Why bad: Educational intent (not buyer intent). AI explains concepts (doesn’t recommend businesses).

Exception: Buyer-intent questions are fine:

• ✓ “Who offers 24/7 HVAC repair in Phoenix?” (buyer intent)
• ✗ “What is HVAC?” (educational intent)

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Good: Specific Buyer Scenarios

Examples:

• “Emergency AC repair Phoenix same-day weekend”
• “HVAC maintenance plan under $200 Phoenix”
• “Best AC installation Phoenix 3-ton certified techs”
• “Affordable furnace replacement Phoenix financing available”
• “24/7 HVAC companies Phoenix fastest response time”

Why good: Buyer intent, specific need, location, buying criteria.

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Persona Diversification Strategy

Test 5-7 Personas Covering Different Buyer Types

Don’t test 7 variations of same persona:

• ✗ “Emergency AC repair Phoenix”
• ✗ “Urgent AC repair Phoenix”
• ✗ “Same-day AC repair Phoenix”
• ✗ “24/7 AC repair Phoenix”

Problem: All test same buyer type (emergency). No diversity.

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Diversify Across Buyer Psychology

Persona 1: Emergency/Urgent buyer

• “Emergency AC repair Phoenix same-day weekend”
• Psychology: Price-insensitive, need immediate solution, will pay premium

Persona 2: Budget-conscious buyer

• “Affordable HVAC maintenance Phoenix under $200”
• Psychology: Price-sensitive, comparing quotes, looking for best value

Persona 3: Quality-focused buyer

• “Best AC installation Phoenix certified technicians top-rated”
• Psychology: Quality over price, want premium service, willing to pay more

Persona 4: Preventive/Maintenance buyer

• “HVAC maintenance plan Phoenix annual service”
• Psychology: Forward-thinking, wants to avoid emergency, values reliability

Persona 5: Replacement/Upgrade buyer

• “AC replacement cost Phoenix 3-ton system efficient”
• Psychology: Researching major purchase, comparing options, needs education

Persona 6: DIY/Information-seeking buyer (optional)

• “How to choose HVAC company Phoenix what to look for”
• Psychology: Self-educator, wants to make informed decision, reads reviews

Persona 7: Convenience-focused buyer (optional)

• “HVAC companies Phoenix online booking same-day estimate”
• Psychology: Values convenience, wants easy process, tech-savvy

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Industry-Specific Persona Examples

Local Service Business (HVAC, Plumbing, Law Firm)

Emergency: “Emergency [service] [city] same-day weekend” Budget: “Affordable [service] [city] under $[price]” Quality: “Best [service] [city] certified licensed top-rated” Preventive: “[Service] maintenance plan [city] annual” Replacement: “[Product] replacement cost [city] [specs]”

HVAC example set (5 personas):

1. “Emergency AC repair Phoenix same-day weekend”
2. “Affordable HVAC maintenance Phoenix under $200”
3. “Best AC installation Phoenix certified technicians”
4. “Furnace maintenance plan Phoenix annual service”
5. “AC replacement cost Phoenix 3-ton 16 SEER”

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B2B SaaS

Use case: “[Use case] software for [target customer]” Integration: “[Category] tool that integrates with [platform]” Comparison: “[Your category] vs [competitor] comparison” Alternative: “[Competitor] alternative for [use case]” Pricing: “Affordable [category] under $[price] per user”

Project management SaaS example set (5 personas):

1. “Project management software for remote teams async collaboration”
2. “Project management tool integrates with Slack time zones”
3. “Asana alternative for remote teams under $10 per user”
4. “Best project management for distributed teams 50+ people”
5. “Project management with time zone support and async communication”

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E-commerce (Product-Based)

Product + use case: “[Product] for [use case]” Product + budget: “[Product] under $[price] best value” Product + feature: “[Product] with [specific feature]” Product + comparison: “Best [product] vs [competitor product]” Product + quality: “Top-rated [product] [year] best quality”

Wireless earbuds example set (5 personas):

1. “Wireless earbuds for running noise canceling under $150”
2. “Best wireless earbuds 2025 top-rated sound quality”
3. “Wireless earbuds with 30+ hour battery life long-lasting”
4. “AirPods alternative under $100 similar quality”
5. “Wireless earbuds for gym IPX7 waterproof sweat-proof”

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Professional Services (Consulting, Agency)

Expertise + industry: “[Service] for [industry] [specific problem]” Expertise + outcome: “[Service] to [desired outcome]” Location + expertise: “[Service] [city] [certification/specialty]” Problem + solution: “How to [solve problem] with [service]”

Marketing consultant example set (5 personas):

1. “Marketing consultant for B2B SaaS lead generation”
2. “Fractional CMO for startups 0-$5M revenue”
3. “Content marketing consultant to increase organic traffic”
4. “Growth marketing consultant San Francisco SaaS experience”
5. “Marketing consultant for AI companies positioning strategy”

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How to Test If Your Personas Are Effective

Test 1: Would a Real Buyer Search This?

Ask: Would someone about to hire your service actually type this into ChatGPT or Google?

Example:

• ✓ “Emergency AC repair Phoenix same-day” (YES, buyer in crisis would search this)
• ✗ “HVAC air conditioning heating Phoenix Arizona” (NO, keyword-stuffed, not natural language)

Fix: Make it sound like natural speech.

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Test 2: Is It Specific Enough?

Ask: Does this persona differentiate between buyer types?

Example:

• ✗ “AC repair Phoenix” (too generic, all buyers)
• ✓ “Emergency AC repair Phoenix weekend same-day” (specific: emergency buyer)

Fix: Add buying criteria (urgency, budget, quality, etc.).

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Test 3: Does It Test Your Positioning?

Ask: Will this persona reveal how AI positions you vs competitors?

Example:

• ✓ “Best AC installation Phoenix certified” (tests quality positioning)
• ✓ “Affordable HVAC Phoenix under $200” (tests budget positioning)
• ✗ “HVAC Phoenix” (doesn’t test positioning, too generic)

Fix: Include criteria that reveals positioning (best, affordable, fastest, etc.).

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Common Mistakes in Persona Writing

Mistake 1: Using Keywords Instead of Queries

Bad: “HVAC Phoenix”, “AC repair”, “furnace installation” Good: “Emergency AC repair Phoenix same-day”, “Affordable HVAC maintenance Phoenix under $200”

Why: Keywords test search volume. Personas test buyer scenarios.

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Mistake 2: Testing Only Your Strengths

Bad persona set (HVAC company strong in emergency service):

1. “Emergency AC repair Phoenix”
2. “Urgent HVAC repair Phoenix”
3. “Same-day AC repair Phoenix”
4. “24/7 HVAC Phoenix”
5. “Fast AC repair Phoenix”

Problem: All test emergency positioning. Doesn’t reveal gaps in other buyer types (maintenance, replacement, budget).

Good persona set:

1. “Emergency AC repair Phoenix” (strength)
2. “HVAC maintenance plan Phoenix” (test weakness)
3. “Affordable AC repair Phoenix under $200” (test budget positioning)
4. “Best AC installation Phoenix” (test quality positioning)
5. “Furnace replacement Phoenix financing” (test financing/accessibility)

Why: Reveals where you dominate vs where competitors beat you.

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Mistake 3: Ignoring Geographic Specificity (Local Businesses)

Bad: “Emergency AC repair” Good: “Emergency AC repair Phoenix” Better: “Emergency AC repair North Phoenix Scottsdale”

Why: Local buyers include location. “Emergency AC repair” yields national results (not actionable).

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Mistake 4: Over-Specifying (Too Narrow)

Bad: “Emergency Carrier AC 3-ton 16 SEER repair Phoenix Arcadia neighborhood same-day Sunday morning before noon under $500 certified NATE tech”

Problem: Too specific. No real buyer searches this. Tests edge case, not common scenario.

Good: “Emergency AC repair Phoenix same-day weekend”

Balance: Specific enough to show buyer intent, broad enough to represent real searches.

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How Many Personas to Test

Minimum: 3 Personas

Why 3: Statistical minimum (can’t identify patterns with 1-2 personas).

Use if:

• First-time Signal user (getting baseline)
• Budget-constrained ($50 = 3 personas minimum)
• Testing single hypothesis (e.g., “Are we visible for emergency queries?”)

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Recommended: 5-7 Personas

Why 5-7: Covers major buyer types without over-testing.

Buyer type coverage:

• Persona 1: Emergency/urgent
• Persona 2: Budget-conscious
• Persona 3: Quality-focused
• Persona 4: Preventive/maintenance
• Persona 5: Replacement/upgrade
• Persona 6 (optional): DIY/research
• Persona 7 (optional): Convenience-focused

Use if:

• Most businesses (balanced coverage)
• Want to identify positioning gaps
• Re-testing quarterly (compare apples-to-apples)

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Maximum: 15 Personas

Why 15: coverage across multiple buyer types (multiple variations per buyer type).

Use if:

• Multi-location business (3-5 personas × 3 locations = 9-15)
• Complex service offerings (HVAC: emergency, maintenance, installation, commercial, residential)
• Competitive market (need granular insights)

Diminishing returns: Beyond 15 personas, insights become redundant.

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Iterating Personas Over Time

First Signal (Month 0): Broad Personas

Goal: Establish baseline, identify major gaps.

Personas (5-7 covering all buyer types):

1. Emergency buyer
2. Budget buyer
3. Quality buyer
4. Maintenance buyer
5. Replacement buyer

Analyze: Which personas have low Presence Rate (under 40%)?

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Second Signal (Month 3): Targeted Personas

Goal: Focus on personas with low Presence Rate from Month 0.

Example (based on Month 0 results):

• Month 0: “Budget AC repair Phoenix under $200” had 18% Presence Rate (low)
• Month 1-3: Create content targeting budget buyers (affordability FAQ, payment plans, budget maintenance packages)
• Month 3: Re-test “Budget AC repair Phoenix under $200” persona

Expect: 18% → 35-45% Presence Rate (improvement).

Also test: Variations of budget persona to confirm improvement:

1. “Affordable HVAC Phoenix under $200”
2. “Cheap AC repair Phoenix payment plans”
3. “Budget HVAC maintenance Phoenix financing”

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Third Signal (Month 6): Maintain + Explore

Goal: Confirm improvements held, explore new persona angles.

Personas:

• Re-test Month 3 personas (confirm improvement)
• Add 2-3 new personas exploring adjacent buyer types

Example:

• Confirmed: Budget positioning improved (45% Presence Rate)
• Explore: “HVAC companies Phoenix flexible payment options” (related to budget)
• Explore: “No-interest financing HVAC Phoenix” (payment-focused variation)

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The Bottom Line

Effective personas are specific buyer queries showing intent: [Pain point] + [Product/Service] + [Location] + [Buying criteria].

Test 5-7 personas covering different buyer types (emergency, budget, quality, maintenance, replacement).

Avoid: Generic keywords (“HVAC”), brand searches (“Acme HVAC”), educational queries (“What is HVAC?”).

Iterate: First Signal tests broad personas. Second Signal focuses on gaps. Third Signal confirms improvements and explores adjacent scenarios.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same personas for every Signal test?

Yes. Use consistent personas to track improvement over time.

Example:

• Month 0: 5 personas, Presence Rate 28%
• Month 3: Same 5 personas, Presence Rate 42% (50% improvement)
• Month 6: Same 5 personas, Presence Rate 55% (96% improvement from Month 0)

Consistent personas = apples-to-apples comparison.

Also add: 1-2 new personas each quarter to explore new angles.

Should I include my business name in personas?

No (for most use cases).

Why: You already know if AI mentions your brand name. Signal tests whether AI recommends you when buyers DON’T know your name yet.

Example:

• ✗ “Acme HVAC reviews” (brand search)
• ✓ “Best HVAC Phoenix” (category search, tests if AI mentions Acme)

Exception: Competitor analysis. Test “Competitor A reviews” to see how AI describes them.

How do I write personas for a new business category (no template)?

Process:

Step 1: List buyer pain points

• What problems does your product/service solve?
• Example (project management SaaS): Disorganized remote teams, time zone confusion, async communication issues

Step 2: List buying criteria

• What factors do buyers care about?
• Example: Price, integrations, ease of use, time zone support, async features

Step 3: Combine pain point + criteria + your product category

• “Project management for remote teams time zones async communication”
• “Affordable project management under $10 per user Slack integration”
• “Best project management for distributed teams 50+ people”

Test with AI: Ask ChatGPT your persona query. Does it recommend businesses? If yes, good persona. If no (educational response), add more buyer intent.

Should personas be phrased as questions or statements?

Either, but statements usually better.

Statement (preferred):

• “Emergency AC repair Phoenix same-day weekend”
• More natural buyer language (how people search)

Question:

• “Who offers emergency AC repair in Phoenix on weekends?”
• Also works, but slightly less common search pattern

Both test buyer intent. Use whichever feels more natural for your buyers.

How do I test multi-location businesses?

Option A: Location-specific personas (recommended)

5 personas × 3 locations = 15 total personas:

Phoenix personas:

1. “Emergency AC repair Phoenix same-day”
2. “HVAC maintenance Phoenix under $200”
3. “Best AC installation Phoenix certified”

Scottsdale personas:

1. “Emergency AC repair Scottsdale same-day”
2. “HVAC maintenance Scottsdale under $200”
3. “Best AC installation Scottsdale certified”

Tempe personas:

1. “Emergency AC repair Tempe same-day”
2. “HVAC maintenance Tempe under $200”
3. “Best AC installation Tempe certified”

Benefit: See which locations you dominate vs weak (Phoenix 62% Presence, Scottsdale 45%, Tempe 28%).

Option B: Regional personas (fewer personas)

3 personas covering region:

1. “Emergency AC repair Phoenix metro area”
2. “HVAC maintenance East Valley Arizona”
3. “Best AC installation Phoenix Scottsdale Tempe”

Trade-off: Fewer insights per location, but tests regional coverage.

Can I test personas in languages other than English?

Yes. Signal supports 50+ languages.

Example (Spanish personas for Phoenix HVAC):

1. “Reparación de emergencia de aire acondicionado en Phoenix mismo día”
2. “Plan de mantenimiento de HVAC en Phoenix bajo $200 al año”
3. “Mejor instalación de aire acondicionado en Phoenix certificado”

Why: Test AI visibility to non-English buyers (e.g., Spanish-speaking market in Phoenix).

AI platforms respond in same language as query (Spanish query → Spanish response).

What if all my personas have low Presence Rate (under 30%)?

Common for first-time Signal users. Indicates foundational content gaps.

Action plan:

• Create 10-15 FAQ pages (one per persona topic)
• Add LocalBusiness schema (homepage)
• Get 10-20 Google reviews
• Publish 5-10 blog posts (persona-focused topics)
• Re-run Signal in 90 days

Expected improvement: 20-30% → 40-50% Presence Rate (doubling).

Can I test the same persona multiple times in one Signal report?

Not recommended. Signal already tests variations of each persona internally (5 personas → Signal tests 50+ variations across platforms).

Instead: Test different personas (emergency, budget, quality, etc.) to maximize insight diversity.

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Ready to write effective personas? Use the formula [Pain point] + [Product/Service] + [Location] + [Buying criteria], test 5-7 personas covering different buyer types, and run Signal ($50) to measure AI visibility.