When engaging in targeted online advertising, companies need to focus on the type of audience they hope to attract. Once businesses have found their target audience, there is another important aspect to consider: what is the "digital personality" of your target audience?

According to a new study by IT giant, IBM, the more time people spend online, the more that distinct digital personalities are developing.

"Media companies need to engage with consumers based on their digital personalities, if they are going to maintain a sustainable and connected relationship," Saul Berman, IBM's global strategy consulting leader and co-author of the study, said in a statement. "With the mass infiltration of digital devices, organizations can now enhance, extend or redefine the customer experience within minutes due to a steady stream of real-time data via social media."

In particular, these digital personalities have been broken down into four major types: the "content king," the "social butterfly," the "efficiency expert" and the "connected maestro."

Each of these personalities use and interact with digital media for different reasons. For example, a typical content king spends much of his time accessing video games, music and movies online, but isn't very social in his online behavior. A social butterfly, however, uses digital media almost exclusively for easier access to social interaction, such as social media websites.

An efficiency expert is less interested in using digital media for personal leisure or social activity, but enjoys the ease of communicating and performing tasks more quickly online. And, a connected maestro is the type of person who loves every facet of technology and the internet, and immerses himself in it as a result.

Once companies understand what type of digital personalities their target audiences fall under, they can then cater their marketing and advertising to better attract these types of people. For assistance with determining the right audience for your company, you can partner with a qualified internet marketing firm.