An insight is a revelation. It’s hidden in plain sight – Julian Cole, Brand Strategist
In femtech, a good idea is only the starting point. Investors beyond seed stage want evidence that you understand your audience at depth – not just who they are, but what drives them and what they are not saying – because this is where growth lives.
Founders who can demonstrate that understanding are not just pitching a product. They are showing they have done the harder work of finding out what is genuinely going on for the women they serve.
So what exactly is an audience insight, and why does it matter so much in women’s health?
What is an audience insight?
An audience insight is much more than just a data point or statistic; it’s a glimpse into what truly drives your users. At its essence, an audience insight is a revelation – a powerful understanding of what matters to the people you’re serving.
In women’s health, these insights go even deeper, often rooted in complex emotions and personal experiences that aren’t always shared openly.
As strategist Julian Cole says, “An insight is a revelation. It’s hidden in plain sight.”
For women’s health, though, these revelations are often buried in untold stories.
A woman using a menstrual health app is tracking her cycle on the surface, but may be seeking clarity about those symptoms that don’t add up, that nagging fear that something isn’t right. Women’s lesser-spoken-about motivations can guide decisions about your product’s design, features, and user experience.
Quantitative vs. qualitative data: the “what” vs. the “why”
To gain real audience insights, it’s crucial to understand the roles of both quantitative and qualitative data – and how each plays a unique part in forming a complete picture.
Quantitative data is all about the “what.” It answers questions like:
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- How often are users logging in?
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- What features are they engaging with most frequently?
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- How many users drop off at a certain stage?
This type of data is essential because it provides measurable, concrete answers about user behaviour. Quantitative data lets femtech founders observe trends, assess engagement, and identify basic patterns. For example, it might tell you that users are spending a lot of time on educational content in a menstrual health app. But while it reveals what’s happening, it stops short of answering why.
This is where qualitative data steps in. Qualitative data gives you the “why,” bringing emotional context and depth to the numbers. Through methods like interviews, focus groups, and open-ended surveys, qualitative data explores:
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- Why do women choose certain health solutions?
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- What emotional factors influence their healthcare choices?
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- What frustrations or needs remain unmet?
Unlike the hard figures of quantitative data, qualitative data is richly nuanced, giving a deeper look into the emotions, beliefs, and motivations behind your users’ decisions.
It goes beyond surface feedback and delivers structured, research-backed insights that can guide strategic choices. With qualitative data, you’re not just learning what users say; you’re discovering why they feel that way and how you can create products that answer needs they may not even be able to articulate.
Together, quantitative and qualitative data form a powerful partnership: the numbers show you patterns, while insights reveal purpose. Combined, they provide a comprehensive view of your audience that allows you to connect with them in a meaningful way.
Why audience insights matter
A good example of when you need a combination of quantitative and qualitative data is the high customer churn experienced by direct-to-consumer healthtech Zoe.
As part of an announcement about cutting staff head-count, the company’s co-founder Tim Spector said that “half” of users only subscribe to Zoe for six to nine months before leaving – and the company was focusing on how to “keep people for years”.
So quantitative data highlights a trend and with qualitative research explains the WHY.
For femtech founders, understanding audience insights is more than just a best practice – it’s a strategic asset that sets the foundation for creating impactful, differentiated products.
In women’s health, where needs are personal, nuanced, and often underserved by traditional healthcare solutions, these insights give you the chance to build products that go beyond functionality.
When you understand both the “what” and the “why” behind user behaviour, you’re positioned to create something that not only works but resonates deeply – products that are easier to differentiate and a stronger case for investment because you can show, not just claim, that you know your market.