SharePoint - Audience Compilation

Audience compilation is the automated evaluation of user profiles to determine which users should be included in a specific audience. Instead of manually sorting people, SharePoint applies an audience rule - a set of conditions that each profile must meet.

This process keeps your targeting accurate, dynamic, and scalable.

How Audience Rules Shape Membership

An audience rule is the filter that decides who gets in. SharePoint checks each profile against the rule and includes only the ones that match. These rules can be based on:

• User attributes - department, location, job title
• Behavioral patterns - activity, engagement, interactions
• Custom profile data - tags, preferences, metadata

When a profile meets the criteria, it becomes part of the audience automatically.

Why Audience Compilation Matters in SharePoint

Audience compilation helps organizations deliver:

Targeted content to the right users

• Personalized experiences across sites and pages
• Cleaner navigation with audience‑based visibility
• Better engagement through relevant information

It's a powerful way to keep your intranet organized and user‑focused.

A Quick Example

Imagine you want an audience of users who:

• Work in the Marketing department
• Are located in the United States
• Have logged in within the last 60 days

SharePoint evaluates each user profile. Only the profiles that match all three conditions become part of the audience. This is audience compilation at work.

Final Thoughts

Audience compilation is a core feature for delivering smart, targeted, and personalized content in SharePoint. By using audience rules to evaluate user profiles, organizations can keep their digital workplace clean, relevant, and efficient.