Every writer has dealt with this feeling; you sit down at your computer, ready to type a great story and then wonder if that content is actually going to have an impact on your audience. It’s the same when you brainstorm ideas to write about, wondering if your audience will even want to read about this topic.
You can fight off these doubts by taking the time to understand your audience. It’s more than just knowing their ages, genders and locations. Look into their interests, hobbies and even viewpoints.
But how do you do this?
Look at the content you’ve already posted for your audience to view. Are there topics that they are engaging with more than others? Look at comments that are left on social posts or blog articles to see if there are questions or further discussions among commenters. By focusing on what your audience is already engaging with you can easily see what content you can focus on.
Have you checked Google? Doing a Google search of a topic that you think may be interesting to your audience can provide you with information on what is currently available and most actively searched. You might find a topic that fits your expertise. A regular Google search of key topics you want to focus on can help you understand exactly what your audience wants to know without having to guess.
Another great tool to help create engaging content your audience actually wants to view is Answer the Public. Simply type in your search term or topic and get instant ideas for content that people are currently searching for.
By creating content that your audience is interested in currently you can also have a better chance of pitching to the media. You can prove to the media that audiences want to know more about the topic and you have the expertise to provide insights or solutions. Make sure your email subject line or headline flows with what you are seeing in searches to catch the media’s attention.
Whether you are creating content for print, online or social, give your audience a real reason to engage by giving them the information they truly want.