We’ve all been there—sitting in front of the screen, trying to come up with content ideas that will keep our readers hooked. But how do you know what your audience actually wants to read? Guesswork only gets you so far. The secret sauce is understanding your readers on a deeper level and creating content that truly resonates with them.
If you’ve ever wondered what your readers are looking for, you’re in the right place. Let’s break down a simple, step-by-step approach to finding out exactly what your audience craves.
Start by Knowing Who Your Audience Is
The first step to figuring out what your readers want is getting to know who they are. Think about your current audience. Who are they? What do they do? What are their interests and pain points? If you don’t know the answers to these questions, it’s time to dig a little deeper.
If you already have some content out there, start by looking at your analytics. Tools like Google Analytics or social media insights can tell you a lot about your audience. Check out the demographics—age, gender, location—and see if any patterns emerge. This data gives you a baseline understanding of who’s consuming your content.
But don’t stop there. Pay attention to what types of content perform best. Are readers spending more time on certain blog posts? Do particular social media posts get more engagement? This information is like gold—it tells you what your audience is most interested in, so you can create more of it.
Engage Directly with Your Audience
Sometimes, the best way to find out what your readers want is just to ask them. Sounds simple, right? That’s because it is! Engaging directly with your audience is a powerful way to uncover their preferences.
Start by putting out a survey or a poll. You can ask about their content preferences, what challenges they’re facing, or even what they want to see more of from you. Keep it short and sweet—people are more likely to respond when they don’t feel overwhelmed by too many questions. Tools like Google Forms or SurveyMonkey make this process easy, and you can share the link through your email newsletter or social media channels.
Another great way to engage is through comments and social media interactions. If your audience is leaving comments or responding to your posts, pay attention to what they’re saying. These conversations can offer valuable insights into what they care about and the types of content they’re craving. You can also spark a conversation by asking a question or prompting discussion directly in your content. This invites your audience to share their thoughts and gives you the opportunity to learn from their feedback.
Listen to the Buzz Online
If you want to know what your readers are interested in, look at what’s happening beyond your own platform. Keeping an ear to the ground in your industry or niche is a great way to stay on top of trending topics that your audience might be interested in.
Tools like BuzzSumo or Google Trends can show you what’s currently popular online. You can search for topics related to your industry and see what’s getting the most attention. This helps you stay relevant and ensures you’re creating content that’s in line with current interests.
Don’t forget to check out social media, too. Follow industry hashtags on Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn to see what people are talking about. Join relevant groups or forums where your audience hangs out. Whether it’s Facebook groups, Reddit threads, or niche forums, these spaces are filled with people discussing their interests, challenges, and questions. All of this gives you a real-time view of what’s on your readers’ minds.
Check Out Your Competitors
Your competitors are another goldmine of information. If they’re serving a similar audience, their content can provide clues about what your readers might want. Don’t worry—this isn’t about copying them. Instead, think of it as research. By analyzing their content, you can find gaps that you can fill or spot trends that your audience might also be interested in.
Visit their blogs, social media pages, and newsletters. What topics are they covering? What content seems to be getting the most engagement? Take note of what works and what doesn’t. You can use this information to create content that’s even more valuable to your audience.
And hey, why not step it up a notch? Use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to dive into their top-performing content. These tools can show you which keywords they’re ranking for, giving you insight into the topics that are driving traffic to their site. This can help you refine your own content strategy and target the right keywords for your audience.
Test and Iterate
Once you’ve gathered all this valuable information, it’s time to put it into action. Create content that aligns with what you’ve learned about your audience, and then monitor how it performs. Keep an eye on your metrics—are people engaging with the content? Are they spending more time on your site? Are you seeing more comments or shares?
If something works well, great—do more of that! If something doesn’t resonate as much as you hoped, don’t be discouraged. Use it as a learning experience and adjust your approach. Audience preferences can shift over time, so it’s important to stay flexible and open to change.
Remember, audience research isn’t a one-time thing. It’s an ongoing process that evolves with your readers’ needs and interests. By continually testing, iterating, and engaging with your audience, you can keep your content fresh and relevant.
Knowing what your readers want is key to creating content that not only captures their attention but keeps them coming back for more. If you’re ready to dive deeper into understanding your audience and want some help along the way, Schedule a Chat with us and let’s get started on crafting content that hits the mark every time.