Identifying Your Audience & Writing For Them

When you are writing your blog, are you writing just for the sake of getting something published or are you writing to capture the attention of a specific audience?  If you desire to reach a specific audience, what steps are you taking to capture their attention?  Consider the following 'AUDIENCE' acronym if you are trying to gear your content toward a certain crowd:

Applicable content:  Make sure your content applies to your target reader!  Party Perfect’s Blog does this incredibly well.  I know every time I go to Party Perfect, I can rely on walking away with a new and festive party idea.

Understand your audience’s needs:  Staying aware of what your audience is asking for and what they enjoy reading about is key.  This is where an editorial calendar comes in soooo handy, if your reader is curious about a topic, log that down and resource that list when you get writer’s block!

Do Unto Others:  Make sure the content that you’re writing is actually something you’d enjoy if it was written by someone else.

Integrate:  Integrate other blogs and products into your blog that target the audience you're trying to reach.  This is a great way of sharing and supporting others while also increasing your awareness and exposure.

Evolve:  See if your content is drawing your target audience to you.  If you’re not driving the audience you’re looking for, make adjustments until you get the right results.

New:  Keep things vibrant and fresh.  Blonde Designs does this phenomenally well.  Every time I visit their blog, I am awestruck by their originality.

Creativity:  Be creative with your words.  One of the best aspects of writing in the form of blogging is that you can write like you talk, that’s what makes blogs so fun and intriguing.  Read Supafine’s Blog sometime and you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about!

Establish an emotional connection:  Writing content that people can identify with on a personal level will draw them in and using your own stories and experiences will keep them engaged.

So, the next time you’re wondering how to reach your desired audience, remind yourself how 'AUDIENCE' spells out exactly what you need to do! 

For additional resources on blogging for an audience, here are a few great articles from our friend and author, Rajesh Setty:

•  9 Ways People Respond to Your Content Online
•  6 Ways to Engage Your Audience
•  6 Degrees of Online Influence