Having trouble coming up with interesting blog content? Are you having difficulty getting people to follow your blog? Your customers go online to search for something — everything from directions to health information to the latest movie reviews. Ideally, they come across your blog because they’re looking for something you provide, and you’ve done a good job of strategically placing keywords to build quality, searchable content.

But sometimes, you don’t see the growing numbers in readership that you’d like. Consider this: you just might be losing readers because you don’t really understand your audience.

who is Your Audience?

Your audience determines every facet of your blog, including the topic, tone, and any photos that may accompany it. Before even beginning to create dynamic content, take a moment to consider your readers.

Before you can write for your audience, you must find them. Ask yourself:

• Who is using my products (or similar products)?
• Who purchases my product / services?
• Who would be interested in what I have to say?
• Is my target audience local? International?
• What other products or services do my customers purchase?
• What sets my product apart from others in the market?

Gather extensive data on who buys your products and services. How old are they? What is their average income? Be sure you have both a macro and micro view of who would benefit from your services or product. This will be crucial in helping you determine who your audience is. Are they patients? Retailers? Bankers? Once you grasp your audiences’ interests, you’ll be able to select topics that are more clearly refined and sharply focused.

Getting specific: Two examples of writing for your audience

Let’s look at how to write for an audience by using a dental practice and an adventure company as examples.

Example one: writing for a dental practice

You’re writing a blog for a dental practice that specializes in treating children. The simple, obvious answer is that your audience consists of parents. But it doesn’t end there. Take this to the next level and explore it further. Here are some additional facts about your audience:

1. They are most likely female. Marketing studies show that women make 80 percent of the health care decisions for the family. Remember this when creating blog content strategies for any medical group or practice—even if the practice caters to men’s health.
2. Your audience will most likely be searching for online topics related to their child’s dental health, such as “When should my child have his/her first dental appointment? “ or “How do I teach my child how to floss?”
3. They are local. Families will generally select a dental provider that is conveniently located.
4. Mothers, like so many others, are incredibly busy. They do not have time to wade through lengthy articles to glean information. They want something fast, reliable and easy to process.

Using the information above, we can carefully craft copy for this audience, using strategic keywords and search terms. An example may be: “my child has a loose tooth” or “loose teeth in children.” By using laymen’s language, headers, bullet points and infographics, we can break down the subject into bits of information busy mothers can easily digest on the go.

Example two: An adventure outfitter

You’re writing for an adventure outfitter that offers extended hunting / camping trips throughout the mountains.  By doing some brief analysis, you can conclude that your audience:

1. Is mostly male.
2. Has some expertise in outdoor adventures.
3. Has extensive equipment knowledge. Your audience may, in fact, be searching for information on rifles, crossbows, or other equipment.
4. May be from anywhere in the country, or perhaps, from around the world.

From this information, you may assume your audience may be searching for practical instruction, such as “tips on hunting deer with a crossbow,” information on the best type of equipment to use for various conditions, and how to ship and preserve wild game meat.

One final caveat: Resist the temptation to place a call to action “schedule now” or “call us for more information” at the end of every blog. Remember, you are using your blog to establish your brand as an industry thought-leader and to help your website appear high in the search engine results pages. If the blog sounds like an advertisement, the reader will see your blog as unprofessional at best and spammy at worst.

By doing some simple demographic analysis and putting yourself in your audience’s shoes, you can fine tune your copy to get at the heart of your message.

Established in 2000, Proclaim Interactive is a think-out-of-the-box digital marketing agency located in Wilmington, NC. Proclaim Interactive provides website design, social media management, SEO and general marketing services designed to amplify clients’ messages. For more information, visit www.proclaiminteractive.com or call 910.795.4143.