Why Defining Your Target Social Audience Is Foundational For Consistent Online Growth
As we create content across social media, without clarity around 2 specific things, your chances of sustained growth are near zero.
When most creators start, they believe they are making content for "just about anyone" and that "everyone" will enjoy the content. That thought process leads to frustration directed at the algorithm, wasting hundreds (or more) on gear to improve quality, and viewing down the YouTube rabbit hole of growth hacks. When in reality, most creators just need to be very clear about who their content is for and why that audience should care.
Before we can talk about why the audience should care, we have to know who they are.
What Happens Without Audience Clarity
A common faulty belief is, "If I narrow my content, it eliminates too many people."
What really happens is viewers are confused why they saw the post they did and immediately scroll away. The creator might post dozens of time with no traction and wonder what they are doing wrong or why the algorithm "favors larger creators." In reality, the algorithm wants to keep viewers on their platform by surfacing the content it thinks they want to see, and it doesn't know who it's for if the creator doesn't either.
If you're making content for everyone, you're making content for no one.
What Happens WITH Audience Clarity
Once you're clear with yourself about who you want your audience to be, the algorithm can take over and surface your content to them.
Clarity comes from knowing the exact details of something and not leaving anything ambiguous. Successful creators know exactly who would get the most from their content, what they believe, what their struggles are, and their fears. Most massively successful creators even have a detailed, named profile of their ideal viewer that includes their background and tangentially related interests and quirks.
Knowledge is the key to success and your audience is no different, but it comes from you, not an internet search or ChatGPT prompt—although having a conversation with ChatGPT to dial in your audience is a great idea.
Define Your Audience In 5 Simple Steps
Define the highest level of your audience.
Go 1 level deeper.
Go another level deeper.
Go 1 final layer deeper.
Take the results of Step 4 and go as deep as possible creating an Ideal Viewer Profile (and give them a name).
Once your audience is clearly defined and niched down, won't people be turned away?
The more niche and specific your content is in the target audience, the more likely that it will resonate with that person when it comes across their feed. They will wonder where you have been their entire life and subscribe almost immediately.
