How to Write for Your Audience, Not Yourself (And Why It’s the Key to Growth)
Are you writing for yourself or the people you want to help?
Me me, me me, me me me.
That is how a large percentage of content sounds like.
It’s common to say “I write for me.” In fact, I’ve said it on this same space.
I used to and most people still write content they think is good.
The trap here is, it leaves you wandering in your head.
Of course, it’s where words come from but you’re not helping your audience by talking about you all the time.
Even if you might not know it.
The problem with that is, the criteria for good content is determined by you and you’re not to decide whether a piece of content is good or not.
Your audience does.
Here’s the mistake most people make — writing content you think is good, rather than what resonates with your audience.
Growth and engagement all come down to one thing.
Flipping the focus from you to them.
In this story, I’ll show you how to align your writing with your audience’s needs to increase engagement, build credibility, and get them excited to hear from you.
The Ego Trap — Writing for Yourself
You joined social media for a reason.
They told you could share your thoughts, share a piece of yourself with the world.
That’s all true but the thing is, most people have this false misconception that people care and will ask you to share more.
That’s the wrong mindset to content — writing for your own desires.
If you write for you, only for you… This puts in a position where you focus on what you want to say rather than what people need to hear.
Content that is focused on you is widely egotistical to a large portion of your audience.
There are situations where you tell a story using a lot of “I’s.”
The context must have been established.
Content that focuses on you leads to disengagement, poor feedback, and a lack of connection with readers.
It says, “I don’t care about you. I’m writing for me.”
Do you see how that creates a disconnect between you and the reader? It’s like that one person that’s always talking about themselves.
They’re never fun and you’d do anything to escape their presence.
This effect is magnified on social media.
Audience-Centered Writing: Why It Matters
When you talk to someone, you want them to be engaged, to feel like they are being understood.
People want to feel understood.
Show that you understand them and they’ll give you their attention.
Audience-centered writing is about understanding and addressing the problems, desires, and goals of your readers.
The best piece of content I’ve read are the ones that nailed down my pain points as a brand designer.
It’s like they’ve got a spy on your personal life and know everything about you.
When you speak like you know them, like you understand them, content becomes a rollercoaster.
To tell you this and leave it at that would be like every other piece of content.
The easiest way to know your audience’s pain points?
Ask them. Send DMs.
Offer your service in exchange for their time.
You’ll have a wealth of knowledge after that as opposed to guessing.
This not only gives you insights into your industry, it also creates deeper connections.
When you get on calls with people, the relationship becomes easier to build. You earn their trust. And selling is then easy.
Look at every creator you admire. They talk to you. They make you feel seen and that’s why you like them.
An example of a person would be Dan Koe, Iman Gadzhi…
You don’t need 2 hours to understand their audience. That kind of clarity could take years to figure out but it doesn’t have to. Everything you need is at your disposal.
How to Understand Your Audience
Step 1: Research
The greatest ability the internet gave us is the ability to access information.
The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know.
The best way to research your audience’s pain points, common questions, and interests is to find out where they hang out.
You see Justin Welsh? Tons of solopreneurs commenting on his content.
Dan Koe? All the writers and self-help gurus you can find.
Iman? All the studio owners you can think of.
Find out where they hang out and gather data. It’s boring but worth it.
If I were to recommend a platform, it’d be LinkedIn but the comments are mostly written by AI these days — it’s catastrophic.
I’m wonder if people think it’s unnoticible.
(spend years on LinkedIn, you automatically become a living AI-detector)
DMs are the best way to know your audience directly .
There’s no second guessing. You get real tangible information to work with.
Be kind about it. They don’t need to answer you. They don’t have to spend their time talking to you. They CHOOSE to and you need to respect them for that.
Step 2: Empathy Mapping
Think like your audience.
What are they struggling with?
This helps you create content that speaks directly to their emotions and experiences.
ChatGPT or any updated AI model would work marketing miracles in this area.
Not sharing any prompts here. There are tons of articles for that.
As a reminder, the quality of your inputs determine the output.
Step 3: Test and Refine
Writing is iterative.
Great writers have expressed one idea in more ways than you know.
The only way you get better is to be iterative.
Publish. Gather Feedback. Refine.
Refine based on how your audience responds.
This helps you fine-tune your messaging. That’s why it’s hard to get it right the first time but if you do, superb.
Writing Strategies to Connect with Your Audience
Write with “You” Language
Shift the narrative from “I think” or “I want to tell you” to “You need” or “You can.”
The reader is part of the story. It’s your job to make them feel that. They have to fit perfectly into that universe of a story you’re writing.
The only way people consume is if they feel they’re learning, and they can’t do that when you constantly bombard them with “I think” statements.
Make the reader the hero of the story.
Solve Problems
Eventually, everyone learns this.
But I’ll save you the time and tell you to write with purpose.
Each piece of content you create should solve a problem and have a purpose.
Write because you want to but make sure you’re writing to solve a problem.
Always ask, “What problem am I solving for my audience?” If your content isn’t solving a problem or addressing a need, it won’t connect.
Tell Relatable Stories
Stories are how we share information. They’re why museums exist.
Stories help us connect with people and share a part of ourselves with them.
Use stories that your audience can see themselves in.
They don’t have to be personal; they just need to resonate with the reader’s journey.
Use Simplicity
Avoid jargon.
Your technical language might be another person’s jargon. Avoid it.
Use Hemingway(or not). The goal is to make it understandable by the average reader.
Avoid jargon and complex sentences. Simple, clear language is more engaging and easier to skim, especially for busy readers.
The Results of Audience-Centered Writing
Why do you write? To share your take.
How do you make people care about your take? by making it about them.
Writing for your audience directly results in better engagement, more followers, and deeper trust.
When you write for your audience, you get leads, collaborations, and have life changing conversations because readers feel understood and valued.
In conclusion — write for them, not you. Your content should always prioritize your audience’s needs over your own preferences.
Now, dear reader, I implore you to go into the world and create enagaging content.
Write your stories. Share your stories. Just do something with stories.
Ohh, and if you’re not already, please give me a follow. You’re in for a journey you didn’t see coming.
