5 Questions Struggling Writers Need To Ask Themselves
You can write the most brilliant content in the world, but without an audience, it will gather dust in the corners of the internet.
Content marketers and writers often make this classic mistake: create, publish, and… silence. It’s a painful lesson, but one we can avoid if we focus on building an audience first.
Here’s how to make sure your content doesn’t disappear into the void.
Ask yourself these five critical questions before you create or market your next piece of content.
Who Is Your Audience?
Start with a single person. Imagine their life.
Who are they?
How old are they?
What do they care about?
What’s keeping them awake at night?
Maybe they’re a freelance writer struggling to find clients or a small business owner overwhelmed by social media.
Here’s the beauty of it: If you solve a problem for onee it for thousands more person, chances are you’ll solv like them.
So, write for that one person. Be specific, personal, and relevant.
Want to Monetise Your Expertise? Here’s how..
Where Is Your Audience?
If you’re shouting into the wrong room, no one will hear you.
Figure out where your audience spends time online. Are they on LinkedIn networking?
Scrolling Instagram for inspiration?
Devouring Medium articles during their coffee break?
Subscribing to multiple newsletters on Substack?
Where will you find your audience?
Pick one platform and show up consistently.
Don’t spread yourself too thin—go where your audience already is and make your presence known.
What Does Your Audience Need to Hear?
Now that you’ve found your audience, what can you say to grab their attention?
Think about their pain points and aspirations.
What would stop them mid-scroll?
The goal isn’t to talk about yourself—it’s to address what matters to them.
Share insights, stories, or tips that solve their problems or inspire action.
Meet them where they are and speak their language. Call them out in your titles.
Most of all don’t shy away from hard truths.
How Will You Engage With Your Audience?
Everything above will mean nothing if you can’t capture your audience’s attention.
To build a loyal audience, you need to keep them engaged. This is where you need a plan to build engagement.
Maybe it’s a free offer that gets them onto your email list.
Perhaps it’s a weekly newsletter or a mini-course that delivers consistent value.
Stick to one approach and continue to refine it until it works. Experiment, analyse, and improve.
Engagement isn’t about selling—it’s about building trust and consistently showing up for your audience.
What has made you engage with your favourite writers? That’s a good place to start!
What Does Your Audience Need to Hear to Take Action?
When the time comes to promote your content or offer, you need to step into your audience’s shoes.
Why should they care?
How will this make their life better?
The more you understand their mindset, the better you’ll craft your call-to-action.
It’s not about flashy sales language or pressure tactics. It’s about communicating value in a way that resonates deeply with them.
If you’ve built trust and engaged them authentically, this step becomes a natural extension of your relationship.
The Bottom Line
Creating great content isn’t enough.
Building an audience is the foundation of any successful writing career. Know your audience, meet them where they are, give them what they need, and nurture the relationship. The results may not be instant, but the rewards are worth the effort.
Remember, you don’t need everyone to love your content.
You just need the right people to see it, connect with it, and take action.
Focus on them, and the rest will follow.