How to Write for Specific Target Audiences

Imagine for a moment walking into a bookstore, only to notice that all of its contents have been rearranged to the point where it is impossible to find what you are looking for. Categorisation, alphabetical order and similar practices have been abandoned in favour of sheer chaos theory. How many customers would take the time to shop for their favourite novel?

Now, envision a content marketing campaign that mistakenly writes for “everyone” as opposed to defining its target audience. While this scenario might seem to represent the holy grail from a curation point of view, the fact of the matter is that it is hardly realistic. One of the differences between an average author who obtains work on a happenstance basis and a writer who maintains a loyal client base over time is the ability to write for the reader as opposed to the masses. As this is a core tenet of any successful advertising campaign, it makes perfect sense that authors need to understand the intended reader as much as possible.

Is this nothing more than digital divining? Would such a trait require preternatural abilities or a bit of luck? On the contrary, defining the audience is actually much more simple than it may appear if a handful of tips and suggestions are taken into account. If you have been struggling to resonate with the customer or should a client feel that you never seem to “hit the mark” in terms of what is required, the information below will prove to be a welcome addition to your current arsenal.

Common Content Creation Challenges

One of the most profound challenges that every ghostwriter needs to face is actually associated with the term itself. You are indeed a “ghost” from a certain point of view. Not only will your content most likely be claimed by someone else, but you may sometimes be forced to extrapolate what is desired based off of a limited set of data points. Here are a few examples of nebulous instructions which we have all come across from time to time:

• “Please write a 300-word article about floor cleaning machines”.
• “Can you create content about the latest fashion trends?”
• “Our firm needs 500 words focusing upon health.”

What types of floor cleaning machines should be discussed, and is this for a client or B2B sales? Fashion trends for what age group, gender and preferences? What aspect of health needs to be addressed and what type of reader are you intended to cater to? Unfortunately (and due in no small part to the sheer talent of the Textbroker author community), some clients believe that we can discover these and other answers from the ether of our minds. This is certainly not the case.

A Bit of Digital Legwork

As Hootsuite points out, the best way for a company to define its target audience is to understand who is currently using their products or services. This notion can easily be translated to suit the needs of the writer. Simply navigate to the website in question in order to appreciate who they are catering to. Are they focused upon end-user sales, or are they more interested in business-to-business transactions? The tonality of the article in question will often depend upon this variable.

Furthermore, you can also scroll through past blog posts and/or articles related to their mission statement. This is an excellent way to get a feel for the type of material that the customer desires. However, what if the site is still in beta testing and you have not been provided with any guidance within the order instructions? In such a situation, you can always navigate to similar portals in order to better appreciate what is required from a general standpoint.

Further Refining the Results

Assuming that you have already followed the steps mentioned in the last section, the chances are already high that you will be able to create an acceptable article. However, there is a major difference between acceptable and positively outstanding. If you hope to retain more clients and to leverage the power of Direct Orders, you will need to ascend to the next level. This involves intuition and experience.

Creating an audience persona might take a bit of time and yet, it is well worth the effort. This analysis seeks to define six core factors:

• Who?
• What?
• Where?
• When?
• How?
• Why?

It is no coincidence that we learned to ask these very same questions when we first began to write essays at an early age. The only main difference is that as opposed to a one-off scholastic project, your article may very well be read by thousands of individuals. If you are able to clarify the list above, much of the guesswork will have already been taken out of the equation.

Have Your Mental Templates Ready

Many well-known websites such as WordStream highlight the importance of re-purposing existing material. Of course, we are not talking about changing a handful of sentences from a previous article in order to satisfy a present customer and to boast quick turnaround times. This method flirts dangerously close with duplicate content and the calibre of Textbroker authors is much higher.

We are instead referring to what can be termed “mental compartmentalisation”. In other words, get into the habit of knowing how to write for different audiences. Let’s use an example. Here are three titles which all describe the same product:

• Why Should You Choose a VPN Service?
• What Benefits Can Companies Enjoy When Choosing a VPN Service?
• The Technical Advantages of a Virtual Private Network

As we can see, the first article is most likely addressing the needs of the average customer. The second is more intended for B2B sales, and the final could be suited for programmers and coding professionals. The subsequent content will likewise vary as a result of the narratives espoused within the titles. This is a great way to begin, as the “flavour” of a title should always be reflected throughout the article.

The Critical Importance of Order Instructions

It can be argued that one of the most common reasons for a revision request involves the simple fact that the author did not follow the attached instructions. To be honest, this can happen to the best of us on occasion; particularly if we are burdened with a massive workload, and we hope to create content before a looming deadline. However, Textbroker is less of a content mill and more of a bespoke curation agency. This trait should likewise be reflected in the authors. Always be sure to read the instructions thoroughly. The chances are high that the client will clearly state the style and tonality of the article as well as the intended audience base.

Never Be Afraid to Ask

Whether referring to first-, second- or third-person content, the task at hand should be clear from the very beginning. In the event that the instructions are muddled or confusing, it is always prudent to send a message to the client and to ask for clarification. The chances are high that they will be more than happy to provide you with additional details.

Targeted Content is the Wave of the Future

A survey highlighted by Neil Patel found that no fewer than 78 per cent of consumers believe that targeted content is the key to building long-term relationships. It therefore stands to reason that authors who are able to satisfy this requirement can expect to enjoy a burgeoning client base well into the future.

Creating targeted content is not necessarily difficult, and yet, some writers tend to inadvertently overlook its benefits. We need to remember that the ability to resonate with a client will first require that your efforts equally resonate with his or her intended audience. This is why the suggestions mentioned above will undoubtedly come in handy.

About our author

Ron first arrived in Barcelona, Spain in 2007. Although initially pursuing a career in wealth management and finance, he learned that the content writing community provided the highest level of personal satisfaction while still being able to personally help clients. He has been a full-time professional writer since 2011. Some of his other interests include martial arts and bodybuilding.