Have you ever stopped to wonder why you are a creator? Many of us create as a hobby, for personal pleasure or relaxation. But if you are starting a creative business, you need to reframe this question.
“Why do you create?” becomes “Who are you creating for?”
In this post, I will share some quick tips for identifying your audience and how to use that information to design content that will appeal to your ideal reader or customer.
Creative Business 101: How to Identify Your Audience
What is an Audience, and Why Does it Matter?
When we talk of “audience” in the world of creative entrepreneurs (or any kind of entrepreneur!) we are referring to a pool of potential buyers of our work. Your work might be a novel, a painting, or a hand-knit sweater. It could be a song you’ve put out on YouTube or a film you’ve made. Even if you are not ready to sell your work, you can still make connections with your future customers. These people are your audience.
Identifying your audience is the first step you need to take when you decide to transition from being a hobbyist to a career creator. Who are you trying to reach? The answer seems simple. We want everyone to love us and buy our stuff. We want fame and riches and global recognition of our awesomeness, right?
(Okay, if you just nodded your head, go back and read Defining Success as a Creative Entrepreneur.)
The trouble is, if you cast your net too wide it doesn’t get deep enough to catch any fish. If you try to market yourself to everyone, you end up attracting no one.
How to Identify Your Audience
You cannot market yourself or your work to everyone on the face of the planet. We all like different things, and respond to different personalities. Identifying your audience comes down to two things: who you are, and what you do. This becomes: who is going to like me? Who is going to want what I have created?
Many creators don’t really stop to think about these things until after they have completed a project. We feel inspired, we work in a wild frenzy of creative activity, and after some crises of faith and existential dread, voilà! We have a thing!
If you have never considered your audience until this moment, that’s okay. I’m going to help you out. Once you go through these tips and you do know your audience, your next project will be much easier to market!
First, let’s talk about you.
“To Find Yourself, Think For Yourself.” –Socrates
Who Am I?
I don’t necessarily mean this in a deep, existential way. But if you know exactly who you are, this part will be easy. When I ask “Who are you?” I mean “How do you present yourself to the world?” Here are some questions to consider:
How old are you?
What is your gender identity and sexual orientation?
What are your religious beliefs?
What are your political beliefs?
What is important to you?
What charities and causes do you support?
What kind of people do you like to be friends with?
What kind of people do you not get along well with?
Are you a cat person? A dog person? Do you like animals?
What kinds of food do you like?
This is basic stuff, but it’s surprising how many people never really sit down and think about these things. Go back to the days of those 20 questions surveys you used to be tagged in back in the early days of social media. Take a few, just for fun.
Now how many of these basic info-bytes make it into your work? Is the protagonist in your novel similar to you or different? Do you draw themes for your art from your personal belief system? Do you curse like a sailor or prefer a family-friendly dialogue with your friends?
These are all important clues in order to answer the next question.
Who is my Audience?
It can be difficult to make the leap from “Who am I?” to “Who do I create for?” because it isn’t always a conscious part of the process. Think of a particular piece or project you want to find an audience for. Think of one, ideal person coming along and seeing your work and thinking “Yes! This is exactly what I’ve been looking for!” Who are they? Who will get the most out of everything you’ve put into this piece?
Age
Gender
Sexual Orientation
Level of Education
Political Views
Income Level
Religious Views
What is important to them?
Your audience might be exactly like you, or they might be quite different. For writers, your audience might be more similar to your protagonist than to you. For example, if you are a middle aged woman writing a YA romance, your work is more likely to appeal to a 15 year old girl than someone who is married with children, and a full time job.
On the other hand, if you are writing a science fiction novel about climate disaster and you are passionate about saving the environment in real life, your audience will likely share this passion with you.
Example: The Timekeepers’ War by S.C. Jensen
I am going to demonstrate the different between “Who am I?” and “Who is my audience?” by using myself and my first book as an example. You don’t need to have read The Timekeepers’ War in order for this to make sense. [If you have, great! You’re my favourite ;)]
Discovering your audience example, The Timekeepers’ War by S.C. Jensen
You can see where there are a few places where my audience and I diverge from one another. Partly this is because people change, and we often draw on past experiences in our creative work. Sometimes it is easier to discuss difficult themes and ideas after the fact, and our work will resonate with both people who are currently experiencing similar issues or who have in the past.
Remember, the more specific you can be in identifying your audience the easier it will be to market your creative business or product.
“Your Attitude is an Expression of Your Values and Expectations.” –Zabid Abas
I Know My Audience, But How Does This Help Me?
Once you know who your ideal audience is, it’s time to produce some content that will interest them. If you are stumped about what to write about on your blog or socials, imagine your audience. What is your ideal reader/buyer interested in right now?
Does your work tie in to any current public events?
What interests do they have?
Have you read any books or seen any movies that would appeal to them?
Can you provide insight into a problem they might be facing?
You must use what you know about your ideal audience and apply that to everything you put out into the world. Your content is the bait you use to lure future customers to your feeds. People can’t buy your work if they can’t find you, and they won’t buy your work if they don’t find a personal connection with what you post.
How Do I Cater My Content to My Audience?
As a Writer:
book reviews in the genre you write in
top 10 books you look forward to reading this year
current events with parallels to your novel
personal stories that parallel the issues your characters deal with
entertaining tidbits in your shared interest categories
book nerdy posts about how to select your next read, organize your bookcase, or how to handle the emotional turmoil of a book buying ban
As an Artist:
behind the scenes in your studio
sketches to finished piece
other artists who inspire you
practical guidance on how to select a piece of art, how to hang a artwork, how to critique a work of art
news stories that connect with themes in your work
personal stories that your ideal buyer will relate to
As a Musician:
behind the scenes in your studio
live recordings
footage from performances
stories about your experiences as a performer
news stories that connect with themes in your work
venues reviews for areas you have performed in or would like to perform in
These are some idea to get you started, but as you can see knowing your audience is the key to producing creative content that works.
Be Valuable
In Creative Business 101: Defining Success as a Creative Entrepreneur we discussed the importance of providing value in your content. In order to do this, you must know who your audience is and what is valuable to them.
Use your platforms with intention, and focus on the platforms you feel most comfortable with. I spend most of my time on Instagram and WordPress, because this is where I like to hang out. Others enjoy the Twitter or Facebook experience. You don’t have to do everything at once, but whatever you do, you must product content designed to appeal to your ideal audience.
Discussion
Is there anything else you need to know about identifying your audience? Let me know in the comments and we can brainstorm!
If this article was helpful to you, please like and share so that it is easier for others to find.
As always, thank you for reading!
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