7 reasons knowing your audience is key
An audience at a music gig raising their arms
AUDIENCE AUDIENCE AUDIENCE
Podcasting without knowing your audience is criminal - you might as well just be shouting random words into an abyss!
Perhaps unsurprisingly many podcast ideas are born from personal passion, a burning desire to talk about something you care about, to share something or explore a subject which matters to you. And that’s absolutely fine, personal passion is way up there on our list of things every podcaster and communicator – professional or hobbyist – needs to have in their toolkit. The key is then understanding how to take that personal passion project and communicate it in a way which is targeted and empathetic to your particular audience. Don’t stop at ‘here’s what I want to say’ but make sure you ask yourself ‘who am I saying this to, why am I saying to them and what action do I want them to take as a result of listening?’. (You also fundamentally need to be asking where you might find them but that’s a subject for another post, let’s make the content first!)
Why Understanding Your Audience is Key to Powerful Storytelling
Whether you’re crafting a podcast, writing a blog post, or creating marketing materials, one thing is certain: storytelling is a powerful tool. Stories have the ability to engage, inform, and inspire, but to truly harness that power, you need to know who you’re telling the story to. Understanding your audience is not just a good idea, it’s essential. Without this understanding, even the most compelling story can fall flat.
So, why exactly is knowing your audience so crucial when telling stories? And how can you use this insight to make your storytelling more effective, no matter the medium?
Here’s 7 reasons how knowing your audience will help you create better content:
1. Craft Stories That Resonate
The most powerful stories are the ones that speak directly to the hearts and minds of the people hearing them. If you understand who your audience is, you can shape your narrative to resonate with their values, interests, and emotions. The right story at the right time can inspire action, create connection, and build trust.
For instance, if you're creating a podcast for young entrepreneurs, your storytelling might focus on challenges, growth, and success stories that they can relate to, offering insights and inspiration; if you're writing a blog post for a corporate audience, you might take a more data-driven approach, weaving in stories about business trends and leadership.
The core message might be similar, but the way you deliver it should be tailored to the people you're speaking to. When you understand your audience’s needs and preferences, you can engage them in a way that feels relevant and personal.
2. Use the Right Language and Tone
The language and tone you use in your storytelling are deeply influenced by who your audience is. A formal, professional tone might be appropriate for a B2B marketing campaign, while a conversational and lighthearted tone might work best for a lifestyle podcast aimed at millennials.
Knowing your audience allows you to choose the right words, tone, and style of storytelling that feels authentic and speaks to your audience’s communication preferences. Are they looking for information quickly? Do they prefer humor or empathy? Are they deeply invested in certain values or causes? By answering these questions, you can create a connection that feels immediate and engaging.
For example, a non-profit aiming to raise awareness for environmental causes might use passionate and urgent storytelling to tap into their audience’s sense of responsibility and emotional investment. But if they were speaking to a general audience unfamiliar with their cause, a more educational, relatable approach might be necessary to draw them in.
3. Drive Action with Empathy
Great storytelling often taps into the emotions of the audience. By understanding their challenges, desires, and fears, you can craft stories that not only resonate emotionally but also inspire action.
For marketers and communicators, this is essential. If you know your audience’s pain points, you can tell stories that show how your product or service solves those problems. If your audience is motivated by social change, tell stories about how your brand or product is making a difference. If they care about personal growth or success, share stories of transformation and achievement.
For instance, a brand that sells eco-friendly products might use storytelling to show how their items reduce waste and make a positive environmental impact, aligning with their audience’s values and desires for a cleaner world.
But be warned, no one wants to listen to a podcast which is all hard-sell. Let the relevant stories drive the empathy which drives action.
4. Create Meaningful Connections
At its core, storytelling is about connection. And to build genuine connections, you need to speak to your audience in a way that feels real and relatable. When you understand who you're speaking to, it becomes easier to create a sense of belonging.
Think about the last time you heard a story that really spoke to you. It probably felt like the storyteller understood you or your situation. Maybe it reminded you of your own experiences, struggles, or dreams. That’s the kind of connection you want to make with your audience.
When you craft stories with your audience in mind, you invite them into the conversation. You create a space where they feel seen and heard, and that’s how you build lasting relationships. People are more likely to trust a brand or continue listening to a podcast when they feel like the stories shared reflect their lives and values.
This isn’t always easy because you don’t always know who’s going to be listening but start by picturing who you want to be listening and what they care about and keep that person right at the forefront of your mind as you go through the production process.
5. Tailor the Right Content for the Right Platform
Knowing your audience also helps you decide where and how to tell your story. Different platforms attract different types of people, and each platform has its own unique way of engaging with the audience.
For example, Instagram tends to attract a younger, visually-oriented audience that enjoys short, eye-catching content, while LinkedIn caters to professionals looking for industry insights and thought leadership.
Understanding your audience's preferred platform allows you to deliver your story in a way that’s most effective. The same story may look different depending on whether you’re telling it through a 30-second Instagram story, a long-form blog post, or a detailed podcast interview.
That doesn’t mean you can’t promote a detailed podcast interview on different platforms but it should inform what storyline you choose to promote about your content and how you convey it.
6. Building Trust Through Authenticity
Today’s audiences are incredibly savvy and can quickly spot when a brand is being disingenuous or is simply trying to sell them something. By understanding your audience’s motivations, values, and emotions, you can craft authentic, transparent stories that build trust over time.
Authenticity in storytelling creates a sense of credibility. If your audience feels like you truly understand them and what they care about, they’re more likely to believe in your brand or message.
Think of companies that are doing this well: They share stories that align with their audience’s values and show up consistently with the same message. For example, Patagonia doesn’t just sell outdoor gear—they tell stories about environmental conservation that resonate with their eco-conscious customers, building trust through alignment of values. Wilderness Scotland is selling great trips but the stories it tells connect to the company and customer values about sustainability, caring for people and the environment.
7. Understanding Your Audience Helps You Grow
If you’re not taking the time to understand your audience, you may be missing out on valuable feedback that can help you improve your content, messaging, or even product. By engaging with your audience and learning what resonates, you can fine-tune your storytelling to better meet their needs.
Ask yourself: What are they responding to? What stories do they engage with the most? Are there any gaps in the content you’re providing? What are their concerns, and how can your story address them? Listening to your audience's feedback (whether directly through comments or indirectly through analytics) can help you continuously evolve your approach.
Conclusion: Get to Know Your Audience
So, why is understanding your audience so important? Because it’s the key to telling stories that not only engage but also resonate, inspire, and drive action. Whether you're creating content for a podcast, blog, or marketing campaign, getting to know who your audience is and what matters to them is the first step in crafting stories that truly connect.
Take the time to dig deep. Understand your audience’s values, needs, and emotions. Ask questions. Observe their behaviours. When you do, you’ll be able to tell stories that not only captivate but also move your audience in ways that simply sharing information can’t.
If you’re ready to start creating more compelling, audience-centered content, take the next step and dive into your audience’s world. Whether you’re a podcaster, marketer, or content creator, understanding your audience is the foundation of great storytelling and it’s a foundation that will lead to stronger connections and lasting success.
Need help understanding your audience or crafting better stories for them? Check out our courses on effective storytelling, where we’ll guide you in building the skills you need to connect with your audience on a deeper level. We deliver comprehensive, practical and hugely fun training which deep dives you into the anatomy of good storytelling and every aspect of podcast production so you can get the most out of your podcast, brand and business. If you want to learn more about the training we offer, visit our training page and get in touch