1) Determine the content you want to create, and then determine the audience that is likely to be interested in that content.
2) Determine which audience you want to reach, and then create content directly relevant to that audience.
I know this is simple…even obvious. But, when was the last time you asked yourself, “who is the audience I want to reach?”
If you ask this every time you start a project, or if you only require an occasional reminder, I think your content will flow automatically.
I just think it’s a good question to ask, or remind yourself every time you start something new, or the next time you do an important task you perform on a regular basis.
Although an audience focused approach (“Listener Directed Programming”) has always been the foundation of the work I do, I still need reminders.
Here are a few examples of how this came up for me recently.
a) I watched an online concert stream that aired on a Saturday night at 8:00 pm (edt). Two of the five pieces were written for solo cello, using extended techniques throughout. The last of the two works, about 20 minutes in length, also included voices and sound effects on tape. (It’s not my intention to pass on judgement, but I suspect this form of music has a limited appeal, especially on a Saturday night.)
b) Later this year, I will make a presentation before a mostly European and Asian audience. The event Producer told me, “For most of your audience, English is their second or third language, so you will need to speak slowly. And, internet access and streaming speeds are highly inconsistent in some of these areas, so again, speak slow.”
c) I worked with several impressive ensembles as part of the Akropolis Reed Quintet’s Master Mind series. While each intends to reach a large(er) audience, their website content only appeals to a small subset within that much larger potential audience.
Each made adjustments to their website content that immediately broadened their appeal and relevancy to a much larger, highly appropriate audience.
So again, what comes first, the audience or the content?
I think you can have it both ways if you ask and answer this question:
What do I love to create, and who is likely to love it right back?
