How can you create content that engages audiences on different online platforms?

2 Know your audiences

Knowing who your audiences are, what they want, and how they consume content is crucial for creating engaging content. You can use tools like analytics, surveys, and feedback to learn more about your audiences' demographics, interests, preferences, and behaviors. You can also interact with them through comments, polls, and social media to build rapport and trust. By knowing your audiences, you can tailor your content to their needs, expectations, and values, and provide them with relevant, useful, and meaningful information.

3 Know your goals

Before you create content, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with it. What is the purpose of your content? What message do you want to convey? What action do you want your audiences to take? Having a clear goal will help you define your content strategy, tone, style, and format. For example, if your goal is to inform your audiences about a new development, you might use a news article, a podcast, or a video report. If your goal is to persuade your audiences to support a cause, you might use an opinion piece, a testimonial, or a documentary.

4 Know your voice

Your voice is the personality and tone of your content. It reflects your values, beliefs, and perspectives as a journalist. Your voice can help you stand out from the crowd, connect with your audiences, and establish your credibility and authority. To find your voice, you need to be authentic, consistent, and original. You need to express your opinions, insights, and emotions in a way that is true to yourself and respectful of your audiences. You also need to avoid jargon, cliches, and plagiarism, and use simple, clear, and engaging language.

5 Know your format

The format of your content is the way you present and deliver your information. It can include text, audio, video, images, graphics, or a combination of them. The format of your content can affect how your audiences perceive, understand, and remember your information. You need to choose the format that best suits your platform, audience, goal, and voice. For example, if you want to explain a complex topic, you might use an infographic, a slideshow, or a video animation. If you want to showcase a personal story, you might use a narrative, a podcast, or a video interview.

6 Know your feedback

Feedback is the response and reaction of your audiences to your content. It can include comments, likes, shares, ratings, reviews, or subscriptions. Feedback can help you measure the impact and effectiveness of your content. It can also help you improve your content by identifying your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges. You need to monitor, analyze, and respond to your feedback regularly and constructively. You need to appreciate your positive feedback, address your negative feedback, and implement your constructive feedback.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?