3 Reasons Why “Know Your Audience” is Bullshit (And 3 Ways It Isn’t)
When to listen to the crowd and when to trust your gut
How many times per week do you read or hear this writing advice?
👉 “Know your audience!”
As someone building digital writing businesses from scratch, I see it in social media posts every day. It drives me a little nuts.
But… I’m also guilty of spouting off this advice.
I’m a university instructor for several online Communications courses (from first-year through fourth-year courses).
It’s a worn out adage you’ll hear in every writing course, see plastered across social media and find in almost every how-to guide on writing.
The danger is… this advice can be total bullshit.
It can stifle creativity, crush originality, and suffocate authenticity.
You know… that stuff that makes writing engaging (and sometimes powerful).
There’s a nuance here though. There are moments when knowing your audience is critical, where it’s the difference between a message landing or getting lost.
The trick is learning when to pander to the crowd and when to trust your gut or listen to what your…
