Regardless of how good of a writer you are people are not going to stick around unless they are getting the information they want from you and your blog. It’s important to know your target audience and this is why. If you don’t know whom you are writing for then how can you give them the information they want?
There are a number of simple tasks you can do to help you find out just want your readers are looking for from you.
Just come out and ask.
This is probably the easiest way to get answers. Just ask your readers. You can create a survey and ask them to fill it out. You could just write a blog post asking them to leave a comment with their opinions about your content. Or if you don’t
want the results public, ask your readers to send you an email with their thoughts.
Check your analytics.
Keep an eye on your blog stats. Check which blog posts are getting the most views and which pages people stay on the longest or the least (FYI: this is called the bounce rate). Check which search terms people are using to find your site.
Pay attention to not only the subject of your content but also the format. Do you get more responses from a how-to post or a video? Do you get more page views when you write a top 10 list or if you write a book review? Once you have a good grasp on the type of information your readers are enjoying, you can plan your content accordingly in the future.
Of course if you readers want the type of information you are not able to provide, then you should start rethink your target audience and look for guidance on reaching the right people for your content.