How To Think Like Your Audience: The Key To Creating Viral Content
Understanding your audience is the single most important factor in creating viral content. I have refined my approach, using both data and direct engagement to shape content that truly resonates.
Listen to the Comments
At the heart of our strategy is one simple principle: listen. We make it a point to read comments and interactions on posts. Early on, we noticed that certain types of content sparked reactions—comments that were emotional, funny or personal. We saw patterns in what people were saying and started to realise that our audience wasn’t just watching—they were relating to the content.
People engage with content because they see themselves in it. They want to feel understood, validated and connected.
Dig into the Data
While the emotional connection is crucial, the numbers don’t lie. We’ve spent countless hours analysing our content’s performance—looking at which videos generate the most engagement, which ones lead to shares and which ones result in the longest watch times. For example, we discovered that the most shareable videos were often specific and relatable—those that touched on a universal experience or emotion.
Understanding this helped us refine our content strategy. Instead of guessing what might work, we started making more educated decisions based on how our audience interacted with past posts.
Engage Directly with Your Audience
It’s not enough to simply read comments and watch analytics; direct engagement is key. Responding to DMs and comments not only helps build a stronger connection with followers, but it also gives you valuable insights into their world. People often share personal stories, ask questions or even suggest content ideas. These interactions can spark new, more relatable ideas that resonate even deeper with your audience.
How You Can Think Like Your Audience
If you’re a creator or brand, here’s how you can start thinking like your audience:
1. Immerse Yourself in Their World
Spend time understanding what your audience is talking about. What memes are they sharing? What jokes do they laugh at? The more you align with their interests, the better you can create content that feels authentic.
2. Ask Questions
For example: a simple poll asking followers about their most embarrassing moments in public. The responses can give you a variety of ideas for future content but more importantly, it fosters deeper engagement.
3. Reflect, Don’t Just Create
Viral content isn’t about projecting your own thoughts and opinions onto the audience; it’s about reflecting their own experiences, desires and emotions. When you create content that mirrors their world, they’ll be more likely to share it.
Why It Works
The truth is, viral content isn’t a random occurrence. It’s the result of understanding your audience at a deep level—beyond just numbers and trends. When you can create content that speaks directly to people’s experiences and emotions, you build a connection that goes beyond mere entertainment.
The success of J_Tekkz’s content isn’t about creating for himself, but about creating for ‘them’—his audience. And that’s the key to going viral.
So, next time you’re brainstorming content, ask yourself: What would they think of this? What would they feel? When you start thinking like your audience, that’s when the magic happens.