Blogging is time consuming so you want to be sure that your efforts are well focused towards a goal of identifying with your audience’s interests. There are a few important sources you’ll want to check before you even start typing your next post.

1. What content is your target audience already sharing on their own social media accounts? It says a lot when people take the time to share content. It shows what is truly important to them. So once you’ve identified your target audience, take a sampling of what is trending in their world. Then from that list you can brainstorm ideas for topics and tie-ins that are in line with your business’ vision and goals.
2. Another great source of information is already right in front of you. Taking time to notice which of your previous blog posts were most popular can help you plan future content. Ask yourself why people may have engaged with some posts more than others and if there is a correlation in the type of content that is getting the most attention.
3. Research your competitors. There’s no harm in checking out what other similar companies are writing about and seeing how users engage. This can help you generate new ideas on how to apply the same type of content to your business.

Taking some time to gather data around how your target audience is engaging online can really pay off. The more you know about what is important to your end-user, the better you can connect with them both in your blog content and across social media platforms.