Knowing your audience
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Knowing your audience
Why optics always matter even if you’re not focused on them
Earlier this week, I was talking to a friend. She asked me about my Substack and mentioned that it seemed more like a blog than an actual newsletter.
It reminded me about the power of optics and helped me make sure I explained to people that consume my content that there is a method to my madness.
To my friend, it looked like I was just writing personal anecdotes about my life to get my viewpoints across. It was, of course, but I’ve been doing so much more.
To me, it was clear.
I haven’t written as much this week, but I have met with potential investors and consultants about how to launch a publication and who to target in each.
I’ve studied how news organizations like Axios, Punchbowl News, Semafone and other more established organizations have launched.
In that useful reflection, it also helped remind me of the importance of knowing your audience AND when to use your voice.
Shea Serrano is a New York Times Bestselling Author. He’s also from south San Antonio and #purosanantonio. He, of course, is a spurs fan. Someone asked him this the other day.
For any real spurs fan that doesn’t have the last name Parker or isn’t French, that’s a normal answer.
However, if one looks at the basketball reference page and stats, some might wonder why tony isn’t the answer.
In a similar way, it’s why I laugh when I see college students, who mean well, by the way, who are so invested in their team, a.k.a. the “good guys” that they have to criticize the other team.
It hit especially when Texas Tech played Texas U a few weeks ago.
Never mind that Colt McCoy was from Tuscola or that Cedric Benson was from Midland, UT is the flagship so everything they do must be evil.
Similarly, in politics (here we go…), knowing your audience is crucial.
It’s why Beto cusses when he speaks to college students but not when talking to older voters.
It’s why Ted answers this way to someone who is a registered republican and was Jeb Bush’s press secretary in 2016:
It’s also why it can be maddening to some (hint: me) when a politician just doesn’t admit to his misdeeds and work from there.
In this case, I wish the Heisman winner from Georgia would just admit it and move on. I don’t think people will not vote for him because of this, but his pride won’t let him admit he was wrong. Even if he’s a “baby Christian”, what a great way to show your newfound faith by admitting that your past was wrong and work on bettering yourself.
By the way, it’s Second Corinthians, not 2 Corinthians.
Again, I have to remind myself, as a journalist, I’m not Walker’s audience. Walker’s audience is people who watch Fox News and vote. Even though I have worked there and do vote, I’ve also worked at cnn and abc, so because of that, I guess I’m part of the liberal media…
By the way, did you know that Walker had his highest fundraising numbers during his interview with Hannity? If you can get some of that airtime, you do it.
Back to knowing your voice and using it when it matters:
Use your voice when you can help those who can’t help themselves.
Use your voice when you have knowledge of someone who’s acting in bad faith in a way that discourages people like you from speaking up.
So yes, friend. You were right. It has been more like a blog, lately. Thank you for letting me know your viewpoint.
I need to do better at writing regularly and updating you, the reader, on what’s happening.
Until then, I’ll leave this tweet up about me pushing back, just a little, on someone who I know is acting in bad faith and has been rewarded for being a troll:
#sanangelo #hookem #redrivergame #txlege #localnews #commentary #anythingforselenas #substack