Do You Give Your Readers What They Want? |

Ryan Biddulph January 10, 2025 blogging tips 🕑 6 minutes read

Fethiye Turkey

Readers asked me regularly how I got featured on Forbes.

I created and sell this course:

How to Get Featured on World Famous Blogs

Readers asked me consistently how to become a full time blogger.

I wrote and sell this eBook:

7 Steps to Build a Full Time Income Earning Blog

Readers asked me how to become a digital nomad.

I wrote and sell this eBook:

How to Retire to a Life of Island Hopping (Part 2)

Readers asked me to share my experience to empower them.

I wrote and sell this eBook:

7 Things that Inspired Me to Go from Scared Security Guard to Smiling Island Hopper

Glancing at all posts on Blogging From Paradise Dot Com reveals replies to reader feedback. You asked me. I answered. You brought problems to me. I published solutions to these problems.

I even deleted 100’s of blog posts and most eBooks based on reader feedback too. No one wanted these in the first place. Naturally, viewership and sales verified the lack of demand. I appropriately deleted what no one wanted to make room for what you want.

How About Yourself?

Do you give readers what they want?

Or do you publish what you want?

Do you sell what you want to sell? Do you write what you want to write?

Freelancers Often Pitch What THEY Want for ME NOT What I Want

I routinely get pitched services I do not:

want
need
ask for

by freelancers who want to sell me their wares. Each wants to help me. But did they stop for 5 seconds to consider: did I ask them for it, did I personally want it in the first place or did I offer feedback in some way, shape or form verifying that I wanted their service?

Most Bloggers Never Really Think Strategically

Unfortunately guys, you and I are unconscious robots until we:

stop
think
practice mindfulness
become highly aware of unconscious thought patterns arising to the surface

The ego specializes in the unconscious thought pattern of : “I am the center of the universe. I want. Give me.”

Look at your inbox. Observe social media.

Am I wrong?

Of course not (in this regard at least).

Most bloggers do not give the readers what the readers want by refusing to:

listen to reader feedback
scour over reader comments
follow top blogs from their niche

Most bloggers give themselves what they want. But traffic and profits originate outside of you. How can this work as far as a sustainable business model?

Imagine if you blog about or sell what you want to blog about or sell. What about your readers? What do your readers want? In most cases, readers want something different than your egocentric whims. This frequent disconnect between your desires and their desires equals:

zero traffic (pretty much)
zero income (pretty much)

save the outlier reader, customer or client who stumbles upon your egocentric offering with great resonance.

Trust me; these cats are few and far between.

Look Closely at Your Blog Posts

Pay close attention to your blog post topics.

Did readers ask for these solutions? Do their problems match the solutions? Did they ask you to cover these topics?

Answer each question honestly. Be truthful with yourself.

Perhaps you publish posts from a high level of clarity in this regard. Readers asked. You answered.

But most spitball it from time to time; or every time. Bloggers often write about what they want to write about without vetting the idea through reader feedback. If readers do not want it you drive no traffic or income. I need to make this idea abundantly clear.

Even if you network, work hard, publish detailed content, sell eBooks and online courses and do all right on a level of form, if the content is not what people want, they will look past it.

Practical Example

I deleted most of my eBooks because:

readers never asked for the topics
customers did not show up to buy these topics
giving people what they did not want meant no one received it

I deleted hundreds of low-performing blog posts because no one asked for the posts or wanted the posts.

I covered a wide variety of topics. Some seemed clever enough to me. But I am not my reader, am I? Nor am I a customer of my eBooks and online course. Other humans become customers if I give them what they explicitly:

want from me
ask me about
request me to create
offer me in terms of feedback via comments, email and messenger

What Happened When I Only Created Content, eBooks and Courses After Readers Asked for the Topics?

Blogging From Paradise Dot Com traffic increased and income generated increased.

More people visited my blog and bought my stuff because I made sure that they wanted it before I created it.

I had to get rid of what they did not ask for or want to leave what they did ask for and want.

I decided to only create stuff based on reader feedback. I needed validation before creating anything. Why would I waste my time otherwise?

Content Type and Depth

I also listened closely to reader feedback in terms of content type and depth.

Blogger From Paradise readers prefer:

practical tips themed posts
long form content ranging from 1200 to 1500 words or longer

Traffic and income increased the moment I only published practical, long form posts.

Why?

Readers told me that they preferred these posts. I gave them what they wanted so they showed up frequently.

Referral Traffic and Referral Business

Happy readers and customers who enjoy getting what they want refer your blog and online business to like-minded readers from their tribe.

Like-minded readers from their tribe comprise referral traffic and referral business. Organic traffic and blogging income increase slowly but steadily through these channels.

Never underestimate referrals. Give the reader what they ask for, deeply desire and flat out crave to allow them to amplify your reach exponentially.

People love to help. Others love to look smart. Some pay it forward. Others love to look cool by referencing a truly helpful blogger.

Give your readers what your readers want to put the referral process into motion.

What About What You Want?

Is blogging 100% altruistic?

Nope.

Everyone non-enlightened mind clings to personal interests.

Follow your:

passion
love
fun

as you create content that your readers:

want
crave
vet
ask for

Your passion, your fun and your love of blogging colors your delivery. You get to express yourself. On one level, following these high energy emotions gives you what you want. Doing this prevents robotic, mindless blogging.

But at day’s end, giving readers what they want in content-solution terms drives organic traffic and makes bank.

Cover the topics they want in the style, tone and personal preferences that you wish to adhere to.

Everyone wins.

Does that make sense?

Conclusion

I cannot lie.

Reading this post may set off a light bulb above your head or that “stomach in the throat” feeling of being on a roller coaster.

Perhaps it feels freeing to spot the source of your blogging problems. Or it feels awful to look on your blog and online business in the light of truth.

Forgive yourself.

Let the truth set you free after it pisses you off a little bit.

Accelerate your blogging success by making this blanket decision: give the readers what the readers want!