How to Discover What Content Your Followers Want to See on Social Media

Understanding your audience is the key to social media success. Whether you’re an influencer, brand, or content creator, knowing exactly what type of content your followers crave can boost engagement, grow your audience, and establish a strong digital presence. But how do you figure out what your followers truly want? Let’s dive into the best strategies to analyze audience preferences and tailor content that keeps them coming back for more.

Analyze Your Followers Analytics on Content as an Influencer

One of the most effective ways to determine what content resonates with your audience is by analyzing your social media analytics. Most platforms, including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Twitter, provide detailed insights into post performance.

Engagement Rates: Look at likes, shares, comments, and saves to see which types of posts generate the most interaction.
Reach & Impressions: Determine how far your content is spreading and which formats attract the most viewers.
Watch Time: On video-based platforms like YouTube and TikTok, monitor how long users stay engaged with your videos.
Click-Through Rate (CTR): If you’re posting links, check how many followers are clicking through to your website or other platforms.

By regularly reviewing your analytics, you can identify patterns in what your followers respond to and adjust your strategy accordingly.

Conduct Polls and Surveys

Sometimes, the best way to find out what your followers want is to ask them directly. Social media polls and surveys are powerful tools to gather valuable insights.

Use Instagram Stories polls to ask followers whether they prefer certain content styles, such as carousel posts vs. reels.
Create a Twitter poll to gauge interest in upcoming content ideas.
Run a Facebook or LinkedIn survey to gather more detailed responses.
Set up Google Forms or Typeform surveys for in-depth feedback on what followers like and dislike about your content.

Asking specific questions like “Would you rather see behind-the-scenes content or tutorials?” helps narrow down content preferences.

Monitor Comments and DMs

Your followers are constantly telling you what they like – you just have to listen. Reading through your comments, direct messages, and mentions can provide real-time feedback.

Pay attention to frequently asked questions and requests.
Notice which types of content receive the most enthusiastic responses.
Identify recurring themes in your audience’s interactions.

If followers are consistently asking for more tips, tutorials, or product reviews, that’s a clear sign of content demand.

Look at Influencer Competitor Success Regarding Content for Your Followers

Analyzing successful competitors or influencer in your niche can provide inspiration for what content works for you and your followers.

Check which types of posts perform best on their accounts.
Read through their comments section to see what their followers are engaging with.
Compare engagement rates between different content styles.

While you shouldn’t copy another creator’s content, identifying trends in your industry can help you craft content that appeals to similar audiences.

Leverage Social Media Listening Tools

Social media listening tools help track online conversations and trends relevant to your industry. Some of the best tools include:

Brandwatch: Monitors social media discussions about your brand and competitors.
Hootsuite Insights: Tracks social sentiment and trending topics.
Sprout Social: Analyzes audience engagement across multiple platforms.

By using these tools, you can uncover what people are talking about in your niche and craft content that aligns with trending discussions.

Test Different Content Formats

If you’re unsure what content resonates most, experiment with different formats and track the results.

Try short-form video content on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts.
Post long-form educational videos on YouTube or LinkedIn.
Share behind-the-scenes content through Stories or Snapchat.
Utilize text-based posts or in-depth blogs for a more informative approach.

Testing different formats will help you pinpoint what generates the highest engagement and retention.

Pay Attention to Industry Trends

Staying on top of trends is crucial for keeping your content fresh and relevant.

Follow influencer and industry experts to see what content they are posting for their followers.
Browse Twitter trending topics and hashtags.
Stay updated with Google Trends to monitor search behavior.

Trends evolve quickly, so adapting your content strategy to align with current social media movements ensures you stay ahead of the curve.

Engage With Your Followers, as an Influencer, Know the Content They Want

Engagement goes both ways – if you want to understand your audience, interact with them regularly.

Reply to comments and encourage discussions.
Host live Q&A sessions on Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok.
Create interactive posts where followers can submit questions, opinions, or content ideas.

Building a two-way relationship with your followers fosters loyalty and encourages them to provide direct input on what they enjoy most.

Identify Your Most Shared Content

If followers are sharing your posts, it means they find them valuable, entertaining, or relatable.

Check which posts have been reshared or saved the most.
Identify high-performing hashtags that drive traffic to your content.
Look at which posts drive conversations in your DMs.

When you create content that people naturally want to share, it expands your reach and strengthens your brand authority.

Evaluate Past Performance

Take a deep dive into your past content and pinpoint the posts that performed exceptionally well.

What made these posts stand out?
Was it the caption, visuals, or call-to-action?
Did a particular time or day contribute to its success?

Identifying what’s worked in the past helps you replicate successful strategies while refining weaker ones.

Conclusion

Finding out what content your followers want to see requires a mix of data analysis, audience interaction, and strategic experimentation. By leveraging analytics, polls, comments, competitor research, and engagement tools, you can craft content that truly resonates with your audience. The key to long-term success on social media is adaptability – stay open to evolving trends and continue refining your approach based on audience feedback.