Target Audience Research: The Hard Truth Your Business Needs

You Don’t Know Your Audience (And That’s Why Your Content Isn’t Working)

And you don’t know your audience. Sorry for the bluntness, but let me explain.

The foundation of strong marketing isn’t in “target pains and desires” — it’s in the client’s life.

In the real, painful, awkward, scary situations they find themselves in.

✅Be honest: who among you has actually filled out those boring tables about fears, pains, and desires?

Did someone write:

“Wants to lose weight,”
“Afraid they won’t lose weight,”
“Dreams of abs”?

Okay… and then what?

That’s not marketing.

Real marketing—and real target audience research—starts when you step into the situations a person is actually going through.

Not just “fear — I won’t lose weight.”

But like this:

I won’t go to the beach this summer because I hate how I look.
My husband’s already looking at other women, and our bedroom is silent.
And I think: even if you stop eating altogether — you still won’t lose weight.

That is a terrifying situation.

There are emotions, motivation, and hidden drivers in it.

That’s what makes content that actually works.

If I were a bad marketer, I’d make a reel like this:

“These life hacks will definitely help you lose weight!”

But I’m a good marketer.

So I’ll make a reel like this:

“How do you have sex when you hate your own body?”

And it’s that kind of situation the audience responds to.
Not tips. Not pains from a spreadsheet.The truth that hits home.

And I’m Saying This Not Just to You—But to Myself, Too

Because there I was, watching my blog traffic crash, wondering what I’d done wrong.

SEO felt like it was dying.
Google’s new updates were wrecking what I’d built.
Instagram, Reels, and fast content were everywhere—and even my target audience research felt outdated overnight. I felt like I was falling behind.

And then the spiral hit:

No traffic = no sales = no freedom.
No pasta in Italy.
No Aperol by the sea.
Just stress. Fear. And that gut-punch thought:

Do I need to go find a new job?

I felt stuck. Depressed. But deep down, I knew something:

I’m a writer. And a damn good marketer.

I don’t just throw out tips—I connect with people.
I don’t create fluff—I create moments.
And that’s when I remembered what marketing actually is.

Real Marketing Has Nothing to Do with Pain Points on a Sheet

Haven’t you done the CustDevs?

You sat down, filled out all the cells, listed every fear, desire, and so-called pain point your audience might have—and still… nothing.

You wrote things like:

“Fear: failure”
“Desire: more time”
“Pain: low confidence”

But did it actually help you create better content?

Did it spark anything real? Make your next post land any deeper?

Probably not.

Because those templates don’t capture what your audience is really going through.

They might check a box in your target audience research, but they don’t reflect real life. People don’t live on paper—they live in messy, emotional moments they don’t know how to put into words.

And that’s where your content should start.

Real Marketing Starts With Real-Life Situations

Your audience doesn’t wake up thinking:

I need to overcome my limiting beliefs today.
I’m experiencing internal resistance due to imposter syndrome.

They think:

Why does no one like my post?
My friend is blowing up online, and I feel like a total failure.
I’ve been creating for months and it feels like I’m invisible.

That’s the space your content should live in. If you’re a good marketer, you stop talking about pain—and start talking from inside the pain.

Let me show you.

Let’s Make This Real: Examples That Actually Hit

Here’s how you shift from surface-level to soul-level in different niches:

For the Numerologist

❌ What most people say:

“Confused about your life path? I’ll help you gain clarity.”

✅ What hits hard:

“They just got ghosted. They’re stuck in a job that drains them. They’re Googling ‘Why does my life feel off?’ hoping the Universe gives them a sign—maybe 222, maybe anything.”

Content idea:

What 222 Really Means When You’re Ready to Burn Everything Down and Start Over

For the Estate Planner

❌ The usual approach:

“Create a plan to avoid future family conflict.”

✅ The real story:

“Their dad just died. They’re standing in a quiet hallway after the funeral while their siblings argue about who gets what. No one knows where the documents are, and grief is turning into chaos.”

Content idea:

What Happens When You Don’t Plan Ahead—A Story About Grief, Anger, and a Missing Will

✍️ For the Blogger

❌ Boring:

“Grow your blog traffic with the right content strategy!”

✅ The truth:

“She posts every week. Gets zero comments. Pretends she’s ‘just doing it for fun,’ but every time she refreshes the stats and sees nothing—it stings.”

Content idea:

How to Keep Writing When You Feel Like No One Cares

And Then There’s Me (And Maybe You, Too)

I almost gave up. I thought, “Maybe writing really is dead. Maybe I should just go get a job.”

But I looked around—and realized: Words are still everywhere.

And more than ever, people are craving honesty.

They don’t want content that teaches. They want content that gets them.

I’m Not a Trendy Creator. I’m a Good Marketer.

I don’t create reels that say:

“These hacks will grow your following!”

I create reels that say:

“What to do when you feel like you’re talking into a void—and no one’s listening.”

Because that’s the real conversation people are having in their heads.

That’s the moment where they stop scrolling. That’s when they think, “Wow… this person gets me.”

That’s when your brand becomes unforgettable.

Try This: Switch from “Pain Points” to “Situations”

Here’s your simple challenge:

Instead of filling out worksheets with:

• Pain: overwhelmed.
• Desire: clarity.

Write out three real moments your client is living through right now.

Make them feel honest. Awkward. Emotional. Because that’s what your audience responds to.

AI Isn’t the End of Writers—It’s Just the End of Surface Content

AI didn’t kill me as a writer. It made me better.

It helps me say things sharper. Helps me unpack messy thoughts and turn them into stories people connect with.

The people who are afraid of AI are the ones who write like robots. The ones who copy tips from Google and call it content.

But if you write with feeling? If you speak from experience and truth? You’re not going anywhere. You’re rising.

Final Thoughts: Writing Isn’t Dead. Flat Content Is.

So no—you don’t need to find a new job.

You need to stop playing safe. Stop writing from a template. Stop guessing what your audience might want to hear.

And start talking about what they’re actually going through.

Because when you hit someone right in the emotion — That’s where trust begins. That’s where loyalty lives. That’s where the sales come from.

Not just traffic. Not just reach. Real connection.

So write. Tell the truth. And book that pasta trip to Italy—because you’re not done.
You’re just getting started.