What can you learn from your audience when you request content (videos, stories, photos) from them directly?

🤔 What can you learn from your audience when you request content (videos, stories, photos) from them directly?
And how is it different from ‘passive data’ ? 🦻

With passive data we assume the meaning of an action.

Time spent on page = interest, yet they might be disagreeing with all you say. Increased page views = interesting topic, yet might just be some great headlines.

With direct engagement, you’re learning about your readers, not measuring what they 'do'.

And there are so many things to learn about your audience like:

👀 The topics that get your readers acting (if they make the effort to contribute, it means that they care)

🗣️ Their opinions and points of view (You might be surprised by some of the expertise in your readership, or voices and points of view you might not have considered.)

🧐The questions they might have (This helps make your content even more relevant than ever.)

📍Where they are submitting from (Find out about your diaspora. Are there engagement/audience gaps in your local community reporting? Who doesn’t have a voice?)

🧓Their age (If you ask...you could even target young people specifically and give them a voice to build up that audience)

🧑‍⚕️Their profession, expertise or circumstances (Are there any interesting facts about people in that industry? Parents, Gamers, Fans - people you could also callout to again later?)

The more you get to know your audience and have the details to get in touch with them, the better you can serve them.