Everyone tells you to follow the signals as a creator but what does that really mean?
As digital writers and creators, we have an opportunity that almost no other writer in the past has had. We get to write with our audience. We don't have to hide away and write in a cabin in the woods hoping that all our hard work will resonate.
Little by little, almost every day we can collect signals from our audience and let those signals guide us.
Twitter Comments. Comments are gold for me as a writer. They indicate a much higher resonance than likes alone & usually they provide me with even more insight to keep writing. A question or comment can help me refine an idea or extend it into more content.
Twitter Likes & RT's. Secondary to that I am looking for engagement signals on Twitter. Did one tweet or content get more likes than usual? That's a good indication it will resonate in other places or that people will want to hear more about it.
Medium Highlights. If I could only give one reason for writing on Medium it would be to collect highlights from your writing. Medium has a built-in highlighting feature which means you get to see EXACTLY what resonates for your audience from what they highlight. Pay attention to that.
Conversations. Jumping on zoom calls with other creators is one the highlights of being a creator. Every time I have the opportunity to talk to others I'm listening intently to things they're asking, and comments their making & banking those away as opportunities for more content.
Don't ignore the signals you get from writing online. It will make you a better creator and help you resonate with your audience at a deeper and deeper level.