Striking a balance between being relevant and relatable is an essential skill for all content creators. Whether you’re a social media influencer, blogger, podcaster, or radio host, relevant content is important. But is it more important than being relatable?

These two terms may seem similar, but they carry distinct meanings and implications.

This isn’t a lesson in the proper use of the English language, but it is important to understand the differences between relevant and relatable. They are not interchangeable terms. 

Relevance refers to the importance, significance, or pertinence of a topic to your target audience. A relevant topic is one that others will find engaging and meaningful because it directly relates to their interests. Choosing relevant content means understanding their preferences and selecting topics that resonate with them.

Relevant content is all about what you do.

Relatability is the ability to evoke emotion and connection with the audience. It’s about how you present the content and engage with listeners. Relatable personalities inspire and provoke passion. This is about performance that transcends the topic and content.

Relatability is how you do it.

The ultimate goal should be to master relevant content in a relatable style. Find this balance and you can captivate an audience with truly memorable moments.

But which is more important? It's hard to find content that is truly relevant to the majority of the audience while also provoking the personality's passion (which is a key to great performances). 

Don’t ignore what the audience cares about. It’s incredibly hard to be consistently, amazingly relatable enough to succeed by talking only about things that interest you.

But just finding the perfect topic won't attract or hold audiences. Collecting facts and information that is “sure to resonate” falls flat without an entertaining performance, and audiences tune out.

Relevant content is engaging and meaningful, but being relatable makes a personal connection. And that is ultimately far more powerful than just having the best content. 

Finding your character's voice is the key to crafting a brand that is able to lead an audience. This is a deliberate step that every podcaster, radio show, video streamer, and content creator should take. In fact, it should be a primary building block for your personal brand. 

I can help you find your voice with my self-guided 5-Star Character Brand course.