19 Mar
You can know the basic definition of authority and desire to be an authority figure in your niche, but it’s something else entirely to know how to convert that knowledge into actual success.
Let’s face it, without the numbers to back up what you say you know, people won’t be too eager to follow you or recognize your authority status. The fact that I’m an authority figure is a result of my knowledge bringing people (and businesses) to my door.
Let me explain. The four main pillars of online authority are content marketing, social media presence, paid advertising, and publicity. Let’s break this down into individual chunks.
Content marketing is one of the most important and crucial aspects you need to master if you want to establish yourself as an authority figure. As I sort of stated above, without regular content, you cease to be relevant. Any piece of content you publish online qualifies as content marketing, whether you publish regular blogs, articles, videos, or podcasts. It doesn’t matter what you produce as long as it provides your audience quantifiable value.
Social media is also crucial to your success when establishing authority. Many businesses live or die by how well they are able to communicate via social media. As of right now, over 2 billion people worldwide use it, and that number is only expected to grow. This means you need to figure out a way to use this technological advantage in an intelligent way. That means choosing the right social media outlets for your niche and being careful about the content you share.
Paid advertising is great for giving your website and social media accounts a bit of a push if you’re having a difficult time drawing traffic without it. Again, if people haven’t heard of you, you’re not an authority.
And finally, publicity. You’re going to have to figure out new and creative ways to get your name out there. There are plenty of ways to publicize yourself, both online and offline. Build up your social media profiles, attend high-profile events, give speeches, interview other experts in your niche, volunteer, and so much more.
When you focus on these four things, you become an authority (an expert) over time. Most people begin to trust you and frequent your sites. That means that people will be beating a path to your door hoping to get your help and advice – and that can lead you to success in a number of different ways.
Using Authority to Your Benefit
Once you have a proven track record, you can start charging a consulting fee. Some of what you used to give away for free to develop your authority status, you will now be charging for. Set up a paid subscription service or even products/content that you will sell, like a book! Teach an online seminar or class. Offer paid speaking engagements. These are just a few ideas.
When you have information that people want, you can name your own price. I don’t mean to imply that it’s easy to become an authority – but it doesn’t have to be difficult, either. You’ll have to put in the time and effort to learn about your chosen topic and produce great content that people will want to consume and share. You can’t be an authority without that.