Believe it or not, you’re an expert. If you’ve spent any length of time doing something you’ve surely learned the ins and outs. You’re an authority on whatever it is you do best, whether it’s selling real estate, stocking shelves or building Legos. It simply comes with experience.
Most people don’t realize they’re an authority. No one has ever told them they’re an expert. But here’s the thing: Nobody is going to walk up to you and tell you that you’re an expert. You have to realize it yourself, claim the title for yourself and then constantly remind yourself that you are indeed an expert. Then all you have to do is prove it to the world.
Convincing the world you’re an expert is where most people give up. They don’t really believe it in the first place so how are they going to convince anyone else? But it doesn’t have to be that hard. All you really need to do is demonstrate your expertise. And one easy way to do that is by blogging.
Blogging is an ideal way to demonstrate your expertise and show that you’re an authority. It’s a simple way to demonstrate knowledge, to show off research and build up a vast wealth of content on a particular subject. It’s a body of work that proves to the world you know what you’re talking about. Not only does it establish you as an expert, but the growing collection of content will bring in more traffic and boost your site’s SEO, continuing to add to your authority.
Simply put, you can blog your way to being an expert. And that’s a powerful way to boost your business.
The basic act of blogging can prove that you’re an authority, but here are a few tips to back up that authority:
- Create an about page. Start with some basics about who you are and list your credentials. Focus on the things that establish your expertise. This can be things such as education (whether formal or informal) and experience. If you feel like you’re coming up short, be creative with your credentials. Reading every book in your field or being interviewed by the press aren’t thinks you’d normally think of, but they certainly establish your credentials.
- What do others say? Sometimes you can only say so much to prove your authority. Sometimes it’s easier to let others get your back. Add some testimonies to your about page.
- Use a photo. Your smiling, non-stock photo face is one way to prove that you’re legit. That photo says your site is backed by a real person sharing hard-won knowledge and not some spam-bot infested corner of the web.
- Write with personality. Give your copy a real, lively voice. Don’t write in stilted, corporate speak. Just because you’re an authority doesn’t mean you need to be boring.
But I’m No Expert!
Not yet convinced that you’re an authority? Fine, then start becoming one. Research your field and share what you find as you go. Make your blog a journal of your journey to expert status. Here are some samples of the kinds of posts you can write:
- Lists of resources. As you’re doing your research you’ll come across all kinds of valuable resources. Collecting those resources into a single, scannable list is in itself a valuable resource.
- Book reviews. Providing a list of helpful books is one thing, but reviewing those books and telling people which ones are worth their time, that’s gold.
- Dos and don’ts. Giving people clear, direct advice about how to do (or not do) something is extremely helpful. And only an expert like you would know stuff like that.
- Top 10 lists. This is another popular format. Plus, it takes some wide-reaching wisdom to compile the top ten of anything. Once again, you’re the expert.
- Create a resource. Nothing cements your status as an expert like creating your own resource. Maybe it’s a PDF download or an ebook. It’s not technically a blog post, but is a valuable way to demonstrate your authority.
- Interview other experts. Another solid way to build a body of expertise is to interview other experts. It’s authority by association. You need connections to land interviews so simply doing them adds to your sway, plus it’s more helpful content.
Blogging is a powerful way to prove that you’re an expert and begin reaping the benefits that come with being an authority in your field.
