Getting Your Own Authority - Becoming a Credible Source

bymiscwirema

387 followers

Updated 10 years ago

My years as an English Instructor do come in handy from time to time. Since joining WA, my love for writing came back! And, now, I'd like to use some of my research skills to offer some advice for becoming a credible source in your chosen niche, or getting your own authority on the topic you've chosen.

In my opinion, there are 6 things that must to be present in order for you to ever become an authority on a topic. If these 6 things are present, you will begin to see that people will seek you out for advice in your niche. Your readers will start to engage more. And, probably most importantly, you will FEEL like an authority on the subject.

So, what are the 6 features of a Credible Online Source?

1. Like What You Write About! - If your posts are super short and less descriptive, no one is going to take the time to read them. And if they do, they will sense your lack of enthusiasm. When you're choosing your niche, be sure it's something you're passionate about - or at the very least, something you enjoy. If you like pickles, become an authority on pickles. If you like high-heels, become an authority on dress shoes. If you like it, and your enthusiasm for it shines through, people will pick up on that energy. They will want to feel that same buzz of happiness that rings in your words when you write about the cushiony soles of your newest pumps.

2. Learn! Learn! Learn! - Just liking a subject is not enough, though. I like lasagna an awful lot, but I know that I have not reached "authority" level yet. I would need to understand lasagna on a whole new level to become a credible source on that delicious, cheesy, dish (seriously... it's my favorite food). If I wanted to become a lasagna aficionado, I would need to know what variations of lasagna are out there; I would need to taste different varieties; I would need to research what's being discussed about lasagna on other sites, in the news, on tv, cartoons, etc. (Is Garfield still a thing?)

I know it may seem like a silly idea to become an authority on lasagna, but imagine the crowd of people who love lasagna (myself included) if you became THE source for all things lasagna. I'd want to know what new dishes you've tried. I'd want to know if you had any easy recipes.

So, go out and learn about your topic. Find out what others are doing. Set up alerts so you stay on top of things. Become a little bit obsessed.

3. Write Often - No one is going to be considered an authority on a topic if they've only written one article about it. If people come to your website and can find post upon post of useful information related to the topic, they will certainly see you as an authority.

Did you have a friend who was SUPER obsessed with a certain toy? My daughter is obsessed with shopkins right now. She knows the name of every character. She knows what season they came out. She knows what accessories are available in stores. If she didn't show people that knowledge, they would just see her as a four year old girl who plays with little shopkins. But when she hauls out her collection and starts talking about them, people pay attention. She clearly knows more about it than we do, and it's fascinating to listen to her talk about them. And she talks about them ALL THE TIME. So, if anyone has a question about shopkins in our house (or at school), she's the first one asked.

Don't be afraid to share your knowledge. People will notice.

4. Be Active in your Niche - Don't just sit in the shadows expecting people to notice you. Search for other people writing about the same things, and become friends! Don't view other site owners as competitors. First, people who follow the other website may trickle over to your site too when they see your activity. Second, if you link to other websites from your own, you help their traffic, and they may be inclined to return the favor. Imagine, if someone linked to your page from their website, you'd be ecstatic for the extra attention, and you'd probably be very favorable to the person who mentioned you. Third, you will learn more by being active in the niche community, and you will therefore be able to create better content.

5. Get Feedback on Your Site, and Don't Be Afraid of Revision!!! - I don't just mean WA feedback, though that is SUPER important. I mean any and all feedback you can get. Definitely offer feedback on others' sites and ask for feedback on your own, here within the WA community. But, ask your friends and family members to look at it too. Get lots of perspectives. What is the consensus about your site design? Does it look unprofessional? Is there too much going on? What do they think of your content? Is it easy to read? Is it offering them something?

More often than not, we get emotionally connected to the things we write, just after we've written them, because of the labor we put into writing them - even if we aren't aware of it. This means we may miss something or fail to edit where we should. When other people look at your content, they can give you an unbiased perspective about what is or isn't working. Then, when you make the necessary changes, your site's professionalism will increase.

6. Proofread Everything! - Make sure that even when you get feedback that you don't fail to read over your work very closely, at least one time, before clicking publish. All too often, I've run across a blog that seems professional, and then I see a huge typo, omitted word, or blatant grammatical error, and I am immediately turned off. Not every reader is going to care about misspellings and typos, but a large number of people will see these things as evidence that your site is not professionally operated and edited.

It's okay if you make little errors, like misplaced commas, etc. (I do it too). However, you should definitely avoid very obvious misspellings and typos as often as you can, because those are the errors that are spotted easily.

So, there you have it! I truly believe that if you follow those 6 steps, you are well on your way to being seen as an authority on your chosen niche. Do you agree? Do you have any other suggestions for becoming a credible source online? Please share in the comments!