Content Authority: How to Become the Expert in Your Field

Neil Patel is an authority in the field of content marketing – one whose websites, blogs and advice other marketers follow on a regular basis.

How did he get this status? Certainly not overnight. While he always had an entrepreneurial spirit (and several failures), it took a while to find his niche. Once found, however, he progressively became more well known until he is now considered by Forbes to be one of the top 10 marketers.

So, how do you become an authority in your niche? Again, not overnight. But there are several steps that you can take to gain this status over time. The key is to be patient and build your authority slowly by providing value to your audience over time – enough value that they come to see you as an expert.

1. Find A Big Relevant Problem You Can Solve

You may have a great product, but you do not become an expert by continually talking about that product or adding additional related products. While your product may solve an immediate problem for your target audience, it does little else. Research the bigger problems your audience has and find one or two that you can give advice on or resolve for them. Repeat this process over time, and you will gain a following that will come to see as the “go to” person.

2. Focus On A Small Segment – Micro Specialize

You cannot serve the world. You must identify very specific expertise that you have or want to develop and stick with that. Dave Ramsey has expertise in finance. He does not venture out into life coaching – that’s for Dr. Phil.

If you are an interior designer, you have lots of options for developing expertise. Perhaps you want to focus just on walls, or floors, or window treatments, fabrics, etc. Choose a micro sub-niche and become the authority.

3. Educate Your Audience In Several Ways

You have a blog and you post every week, focused on your micro-specialty. What else can you offer your audience? Can you create a podcast? Can you create an e-book and offer it for free? The more separate and unique venues you can use the better.

4. Branch Out To Unusual Places or Rub Elbows With Related Experts

If you are a freelance writer, you may have a specialty in copywriting for online businesses. You may want to get your name “out there” as an expert in writing. There are a number of review sites that evaluate online writing agencies. Research some of these agencies and submit a number of custom writing service reviews to these sites, focusing on those that offer copywriting services.

If you are a gardening expert, find influencer blogs related to landscaping. Begin to follow those blogs and participate in discussions. Over time, the blog owner will come to know your name. At that point, you can ask to re-post one of their posts on yours. Ultimately, you can submit a post of yours and request re-posting on their blog. As your name becomes associated with these other influencers, you develop a reputation as an authority in your niche.

5. Write Articles For Trade or Professional Journals

Rejection is never fun. Be prepared as you begin this effort to receive some rejections. But stick with it. If you can eventually become a regular contributor, your reputation will continue to climb. And you can refer people who visit your site to these articles that you have published elsewhere.

“When followers see that your expertise is valued by other authorities, you become one too,” shares Sam Mays, content editor at GetGoodGrade.

6. Write A Book

Most authorities ultimately do this, even if they have to self-publish. Your book need not be long, but it should focus on the problems your audience has and your solutions for those problems.
There is a boost in status once you have published a book.

7. Get Thee To Seminars And Conferences

Pick one or two venues that hold events on a regular basis. Start small, submit proposals for presentations, and gradually work your way up to larger, more recognized events. If you can land a gig as a workshop leader, a member of a panel, etc., you will become a recognized authority within your sector.

8. Seek Out Interviews

This is a step not for the faint of heart. You have to be aggressive and consistent in your pursuit of interviews. Contact radio and podcast hosts in your sector and sell yourself.

If you have a book under your belt; if you have presented at workshops, seminars, or conferences; if you have unique value to give to others, you should be able to prove to a host that you are a good fit for his/her show.

9. Promote Your Accomplishments

Use every platform you can to share your accomplishments. This means your website, your blog, and your social media accounts should feature the problems you have solved, as well as your accomplishments and recognition. Point your readers to those accomplishments with links to your book, videos of presentations, articles in trade publications, etc. “As you do these things, you trigger greater trust on the part of those who follow you. And as that trust is developed, they are far more prone to refer their friends and colleagues to your content,” explains Sienna Sheehan, head of the marketing department at Best Writers Canada.

10. Bring Passion To Your Specialty

Becoming an authority takes time and persistence. You cannot maintain that persistence unless you are passionate about your specialty. And that passion cannot be acquired – it is something that you must have internally. Others know when that passion is missing and will not be drawn to you. Take your passion, follow these nine steps/strategies, and witness your growth into an authority that others recognize.

About the Author:

Natalie Andersen is the chief content writer at Studyclerk.co and enthusiastic blogger. She believes that everyone’s life has to be the result of the choices they make but a helping hand is always welcomed. You can connect with Natalie on Twitter and LinkedIn.