How to Become an Authority

If you want to be successful, no matter what your field, then you need to be seen as an authority. People need to immediately associate your name with your field of expertise.

I said, “seen as an authority.” The internet has changed the way we perceive others. The person who has invested years of her life to become an expert is easily supplanted by a Jane-come-lately who knows how to wrap Google around her little finger.

Authority is about perception. And what people say about you is more important than what you say about yourself. The more people say you’re an authority, the more of an authority you’ll be.

So whether you really are an expert, or you want people to think you are, here are some steps to getting there:

• Forget selling, it’s about teaching. The “hard sell” may still work when it’s a Jeep or a Honda you’re selling, but it doesn’t work in the internet world. What is valued online is content, knowledge, information. Use your website and your social media posts to teach people about your field of expertise. The more they see you teaching, the more authority you’ll be given.
• Content is king. Providing lots of foundational content that changes frequently will help you become the go-to authority in your field. Provide strong headlines. Most writers don’t think in terms of headlines, but…