If you’re a subject matter expert, a consultant, or someone who’s been in your industry long enough to really know your stuff, this one’s for you.
Because here’s the thing: credibility will get you in the room. But authority? That’s what makes everyone stop talking and listen.
And right now, there’s a pretty good chance you’re seen as credible. Maybe even reliable. Unfortunately, being credible doesn’t mean you’re the one getting picked. But being seen as authoritative? The one everyone’s quoting, referencing, and calling first? That’s a whole different level. It’s where you need to be if you want to stand out in a saturated market.
When respected publications, podcasts, or media outlets feature you, your authority level jumps. It’s not just about the visibility (though that’s great, too). It’s the third-party validation that signals to everyone else: “This person knows their stuff.”
Start pitching guest articles. Reach out to podcasts. Look for local press or niche industry publications. If you’re just getting started, reach out to smaller brands. Even if a podcast isn’t very popular, reaching that niche audience can be more helpful than you’d imagine. This also applies to events, keynotes, and presentations. Find events that align with your space, niche, and goals, and apply to speak at them.
Media features are an indirect way to reach an audience that likely wants to listen. You just have to be willing to put yourself out there.
Here’s a secret: some of the fastest-growing authorities aren’t doing it all alone. They’re partnering with other respected thought leaders. These can be people and brands that are in other spaces, non-direct competitors, and industries that align with yours.
Think of it like a credibility multiplier. You get in front of new audiences, and you instantly gain a little of the authority that person or brand already has. Think about it, if that person already has a pretty strong authority in their space, then their audience will automatically trust other thought leaders they collaborate with.
Choose your partners wisely. Look for collaborations that make sense, ones that complement your expertise without competing with it. Also, it should go without saying, but they should be someone you actually trust and respect.
Authority isn’t just built on what you say, it’s built on what you can prove.
Proof of your efforts isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s essential. Start showcasing client results, case studies, and testimonials regularly. Don’t wait until someone asks for proof; instead, make sharing it part of your content strategy.
Think about how you go through the purchasing process. We’re guessing you look at reviews when trying to decide on a product or service. (Even if you don’t, up to 98% of consumers do.) Proof of success matters.
If you’re not actively collecting Google reviews, Facebook testimonials, or client feedback on third-party platforms, you’re missing out on easy authority-building.
A pro tip is to make reviews part of the end of your project completion process. Ask clients to send a written or video review (try out tools like VideoAsk to collect video testimonials). You’d be surprised by how many customers are more than happy to help you with reviews.
Plus, the more proof you publish, the more likely AI-driven search tools (like ChatGPT or Google’s SGE) will recognize your expertise and pull you into search overviews. That means people could start seeing your content before they even land on your site. Now that’s what we call authority.
A surprising authority move? Making sure clients can find the answers they need, without waiting on you.
Create an FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section on your site. This way, people can always find answers to their basic questions. You can even take it a step further and invest in a chat tool that helps customers find articles, resources, or even schedule a meeting with you. The easier you make it for people to learn from you, the faster they trust you.
Provide as many opportunities to educate others as you can. Authority stems from sharing your expertise.
If you’re serving multiple audiences or dealing with different types of problems, generic case studies won’t cut it. You need to do a deep dive into the various services or products you offer. Each one should focus on the actual people you have helped and be really informative.
Take the time to make these targeted case studies speak directly to each audience’s pain points. Show them exactly how you can solve their version of the problem. That’s what builds authority. That’s what gets you chosen over everyone else.
Whatever your niche is, there are competitors offering similar services, making similar promises, and showing up in the same places you are.
But here’s the difference: most of them stop at credible.
They’re credible. They’re capable. But they’re not the one everyone turns to when it really matters.
But you? You can be different. You can stand out and become the go-to brand.
With the right strategy, you can build your authority to a place where your clients, peers, and competitors know who you are and why you’re the stand-out best choice. Because when it comes down to it, authority is that thing that makes people stop looking around for other options. It’s what makes you the obvious choice.
If you’re ready to start setting yourself up as the authority in your space, then we’d love to chat.
Our biggest passion at Breezy is to help small businesses, startups and solopreneurs build powerful online reputations. Let’s get started on growing yours here.
We know that carving out the time, resources, and energy to create ongoing content for your brand or business is a full-time job. That’s why we created Breezy – your instant content marketing team.
You don’t need to hire multiple full-time employees to handle all of the strategy, planning, writing, designing, and publishing of content. You also don’t have time to wrangle tons of different freelancers to get this all completed. You need one expert team that can help get all of the amazing thought-leadership and subject matter expertise out of your head and into formalized, engaging content that keeps you top of mind with your audience.
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