Nowadays, it seems like everybody under the sun positions themselves as a brand authority through content marketing.
Think about it…
Anyone can start a blog, create a website, and publish content.
Heck, elementary school kids publish videos on Youtube and use social media.
While a plethora of content distributed by many people sounds like a great thing at first, it causes a lot of problems for two major reasons…
REASON #1
The people claiming to be experts and creating this content rarely have the actual talent or knowledge to back up the information they post.
REASON #2
These people create a lot of white noise that distracts from what you, the real content marketing expert, have to say.
So how do you burst through all the white noise in the digital world and position yourself as a brand authority? An authority that people can trust?
Keep reading to discover 4 ways you can build brand authority through content marketing.
Tip #1 - Build Brand Authority with Niche Content
Anyone with a bartending license could be labeled a liquor expert.
In fact, anyone who frequents the bar often enough could claim they are a seasoned pro.
This causes trouble when Billy Bob, a guy whose hobby is bar hopping 7 day a week, decides to publish content on why Jose Cuervo (a bottom shelf tequila brand) is the best tequila brand you can buy.
Billy Bob might think it’s the best (personal opinion) because he is used to drinking low-quality liquor.
But, if I was the owner of Patron, this biased information wouldn’t sit well with me.
As an owner of Patron, I’d have to get creative and figure out how to write marketing content about why Patron is the best on the market and outshines anything Billy Bob has to say about Jose Cuervo.
The best way to do this?
Write niche content.
Niche content is content that is very specialized and specific.
It dives deep into one idea or concept and helps you brand yourself as an expert.
In this situation, Patron’s marketing team could write content about the distilling process. This content would have to go into detail about why Patron’s distilling process makes Patron the best in the world.
A real-world example is happening with a company called Moscow Copper, that sells copper mugs, traditionally used while consuming a beverage called the Moscow Mule.
There are thousands of different companies that sell barware around the world, but what sets Moscow Mule apart is its niche market for pure copper cups.
When you visit their blog, you’ll notice their content isn’t about how great their products are (even though they are amazing!). Their content focuses on the uniqueness of their product and why copper is the best metal to make a cup with.
They’ve positioned themselves as the experts in a specific area–copper mugs.
And boy, is that strategy helping them to be known as copper mug/copper barware experts!
Tip #2 - Publishing Timely Content
A true expert is always on his or her game.
The moment a new trend, tool, or idea comes to life, write about it before everyone else does.
When you’re the first to do this, people will notice that you’re paying attention and taking note of everything that’s going on in your industry (or at least the important things!).
This builds a lot of credibility, opposed to other people who just rip off content in an attempt to look as if they know what they’re talking about.
SEO Moz does a great job of publishing timely content, which is one reason they are such an authority when it comes to SEO strategies.
Nearly every day, they publish a new content piece that provides valuable information on the latest SEO trends, updates, and best practices.
Here are some action steps to help you write and publish timely content:
- Pay attention to the news in your industry.
- Attend conferences, webinars, and other industry-specific events.
- Do some research and see what new trends you can discover on your own.
Tip #3 - Build Brand Authority with Valuable Marketing Content
As previously discussed, anyone with a computer can set up a blog, social media accounts, and a website and fill those mediums to build brand authority.
But there is one big thing that differentiates authority figures from everyone else on the internet.
That thing is value.
Thirty blog posts that show your dog doing tricks on command is cute, but thirty blog posts that give you step-by-step instructions on how to get your dog to do those tricks are valuable.
A hundred tweets that exclaim how you got your website to rank #1 online is interesting, but a case study that outlines your process and gives people insight on how to accomplish the same feat is valuable.
Catching my drift? Good!
Anyone can claim they are an expert at something, but when you have the knowledge, tools, and resources to back it up, and are willing to share them, it’s much easier to brand yourself as an online authority.
Tip #4 - Be Credible
This is by far the most common sense tip of all time, but people neglect it too often so I must mention it.
In order to be an authority figure, you must be credible.
End of story.
Not sure what that means? Here are a few guidelines:
- If you don’t know what you’re writing about, don’t write about it. Writing about things you’re not an expert in is the easiest way to get yourself in trouble and destroy your credibility.
- Don’t copy other people’s content. It’s ok to talk about the same ideas someone else is talking about, but if you blatantly copy someone else’s work, it’s not going to make you look good. Of course, you’d never do this, but I have to say it!
- Refrain from trolling/attacking other people’s content. It’s possible someone may write a piece of content that contradicts what you know to be true. This won’t be the first time or the last time. Let it go, and keep moving forward with your own content.
- Don’t make false promises in your content.
- Avoid promoting untrustworthy products/services. Example: If you own a house cleaning service and you know that product x stinks at degreasing ovens, don’t promote it on your blog, website, or social media feeds.
