Become the authority.

“People do business with people they like.”  Have you heard that before?  I don’t disagree; however, personal likability doesn't always align with professional suitability.  I can think of a few people I like on a personal level that I would never choose to hire if I’m looking for the best results. 

If you met these 2 people at a networking event, which one would you hire?

“Jaimie” – capable, charismatic and leaves you with a business card

“Pat” – capable, kind and leaves you with their number one best selling book

I’m following up with Pat. 

But what happens if Pat only talks about Pat?   

When creating content, establish yourself as the expert by demonstrating a deep understanding of the challenges faced by your target audience.  Let your audience get to know about your brand, build trust and invite them in. 

“Content marketing is like a first date. If you only talk about yourself, there won’t be a second one.”– David Beebe

If your content is solely self-promotional and doesn't address the needs, concerns, or interests of your audience, they are unlikely to engage with it.

Authority in content marketing is established by demonstrating expertise and credibility in your field through providing high-quality content that provides unique, actionable information to your target audience for free. This helps to establish trust, generate leads and increase conversions for your business. 

Here are 3 fundamental principles for designing they type of content that will position you as the authority in your market.

1. Build a connection.  A brand is hard to connect with until you give it a voice.  Telling your story is the key to humanizing your brand, being relatable and appealing to your target audience. With so much generic content being rolled out daily, people will naturally gravitate to unique, original stories that educate, entertain, and inspire them.  Remember, authenticity is key—share personal stories and behind-the-scenes content to build trust and foster emotional connections. Actively engage by responding promptly to comments and messages, valuing your audience's contributions.

2. Identify challenges.  By demonstrating a deep understanding of specific issues relevant to your target audience, you show that you have a comprehensive knowledge of their industry, and they can rely on you for solutions. 

3. Add value and showcase your expertise.  Offer content that provides value for your niche and target audience.  It should be free, valuable and engaging content that showcases your knowledge, experience, and personality.  Examples include industry insights, solutions to common problems in your field, case studies, how to guides and tools they can use to enhance their business practices.  You should also use different formats, such as text, images, videos, podcasts, or infographics, to appeal to different preferences and learning styles. Use relevant SEO words to improve blog visibility, and search engines. 

If you want readers to care about your content AND your brand, build credibility, tell your story and show them your expertise. 

To determine the right strategies for your business, contact one of our content strategists today at letscreate@undercover-creators.com!  We’ll help you showcase your skills, add value to your audience and boost SEO, generate leads and increase conversions for your business.
 

Come on back next week and we’ll reveal the fifth tip from our “6 Strategies to Kickstart Your Year”, 3 key metrics to your actual ROI.  Make data driven decisions to invest in the right areas of your social media strategy.