Although becoming an authority brand is no easy task, the benefits are worth the effort.
Once you’ve built authority, potential clients and customers start to count on you and trust you—and it’s hard to imagine that trust not leading to a sale. But how does a brand begin to establish authority? This article will go over some tips on how to create compelling content.
1. Respond to your audience’s questions
The chances of you becoming an authority are slim if you aren’t doing this. If you do not incorporate the answers your audience is seeking, you are not demonstrating to them why they should trust you. People trust brands when those brands provide the information they require, so you have to provide that information as part of your content marketing.
Building on-site content that offers this level of value allows you to build authority while simultaneously raising awareness for your brand. In other words, if you’re not already well-known, you can position yourself as an expert.
A key reason for the success of this content strategy is search. Google curates search results for users, choosing what it thinks are the most appropriate results based on a query. Users assume that if you’re ranking high for a certain keyword or topic, you passed the algorithm for a good reason and know what you’re talking about.
SEO Optimization Tip: Find out what your target audience is interested in by talking to your customer service representatives and conducting keyword research. See what content is already available and if it can be improved.
2. Produce newsworthy research and reports
Continuing to seek new information and insight is one of the best ways to demonstrate your authority. The best way to do this is to prioritize original research.
Creating your own studies, surveys, and reports (aka data journalism) based on new data or revealing new insights not only adds value to readers but also allows you to pitch a story to the media. As a result, you’ll get both media coverage (and build even more brand authority) and high-quality backlinks that will signal to Google that you are an authority.
How to execute this strategy: After completing the first tip and analyzing questions, zoom out a bit and consider what general questions still need to be answered in your field. What can you do with data to answer these questions?
3. Present case studies, reviews, and other proof of expertise
There are dozens of different types of authority signals, from testimonials to reviews to social media shares. Identifying which ones make sense to highlight for your products or services, and figuring out how to place them, is key.
It is your job to demonstrate to people that you know what you are talking about by leveraging third-party validation. It’s not just your audience who can confirm that you know what you’re doing—other people can too!
How to show your expertise: Consider how you can best collect this type of content if you don’t already have it. You should reach out to your best clients and ask them for a quote. Pull the best reviews you’ve ever received for your products. Mention any media coverage you have received. Put this information not only on your homepage but also on conversion pages to instill confidence when and where it matters.
4. Establish a partnership with reputable brands
By aligning with other brands you respect that are doing right for their customers/users, there is a chance some of that same level of trust will transfer to you if that company’s respect is reciprocated. Moreover, collaboration puts your brand name in front of a new audience.
Think about which brands make sense to collaborate with. It’s possible to do this outside of content marketing, with referral programs for example, but content-specific ways are also possible.
A great example is when Auntie Anne’s and Samuel Adams teamed up to give you an at-home Oktoberfest experience, complete with Sam Adams Oktoberfest beer, Auntie Anne’s DIY Pretzel Kit, recipe book, and “Prost from Home” playlist.
This isn’t just a content strategy, but you can see how product and experience overlap. Auntie Anne’s pretzel lovers are exposed to Samuel Adams and vice versa. Through this type of collaboration, fans of one have the potential to become fans of the other.
Partnership Tip: Make a list of brands with which you have a natural alignment in objectives or values. In what ways can you both provide something of value to each other’s audiences?
5. Create customer-focused content for your website
To create a website that will attract customers, your content marketing team must work closely with your development team. The objective is to raise awareness among frequent visitors.
You can also build customer trust by using online reviews. A customer’s opinion is important. You should want to know about it, whether it’s positive or negative. You can then strategize your website content based on what people like and dislike.
6. Keep your website current
Monitor your website regularly to ensure that it is working properly. Your reputation as a brand is directly affected by any malfunction. What will you do if your website cannot be maintained? How can you ensure the satisfaction of your customers?
7. Utilize SEO for brand awareness
Content marketing affects your entire business. By learning how to write for SEO, your content will be found more easily. A brand gains popularity and attention when it creates content for its website, engages on social media, and communicates with customers worldwide. The more people who speak about your brand, the better. Become a brand that customers love, and partners will want to work with you.
Investing in content marketing is a key step in building more brand authority. By creating content that benefits your audience, you demonstrate your expertise and demonstrate your knowledge. Using the above tactics, you can greatly improve the likelihood that your audience not only remembers your brand but also begins to trust it. In addition, after building an impressive link profile, Google’s algorithm will likely recognize the authority of your site, and your results will rise in the SERP ranks.
Creating content that builds your brand authority is a job in itself. Most business owners do not have time to create their own content marketing strategy. They’re trying to run their business! That’s why Main Street MarTech is there to make sure all the invisible steps of running a business work for you. If you are a small business, startup, or local nonprofit looking to boost your brand authority, contact us or book a free strategy call. With Main Street MarTech, you gain a partner who cheerfully does the heavy lifting behind the scenes, so you always shine in the spotlight.
