Oberlo data estimates that there were about 31.7 million small businesses in the US as of 2020. As such, your business will have to compete with several others and stand out for consumers to consider it the go-to option. Patrons love products and services from people they believe experts on a topic or field.
Therefore, positioning yourself as an industry authority is one of the best things you can do to appeal to your target audience. Below are four things you can do to build authority in your industry over time.
Give your best content for free
Consumers love receiving value, so you can quickly build authority in your industry by giving away helpful content that will benefit them for free. Thankfully, there is no shortage of ways to provide value to your consumers for free. For example, you can share useful information through free eBooks, infographics, reports, and whitepapers. In addition, you can create content like podcasts, blog posts, training videos, and checklists for your target audience.
Webinars are also an effective way to share interesting and relevant information with others. You can leverage a great virtual events platform to host your webinar and deliver value to your audience. However, BigMarker recommends keeping your webinar sessions up to 45 minutes long because 44% of attendees prefer this duration, so keep this in mind.
Be consistent
Research shows that it takes five to seven impressions for consumers to remember your brand, so creating awareness and establishing yourself as an authority is cumulative. Consequently, your brand must be consistent in its presentation and message across all touchpoints for your target audience to notice and trust you over time.
Consistency assures your target consumers that you aren’t a fly-by-night company interested in taking their cash only. In addition, consistency shows you are a professional and an expert in your field. Therefore, prioritize consistency in your branding, marketing materials, content, and customer service.
Focus on a niche
Many experts agree that a niche is vital to becoming an industry authority than being a Jack-of-all-trades and master of none. A targeted and focused niche allows you to specialize in something specific. You may be hesitant to select a niche because it may seem non-inclusive. However, a niche will help attract a highly interested audience instead of appealing to everyone.
This way, you are more likely to engage people whose needs and challenges you can address, boosting your chances of being seen as an industry authority in no time. In addition, you can select a niche by looking for gaps in your industry, offering unique skills and value to customers, and addressing specific problems your existing customers have shared with you.
Connect with other experts and influencers
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It is also advisable to build relationships with other experts and influencers in your niche and related niches with the same target audience. Partnering with experts and influencers can help you offer value to your community because you can introduce them to individuals who can help them in areas where you can’t. Similarly, influencers you are partnering with can introduce you to the audience This way, you can widen your reach and solidify your authority through third-party validation and social proof.
