10 Unexpected Ways to Get Recognized as Your Industry’s Authority

You are, quite literally, competing against everyone else in your particular field, industry, or niche. The digital age has made the physical location of a company or service much less important, if not a complete non-factor. Many businesses exist only within the boundless confines of cyberspace.

Conduct a simple online search for virtually anything, and you’ll receive hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands of instant results.

In order to rise to the top, to be the shepherd and not the sheep, you need strong SEO, compelling content marketing, and exceptional personal branding to make yourself an expert in your field.

The Case for Authority

When you’re a recognized authority in your industry, you can charge more, influence more, and get more: credibility, attention, customers, you name it.

You want to stand out, reach out (to prospects, clients, followers, and other experts), and get out (attend networking events).

But you can’t just wave a magic marketing wand to become one. It’s going to take a lot of (totally worth it) time and effort.

Here’s what an authority is not: he or she is not always the smartest or most experienced in the room. They’re not self-professed. They don’t live and die by that descriptor.

An authority is always learning, practicing, improving. They follow industry news and trends. They’re willing to live outside their comfort zone. They care more about the quality of what they’re doing or selling than the label of “authority” or “expert” itself. Authorities admit their limitations.

In short, they show you that they’re an expert rather than tell you. The stamp is earned and claimed.

Sound good? Here’s the best part: anyone can do it. Yes, you need knowledge, experience, and a bit of bravado. But you can also assist your case with less obvious methods.

Want to be a recognized authority in your industry? Try these ten unexpected ways discovered during my time in the trenches.

Disagree

To stand out, you need to take a stand (seems pretty obvious, right?). You sometimes need to rock the industry boat. As an authority, you must never be afraid to express your opinions or beliefs, even if they go against conventional wisdom.

Darwin, Copernicus, Einstein, and others initially disagreed with what everyone else believed...but who do we consider the experts now?

Help a Reporter Out

You may or may not have heard of services like HARO, but they can be a godsend for those looking to make their mark. HARO (and equivalents like PitchRate, SourceBottle, and ProfNet) connects reporters and writers with expert sources in a wide variety of industries.

You can get quoted, cited, and linked to, and that all improves your authority score and public awareness.

Answer Questions

There’s no better way to earn your reputation than by answering the difficult questions. Services like Quora (people ask questions, and other people answer them) are a convenient way to share your expertise with a large audience.

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by Aaron Agius via SitePoint