You are only the expert when someone tells you that you are the expert.
Ever heard of that saying? In case you haven’t or simply forgot, Duane Forrester, Senior Product Manager with Bing’s Webmaster Program reminds you that this is the case when it comes to your online presence and effective SEO.
There’s no doubt that Duane is the expert in all things SEO and he had no reservations in sharing those secrets. He actually explains to us that by sharing the useful knowledge you have online, it in turn positions you to be the expert and as a useful resource among your peers. Job well done, Duane, job well done.
What I found to be most helpful in his Webinar: Learn the Basics of SEO was his advice on how to build authority online. Most think that it’s only through powerful keywords and paid ads, and while those things are helpful, there’s so much more to it. He suggests to first figure out your purpose of your website and market your strengths by writing what you know. For instance, if I had a bakery where I baked and sold wedding cakes, I shouldn’t publish a blog about dental marketing because I am not the expert in this field, nor do I want to be.
To show that you have authority on a topic online you should:
- Know the topic through and through
- Make sure people know that you are accessable
- Share the information that you know freely – don’t hold back – it will come back to you in a positive way – tenfold
- Be consistent with the timeliness of your posts as it builds credibility
- Avoid topics that you aren’t knowledgeable about – people can tell when you aren’t comfortable with the content you’re publishing
You may be thinking, okay this is great to know how to have authority online, but how do I make sure that others are able to view my awesome content, become popular, and then in turn, tell me that I’m the expert? Well, before you do any work, you need to know what people are searching for and do extensive keyword research. Bing’s Keyword Research tool can be a good starting point in giving you a list of keywords related to your topic that are the most popular and widely searched. This tool can even help you uncover some things that you haven’t thought of before, inspire you, and assist you in creating compelling content.
For more in depth technical information on SEO basics, I highly recommend listening to Duane Forrester’s webinar for advice. After all, he is the expert.