The Editor’s Desk – From Beneath the Clutter

Got some fun stuff in the mail the other day – my daughter’s homeschool supplies. 64 pounds of books and other supplies for her lessons.

It’s going to be a fun school year.

Believe in What You Know to Be an Authority

When you’re trying to sell something online, whatever that may be, it helps to look like an authority on the subject. It’s the fastest way to get people to trust you online.

Makes things sound kind of hard if you don’t think you’re an authority on the subject you’re working on. Fortunately, looking like an authority online may be easier than you think.

An authority online is someone or a site that provides good, accurate information on their topic. With a little bit of research you can quickly learn more about your subject than many people searching on it.

This isn’t to support “fake it until you make it” kind of thinking. There’s a time and a place for that, and I’ll leave that to you to work out.

Your Website Gives You Authority

Your average visitor doesn’t know as much about how websites work as you do, even when you’re pretty new at the whole game. I know people who are shocked to find out that just anyone can start a website.

Whether your site is made to be a major resource on your topic or a quick hop to make some affiliate sales, people are going to see it as an authority if you build it right. Your site should offer enough information upfront to encourage people to see you that way.

Authority in Article Marketing

Writing and distributing articles is one way to build your perceived authority on a subject. They should be well written and informative, but give just enough information that people will want to visit your site for more, so they might take whatever action you’re hoping for.

That your articles are published anywhere online makes you an authority to some people. It doesn’t matter that the article directory accepts lots of articles, so long as you sound like you know what you’re talking about, your article will build your authority in the minds of many web users.

Don’t Fake Authority in the Wrong Areas

There are niches where you can look like an authority with just a little research. There are others where you really shouldn’t.

Medical niches, for example. If you don’t know what you’re talking about, you can do some actual damage to people. Don’t mess around that way.

Don’t fake income claims for business opportunities either. This is one of the things the FTC is paying attention to these days. You don’t want to be caught pretending to earn more than you do.

But if you can quickly learn enough about socks, dining room furniture, cooking, or the darkness that inhabits the human soul, give it a try. You may not look like an authority to the search engines, but to the visitors of your website you can be convincing if you’ve done your work right.