Before expounding on the benefits of authority marketing and how it can take your business to the next level, it is important to understand the definition of concept. Although marketing professionals do not agree on any one particular definition, the following is a serviceable explanation of authority marketing:
Authority marketing is leveraging your knowledge and experience to gain leadership status in your marketplace.
In other words, authority marketing involves sharing the fact that you are an expert in a certain field with all your potential clients. Once you are seen as an authority, or expert, in your particular field, it will open up the door for higher paying jobs and other business opportunities that will in turn grow your business and fuel your success even more.
How Businesses or Entrepreneurs Can Begin Showing Their Expertise
You begin to position yourself as an authority by consistently providing useful information to your audience–information which solves problems, offers solutions and addresses needs.
Your audience finds you, in great part, simply as a result of you positioning yourself as an educator and advocate for their success
Sometimes, it’s easier to understand a concept through example, instead of through a definition. The following is a scenario that showcases how authority marketing works in the real world.
For the sake of the example, let’s say you are wanting to hire a contractor to come into your home and remodel your bathroom.
You have two options when it comes to a contracting company.
- The first contracting company is owned by a nice guy. He goes to church, is active in the community and seems to know what he’s doing. He is just operating off word-of-mouth and a general reputation.
- On the other hand, the second contractor is owned by a guy who has written several published books entitled things like, “How To Get the Most Out of Your Bathroom Remodel, “ and “The Benefits of a Bathroom Makeover for Your Home’s Value.” In addition, the second contractor frequently appears on various home improvement shows as the expert, where you have had the privilege to see him in action.
When you consider the two options, the choice seems obvious.
On one hand, you have a guy that is probably a great guy, but you don’t know much about him, while on the other you have a known expert in the field who has proof of his expertise. You are likely to go with the second contractor. In fact, you will probably be willing to pay him more than the first contractor, just because he is an “expert.”
This in no way means that the second contractor is actually any better at his job than the first contractor, it just shows the benefits of making yourself an authority. By being an authority and an expert in a field, you can demand more money and often will have people come to you, seeking out your expertise, instead of clamoring for work.
Celebrities Who Have Great Success With Authority Marketing
It is often said that you can either do many moderating well, or you can do a few things extremely well, and that is the case when it comes to authority marketing. The point is to find your niche and stick to that specific area.
The following are two celebrities that have had great success using authority marketing to grow their empire and are living examples of the benefits derived from authority marketing:
Dave Ramsey
Dave Ramsey, a well-known financial expert, has made himself the “king of finances” and getting out of debt. He has seminars about how to budget and how to get out of debt, he has written and continues to write books on how to get out of debt, he has a syndicated radio show that is hugely popular and on and on and on.
However, it is worth noting that Dave Ramsey does not claim to be an expert when it comes to other topics, he sticks to what he knows and what he is known for, being a financial expert. By doing so, he has become incredibly successful.
Richard Simmons:
Although Richard began his career well before the time of internet marketing. However, what he accomplished is a great example of authority marketing in action.
Simmons’ goal was to help people who are overweight, lose that weight in a fun way. He made videos, wrote books, explained how important a healthy diet was, and went on television shows to share his knowledge and passion for helping people lose weight.
As a result, he became known as an authority in that field and now is considering synonymous with the industry.
Learning how to use authority marketing isn’t that difficult. If you stick to what you know and continue to grow in that particular field, you will become an expert and in turn become an authority on that subject. The other aspects of marketing such as SEO all go along with authority marketing and help to make it work.
Consequently, authority marketing has now become more important than these other marketing aspects. In essence, today’s authority marketing is paramount, and all other forms of SEO and marketing fall in place behind that one strategy, making it imperative for you to utilize it as a marketing strategy as a business owner.
