Authority Websites Need to Show AND Tell

It’s not enough just to have a website, or even to have an attractive website full of useful content.

To succeed as the go-to person in your niche, you need to communicate your authority with your website.

You need to communicate your authority through your design, your layout, and your content.

What is an Authority Website?

As you will have discovered by now, authority is when you are the go-to person or business in your market.

What do we always say?

People need to know, like and trust you.

• Know means recognition.
• Like means the design and content both need to relate and connect with people positively.
• Trust means it needs to convey that trustworthiness, or at least not detract from it.

Crucial Elements of an Authority Website

Your job has to convey two important things:

Who you are and why that matters

1. Your story (How did you start and what challenges have you faced? What did you discover? Where are you now?)
2. Your value (Vital element – why should people care what you have to say?)
3. Your credibility (Why should people trust what you say?)
4. Your difference (How are you different from anyone else doing similar things?)
5. Your advantage (Why does that difference make a difference to your customers?)
6. = Your unique appeal (Wrap all of the above into your unique value proposition)

What is the Authority OF a Website?

When we discuss the authority of a website, rather than the authority from a website, we are usually discussing authority in an SEO context, AKA Google Authority.

The fact is, you are more likely to grow your Google Authority by influencing humans. That means your SEO authority flows from growing your personal and business authority.

You are more likely to get the best, high-trust, authoritative links if your website looks trustworthy and authoritative to get linked.

Consider who would put their reputation on the line by linking out from a big-deal brand to a sketchy, spammy-looking site that gives the impression you will be sending your loyal readers to malware!

Your Authority Website is just the start

Communicate all these repeatedly and consistently, in your emails, and your podcast. Start vlogging (audio AND visual does help – let people see your body language if you are brave enough). Your social media profiles and posts should reinforce this message while connecting further with your most wanted prospects.

Write a Marketing Pen Portrait and Answer These Questions:

1. Who you help
   1. Who can you most help?
   2. Who do you most work with?
   3. Who do you NOT work with?
2. How you help
   1. Brand Statement of Value
   2. Testimonials
   3. Case studies
3. What to do next
   1. Email signup (get them to come back)
   2. Social links (keep that face of yours top of mind)
   3. Free stuff (that helps their burning problems)
   4. Paid stuff (that goes deep into those challenges and goals)
   5. Events and speaking (where to find you next, and who has hired you to speak)

Next Step: Do You Look Like An Authority?

Get a community contact, a friend, or a complete stranger to let you know if your online presence communicates all the above, and if not fix it.

If you are going to upgrade your website appearance, make sure you choose a good-looking template that is also a theme that is SEO-friendly!