How to Build Authority with Content

I’ll never regret investing in a strong content strategy from day 1 at a company. There have been so many times in a sales process—especially in the early days—when I would get feedback from reps that prospects were finding us & wanting to have a conversation because they saw something one of us shared on LinkedIn, listened to a podcast one of our execs was on, or read one of our industry content pieces. If I had limited resources, here’s how I would prioritize content development: 1️⃣ Have your exec team start posting regularly on LI: You want them to be seen as THE thought leaders and influencers in the space. By establishing their personal brand, they build an audience for your organization and drive pipeline. 2️⃣ Use original data: Create content based on internal data (anonymized, of course!) from your product, surveys you conduct, the information you collect, or drinking your own champagne stories - these are unique angles that people or AI can't copy, and this content educates and performs well. 3️⃣ Video: Video is a win for any organization because you can get started with little investment and scale up to higher production as you grow. Showing the human side builds authenticity for a brand and it's easy to break longer videos into shorter clips suitable for social sharing. 4️⃣ Leverage influencers: B2C crushes the influencer marketing game, and we're seeing more B2B brands leverage trusted industry experts in their field to boost brand reach and establish credibility—whether by having them as advisors at their company, getting them to speak at their industry event, or having them share a post on social media. 5️⃣ Quality over quantity: AI writing tools are amazing, but I'm also seeing them used to produce high volumes of content that lack quality. I promise it’s okay not to have a blog out each week or the same webinar every month. Be unique and break the mold! What else would you invest in with content?

It’s hard to watch talented freelancers and consultants self-sabotage. They don’t realize they’re making things much harder. I did it too FOR YEARS before I had this A-ha moment: We must make ourselves easy to find online. Seth Godin hit the nail on the head: “In a busy marketplace, not standing out is the same as being invisible.” Do you stand out? It's way harder to get traction if you aren't a recognized authority, and you build authority by showing up online. Many of us are taught growing up to not stick out to much. The tall poppy gets cut, you know? So adulthood, branding, and solopreneurship require an uncomfortable paradigm shift: "Wait, so I DO want to stick out now?" Think of someone you follow who seems genuine, who isn’t an obnoxious, attention-hungry clown. Let that person inspire you. Clearly, we have options other than Egregious and Invisible. Here are five ways non-yucky ways to get attention and build authority: 1. Write about common mistakes your target audience makes. 2. Share ideas and insights that shape your approach. 3. Write about limiting beliefs that keep them stuck. 4. Give public high fives to people you admire. 5. Celebrate client successes. You can become the convenient choice without becoming someone you don’t like.

How do I use LinkedIn to demonstrate thought leadership so it resonates with both potential clients and industry peers? It's a common question I get from executives looking to build their personal brand and establish themselves as industry authorities. The key is to focus on creating content that is: 1. Authentic to your unique perspective and experiences 2. Valuable to your target audience (addressing their challenges and aspirations). 3. Consistently shared in a variety of engaging formats This could look like: ➤ Sharing case studies or "lessons learned" stories that showcase your expertise in action ➤ Offering your take on industry trends and best practices. ➤ Starting conversations around the big challenges and opportunities in your field. You'll want to keep your audience's needs and interests at the forefront. This will position you as your industry's go-to resource and trusted voice. I'm curious... whose content do you enjoy seeing in the feed?