The web is a noisy place. Everyone seems to be starting a blog, launching a product or start a business of some kind.
While early adopters seem to have the biggest advantage, there are still ones who have the dream of starting something online that can bring them side income or even replace their full-time income.
Thankfully, even in a noisy online world, this dream can become a reality.
Time and time again, people have proven that the more they focus on building their authority online, the easier it becomes to land better clients, gain more traffic to a site, seal the deal on getting publicity via interviews, and so on.
But actually building authority is easier said than done.
However, one thing is necessary no matter what your gameplan is.
You need to build your platform first.
By this, I mean that you need a website, a good one that will allow you to start generating a regular presence that people can continually come back to.
In case you need a bit of convincing, think of all the influential people you follow. Maybe you're thinking of Michael Hyatt, Pat Flynn, Chalene Johnson, Tony Robbins or someone else.
What do they have in common?
A website. A place where people can connect with them, learn from them and follow them.
So if you want to start building authority, you need website that you can use at a platform to build on.
Where to start
Before you can even start a website you need hosting and a domain name.
WordPress hosting like what SiteGround offers is a great and affordable way to get both of these.
After you've managed to get your hosting and domain name together you need to get a theme.
Picking a theme is perhaps one of the most overwhelming aspects of getting a website started, especially when you're trying to launch a personal brand.
It's not easy to find one that looks professional and unique, but I've played around with a few that I really like for this.
For example, the Solopreneur theme is one of the better-looking layouts I've come across. The design is perfect for a clutter-free, simple yet engaging design you can use to start building your online authority while collecting emails.
But the list of themes does not end there. Here are a few other themes that are worth some serious consideration:
- Marketing Expert
Where to go next
Having a website is not all there is to gaining authority. Now that you have a website you have to put it to good use.
The million dollar question is, how?
Well, there's more than one way to get to any destination and the same is true with building authority.
However, a lot of it comes down to building valuable, long-term relationships with influential people, finding a good mentor, testing various inbound marketing concepts, and even writing a book.
Whatever you want to be known for, it's important to take the time to map out an initial strategy along with measurable goals to track your progress.
A good question to ask is where do you want to be in 5 years.
Then break down how you'll get there with yearly and then monthly goals. If you're new to internet marketing or need to spruce up some skills, then consider taking some courses like the ones on Digital Marketer or search for more specific online courses you can take from other influencers you admire and follow.
There's no cut and dry method for building authority and if you want the elusive "overnight success" then you have quite a few years of work ahead of you.
However, whatever you plan to do, getting a website up and ready to host your awesome content is the first checkpoint to your goals and dreams.