How to become a thought leader in your field through writing

The definition of an authority or thought leader is essentially a well-known, recognized expert in a given niche. Since expert knowledge is required it follows that becoming an authority isn't easy, and usually involves many years of learning and building a reputation. For someone who's involved and interested in a niche, it is definitely possible with some time and hard work. – From HIT Virtual Blog, Why you should aspire to become a thought leader in your niche.

There are many ways to become an authority in your niche. And the best reason is so you will be the go-to person when someone has a need. If you are a blogging expert and the first person thought of when a blogging advice is needed, your client funnel will be overflowing and you will have ample opportunities to grow your reputation. Public speaking and networking at live events are two well know methods used to become an authority. However, if you are more comfortable writing than speaking or hosting live events, it is possible to become a recognized authority through writing.

One way is to write and maintain a blog. According to a study by BlogHer, 81% of U.S. online consumers trust information and advice from blogs. By creating a professional blog that provides the information your target audience is seeking, you establish yourself as the thought leader for your niche. Remember these two keys when creating your authority blog: provide great content on a consistent schedule and promote each post. All your content must be of the highest quality or otherwise people won't want to follow you. If you produce inferior content, it will actually be counter-productive to your goal of establishing your credibility. Pick a schedule for posting, whether it be once a week or bi-weekly and stick to it. This way your audience will know when they expect more information from you. If you're not sure how to promote your blog, you can download my special report (free).

Another excellent authority-boosting tactic is writing a book. Not just any book though, but a real, hardcopy publication with the goal of becoming one of the most popular and authoritative works in your niche. Being published is an instant credibility booster, and is more attainable than you may think by using self publishing.

Another great way to become a thought leader is writing blog posts and articles for other websites and magazines. Getting your article published in a popular niche magazine will give you instant recognition, and it also tends to lead to new opportunities. Write a well-received article for a site or magazine, and you'll find that others come knocking, begging you to write for them as well.

These are just a few of the things you could do if you want to write your way to an authority position in your field. It's all about putting in the work and not giving up because you aren't seeing immediate results. If you keep writing and publishing useful information people will start noticing you!

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