3 strategies for elevating brand authority in 2021

Building Brand Authority in a Shifting Landscape

Many of our clients express a desire for increased respect within their respective industries. They observe that their competitors enjoy a level of trust they wish to attain, and often aspire to exceed it.

This aspiration is particularly pronounced following the challenges presented by 2020. Both consumers and businesses are prioritizing reliability and seeking brands they can depend on, minimizing decision-making anxiety.

Marketing professionals appear to recognize this shift in consumer behavior. Our collaboration with Semrush to analyze keyword search data from 2020 revealed consistent growth in searches related to brand awareness and brand authority as key marketing objectives.

Strategies for Enhanced Authority

For marketers focused on elevating their brand's standing, several strategies can be employed. While immediate results aren't guaranteed, consistent implementation of these tactics will yield positive outcomes over time.

Establishing authority is a process, not an event. A sustained commitment to building trust and providing value is essential for long-term success.

• Focus on Consistent Value: Regularly deliver high-quality content that addresses your audience’s needs.
• Cultivate Thought Leadership: Position key personnel as experts through speaking engagements and published articles.
• Prioritize Transparency: Openly communicate your values and practices to foster trust with your audience.

These strategies, when implemented thoughtfully, can significantly contribute to a stronger, more respected brand presence.

Building Brand Authority Through Media Exposure

Establishing your brand's authority is crucial for fostering trust and recognition. One effective method involves securing media coverage, which offers benefits beyond simple brand awareness.

While paid advertising and social media campaigns can increase visibility, media mentions provide a distinct advantage. When respected publications and websites feature your brand and provide links back to your site, it signifies an endorsement of your expertise and offerings.

This external validation acts as a powerful signal, demonstrating credibility to potential customers. Consider the example of Stoneside, a client for whom we conducted a survey regarding houseplant ownership and care in 2020.

The resulting report garnered attention from platforms like TreeHugger and Simplemost. Furthermore, the data proved valuable as supporting information for articles published by HelloGiggles and The Weather Network.

Achieving media coverage, however, requires effort. You must possess newsworthy content or offer expert insights, and effectively communicate these to journalists and writers.

Cost-Effective Approaches

Explore opportunities to contribute guest posts to relevant industry blogs. Seek out connections with peers who might require expert quotes for their articles. Building relationships with other professionals in your field, by referencing their work and fostering rapport, is a valuable strategy.

For instance, I frequently collaborate with marketing tool companies such as Semrush and BuzzSumo, as their services complement those offered by Fractl, and we operate within the same industry.

Another option is to utilize HARO (Help a Reporter Out), a platform where journalists post requests for expert sources. However, relevant requests are not always frequent, and even when they appear, securing a response isn't guaranteed.

Strategies with Larger Investments

For those with greater resources, a combined approach of content marketing and digital PR is highly recommended. If your organization has internal marketing teams skilled in data analysis and content creation, begin by assessing whether any internal data could be of interest to a broader audience.

If internal data proves insufficient, consider these methods for generating newsworthy studies:

• Conducting surveys.
• Performing novel analyses of publicly available data.
• Extracting data from social media platforms.
• Designing and executing tests or experiments.

Reporters will only be interested in information that presents a fresh perspective. When pitching, prioritize contacting the appropriate individuals. Ensure a thorough understanding of their specific focus and confirm that your pitch aligns with their editorial interests.

While demanding, investing in these strategies – either internally or through an agency – can significantly enhance your brand’s authority and overall recognition.

Content Audit for Enhanced On-Site Authority

Conducting a comprehensive audit of your existing website content represents a significant effort. However, the scale of this task can be managed by pacing the work according to available resources and budgetary constraints.

The core rationale behind this recommendation lies in the fact that a substantial portion of your brand’s perceived authority is conveyed through the content users encounter when seeking solutions or information.

Consider a user searching for guidance on “how to choose a career.”

Following the advertisements, a featured snippet often dominates the top search result position.

Although unfamiliar to me personally, Zety’s prominence in this position suggests a level of expertise, prompting a click-through. A positive experience with their article immediately establishes credibility for Zety.

This is the desired outcome for your own content strategy. A thorough review of all on-site materials is essential to identify areas for improvement.

Begin by focusing on content that already achieves relatively strong rankings, as this indicates a positive trajectory. Aleyda Solis astutely suggested that even pages ranking first should be optimized, recognizing that competitors are actively striving for higher positions and continuous content updates are vital.

After refining already successful pages, consider these key questions:

• What deficiencies exist within your lower-performing content? Could some pieces be consolidated into a more comprehensive and valuable resource?
• Does your existing content adequately address the most pressing questions of your target audience? (Further keyword research may be necessary to validate this.)
• Are internal links strategically implemented to highlight your most important and helpful resources?

Numerous additional optimizations are possible, including those related to technical SEO. Often, the solution isn’t simply creating new content, but rather refining and enhancing what you already have. (Frequently, a combination of both approaches is most effective!)

Strategy #3: Focus Intensively on Personal Branding

Individuals such as Elon Musk and Steve Jobs serve as prominent examples – figures who became inextricably linked with the brands they led. However, this approach isn't limited to exceptionally wealthy technology entrepreneurs.

Within the marketing sector itself, professionals like Rand Fishkin (previously with Moz, currently at SparkToro) and Brian Dean (Backlinko) demonstrate this principle. When an audience develops trust in you and/or your team members as individuals, they are considerably more inclined to place their trust in the brand you represent.

Below are several methods through which your company’s representative – be it the founder, yourself, or another designated individual – can cultivate personal brand authority.

Visibly Feature Yourself in Your Content

The founders of Bucketlist Bombshells, Cassie Torrecillas and Shay Brown, have successfully built a brand, known as “Cassie & Shay,” centered around their personal journeys and experiences. They are prominently displayed on their website’s homepage and maintain a consistent presence across their social media platforms.

Directly engaging with your audience through blog posts, active social media participation, and live video streams are effective strategies to consider.

Articulate Your Core Vision

While an “About” page paragraph outlining company objectives is common, a more impactful approach involves sharing the personal motivations behind the company’s creation. Detailing the founder’s risk-taking journey to resolve a specific problem they identified resonates deeply.

Lovevery’s founders effectively employ this tactic by presenting a personal video detailing their path to launching the company.

Explore the connection between your brand representative’s personal narrative and the overarching story of your brand. What drives their commitment to the company? What outcomes do they envision for the organization? Shift away from formal corporate language and embrace more relatable communication.

Prioritize Authenticity

Defining precisely how to achieve authenticity can be challenging, but sincerity in your communications is paramount. Share your core values, aspects of your daily life, your concerns, and your ambitions. Promote other individuals and brands whose values align with your own. Offer valuable resources to assist your followers and audience.

The Twitter account of Kimberly Bryant, founder and CEO of Black Girls Code, provides an excellent illustration of how to establish thought leadership and build authority on social media. She actively supports Black professionals in the technology field, amplifies Black voices, shares updates about her personal life and current events, and engages in a wide range of other topics. Essentially, she presents herself authentically.

Her willingness to protect her tweets is also admirable, signaling a preference for engagement with individuals who share her values. This authenticity simultaneously elevates the Black Girls Code brand and increases awareness of their impactful initiative.

The Importance of Valuable Content

Establishing genuine value through your content is a highly effective method for cultivating authority, both immediately and over an extended period. Determining the optimal approach for your investment is crucial.

However, a decision must be made, as content marketing is a strategy that an increasing number of brands are prioritizing. Falling behind your competitors in building enduring trust should be avoided.

Identifying Content Gaps

If you are unsure where to begin, consider areas where your expertise might be lacking. Perhaps there is a limited online presence dedicated to discussions surrounding your offerings or those of your brand.

Alternatively, there may be a scarcity of blog posts addressing a specific problem that you are uniquely positioned to resolve. Initiate your efforts by identifying these gaps and then consistently expand upon them.

• Focus on areas where your knowledge can provide unique solutions.
• Look for underserved communities or topics.
• Consistent content creation is key to long-term success.

Building trust with your audience requires a commitment to providing helpful and informative content. This approach will ultimately position you as a leader in your field.