No matter what niche your in, you have to be able to stand out compared to your competition. This means you have to do things differently, and have that competitive edge over your competition. I’m surprised at the amount of people who don’t spend time understanding their niche, and this makes them fall behind the very people who are taking their audience away. Over the years, I have been very blessed to work with people in several different niches, and the one thing I learned is that you have to stand out no matter what. This means doing things differently, add awesome value, network, and build relationships which otherwise would be impossible. For example,
One thing I learned at an early age when getting involved in this business is that you have to reach out to others. Some people have been around for so many years that a chance blog post or opportunity can boost your engagement ten fold. However, people still fail to take this advice, and in the end they suffer when their competition jumps ahead of them. With that said,
Let’s explore being authority in your niche, and what you can do going forward right now which will allow you to stand out compared to the rest. Let’s get started.
Carve Out Your Territory
Several years ago when I first got started in this business I wanted to be the biggest WITHOUT realizing that I’ll have enormous competition so I better start thinking straight. Many of us are under the impression that we have to conquer something huge in order to get ahead, however if we carve out an identity in our area, then that’s good enough. I once read that to be an authority, you don’t have to be a small fish in a big pond, but can be a big fish in a small pond…right?
One thing I noticed happened when the world connected through the web is the ability for hundreds of millions of people to connect all over the world. This is beautiful for education, but also great for those looking to make a profit online. The point is that if you’re a small fish in a small pond, you can still be an authority because the small pond represents thousands of people.
If you are trying to build a business, and increase profits then being in the small pond is still good enough to make you a millionaire. So, here’s my point:
Going forward focus on carving out an identity in what your good at, and avoid jumping into a big pond when you don’t have the skills yet. You’ll be surprised how being in your environment is good enough to get you from point A to B.
Simplicity Is the Key
One of the biggest problems I’ve always found is making something which can be easy, way too complicated. I’ve also noticed that being an authority in your niche can be achieved my presenting things differently so people understand your providing the value NOT someone else. One of the biggest trends I see developing in content marketing is how people are shifting around content, and presenting it in a way others can easily understand. Even though, many will argue this is representing someone else’s work, I like to ask you this question: Does it really matter? I mean they are making it easy for people to pull out the value, and giving the writer credit at the same time, right?
Let me ask you this: Do you remember the person who writes the song, or the one who sigs it? I’m sure all of you said, the one who sing’s it, and is in all the music videos. With that said,
In order for you to be an authority in your niche, it’s important you make things simple to understand because this is what people will remember. In the end, they are looking for a solution, and always give praise to the ones who provide it. Apple dominated the technological world by making things which are supposed to be hard very simple.
Start by searching the web for very common problems because you know they will create a buzz quickly. Find ways to present the solution in a very easy, and simple way so that people can pull out the value. The easier the solution, the more engagement you’ll be able to get on your blog, through comments, and on social media.
Success equals making things hard much easier!
Work with Others and Teach
One of the best ways to become an authority in your niche is to work with others, and even teach them. I’ve noticed whenever I have to teach, I’ll head out and learn everything I have to know which will allow me to tap into other networks. Sometimes knowing I have to present within my niche will force me to educate myself on changing trends. This has proven to be true numerous times because with so much going on, it’s easy to become very lazy, and forget to self-educate. However, networking is a great way to stay ahead of the competition because authority bloggers usually have been around longer, and they can guide you in the right direction. For example, here are the two important things I do when teaching, and networking:
Teaching.
During this process you’ll be working with someone teaching them the ropes. You’ll notice through this process you’ll start to uncover new trends which help you become more of an authority.
Networking.
I love networking because it connects you with people who have been in the industry for years. This means they have seen things changing, and can provide you insight about the direction your niche is going. They’ll also provide you the best resources to pay close attention to, and going forward you can tap into these places to find all the important information.
Practice Makes Perfect
I’ve met many people who started a company, and then after making enormous money they stop practicing how to perfect their art. For example, I’ve noticed a lot of this when it comes to data collection because as time goes on, you’ll notice different products entering the market. I remember at one point Google Analytics was the only tool available to help you collect all the right numbers. However, since then I’ve seen so many more come into the market. I’m not saying they are better than Google, but they might help you achieve what you are trying to do. You have to keep in mind, when you analyze data, you have to be able to understand what piece of data help your business grow. There is NO point in focusing on traffic when none of it is converting.
If you want to dominate your teach, then it’s important you keep practicing, and learn what new tools are available to help you out. Next, it’s important you learn how to use these tools going forward because if you don’t then your competition will utilize them to get a jump forward on you. Next.
The good thing is if you’ve been networking, you can always tap into these authority people to figure out some of the latest tools which they have been using.
Don’t Be Afraid to Diversify
I believe sometimes things are connected, and this means you’ll have to step outside the box. By doing this, you’ll find other avenues which make you better in your niche. You see this happen within the weight loss niche.
When speaking about weight loss, it’s important to not only know about working out, but also a good diet. When you combine them both, it helps achieve the bottom line of losing weight. As bloggers, we refuse to step outside the box which sows down our growth, and this causes us to lose traction in what we are trying to achieve. If you are involved in a niche which is broad, and stepping outside will help you become an authority, then do it.
Final Thoughts
These days in order to excel online, you have to definitely leave a mark within your niche. It’s not as simple as setting up a blog, and hope you’ll start engaging an audience. The growth of the internet has led to competitors, and this just gives people more choices. What does this mean for your audience? It means they have the option to be more selective when choosing where to retrieve information. If they can’t find what they want on your blog, then they’ll head over some where else to find the value they want. However, as discussed within this content there are steps you can take to stand out. For example,
Network with others in your niche because some have been around longer than you. This means you can tap into their minds asking them for information on new trends, tools, and software. Secondly, you can diversify because this might leave to more choices, and allow you to think outside of the box. I believe when you move from narrow to broad, you might open up the door to more options. At this point, you can start to connect the dots, and become in-depth in your niche later showcasing your authority. Next,
It’s important to make sure you simplify content because it’s those that understand which will engage. Sometimes you don’t have to re-invent the wheel, but just tweak it to make it better. Computers have been around for years, however Apple found ways to make them more engaging. Read complicated content, and find ways to make it better for your audience.
All this will be impossible if you don’t know how to carve out your territory. You have to know what your passion is, then follow it through. You have to know where you’ll be able to have the MOST influence because only then will you be able to transform, and engage your audience. Understand your niche, and then narrow it down until you have your own territory. Learn to be an expert, and help others through your knowledge.