I’m going to assume for the purpose of this discussion that you have a website and that you would like to position yourself as a recognized authority (an expert) in your niche. How can you do that simply without spending a fortune?

I can sum it up in one sentence: Become a niche publisher.

This little formula will work whether you are a lawyer, a carpenter, a fiction writer, an auto mechanic, or a business executive. Whatever your expertise is, you are not truly an expert unless you are perceived as an expert.

So your job is to manage your audience’s perception, re-creating yourself as an expert in their minds.

The No B.S. 5-Step Process To Becoming A Recognized Expert Online

If you want people to see you as an expert, then you have to act like an expert. In this century, experts are publishers. That means you’ve got to establish a system that promotes you and your business as problem solvers that people will turn to for helping them solve their niche problems. Here’s how you do that in 5 easy steps.

1. Start a blog – You’ve already got a website, now start a blog. If you’re worried that you don’t have the time to write a blog, quit worrying. You don’t have to post to it every day to be effective. Establish a content calendar for your blog and keep to it. It’s more important to share quality information that your readers will get into than to publish every day.
2. Write a book on a specific niche topic – It doesn’t have to be a big book. Start small. Offer a 10-page e-book as a freebie for your newsletter subscribers. Or give it away for free to promote a particular service you offer. The key is to write a book that is full of useful information that your readers can’t get anywhere else.
3. Publish your book in all the major formats – This may require two steps. If you decide to write a free giveaway e-book as suggested in the last step, go one step further and write a larger book full of information that people would gladly pay for. Convert that book to all the major digital formats (PDF, Kindle, ePub, and iBook). Don’t worry about publishing in print unless you have a viable means of distribution (such as speaking engagements).
4. Set up a distribution network for your book – It isn’t enough to publish your book. You’ve got to offer it for sale and put it into distribution. All the major online book sellers have a way for you to upload your book to their stores. Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo all allow you to sell directly through their stores. Smashwords is an online digital distribution network that will get your e-book into other online stores – such as Sony and Apple. You can also sell your book on your own website. Set up a distribution network and promote the dickens out of it.
5. Position your book, your blog, and your brand in the marketplace of ideas so that members of your audience can’t ignore them – Promoting your book and blog requires a bit more creativity and outreach. Do some guest blogging on popular blogs within your niche. Share your content on social media. Wherever your target audience can be found, you be there too. Instead of relying on blatant promotion, focus your energies on building relationships.

Beyond these steps, anything else you can do to establish your reputation as an expert is in your hands. Try podcasting, speaking engagements, or webinars. It’s your business. If you’re an expert and can prove it, your publishing enterprise will reflect that.

Are you ready to boost your authority? Looking for ways to expand your reach and deliver the best content for your niche audience? Download my free report, “14 Types of Authority Content.” Learn the 14 types of content that will keep your audience coming back for more and instantly make you an authority they can rely on.

* Trust me, I’m no fan of spam either. You can trust me with your contact information. I’ll use it only to deliver your special report, and occasionally may send out special offers or communicate with you on building authority with content. You can opt out any time.