When starting a monetized blog, it’s imperative to focus a substantial percentage of your time on the content. I always say that content is the foundation on which to build your site around. A good solid foundation will increase the likelihood of your visitors coming back. It also builds your reputation in your respective niche/subject. That is only part of the equation however, albeit a big part of it. Several factors come into play when you think about establishing credibility. Let us consider the internet market niche. A popular way of making a name for yourself is to post a picture of you with a big fat check, or reporting your earnings, which shows thousands of dollars. Putting your money where your mouth is, this basically lets the viewer believe that you actually know what you are doing. These people are at the top of their game, and obviously not everyone is at that level. Does this mean that everyone who doesn’t prove they earn thousands, do not know what they’re talking about? Not at all. I have seen several lesser known people myself whom are establishing themselves very well, yet do not earn thousands of dollars, or at least do not show their reports. There are various ways in establishing credibility which anyone can use if they are dedicated and show genuine interest in their niche. I will be discussing the basic steps in building authority in your niche.


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High quality content helps on so many levels as you can imagine. As I mentioned earlier, it is also a major variable to consider when establishing credibility. A well-written or thought-provoking article will show more authority in your field than a shallow blurb about whatever. People tend to think that the more you write on a particular post, the more higher the quality it is, which is not necessarily always the case. It’s true, that oftentimes when creating high quality content, to fully elaborate and really get into the subject, the post usually gets very long. Articles can be well-written and generally short however, if it’s concise and to the point. Choosing to write shorter post would be your best choice considering if you want to post daily and do not have a lot of time. Just be sure to define your objective(s) and stay focused on what you are determined to write about. I know how easily it can be to get sidetracked from your main points. Another quick advice on content in general, double-check your grammar and spelling! It helps so much to just go over your writing once or twice. Although you may not find all the errors, you may be able to get most.

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The look and feel of your website should look professional and clean-looking, depending on your niche. For example, you do not want to use a crazy colored theme with graffiti-like fonts on a blog about finance. Remember, you are trying to create a name for yourself. It’s somewhat subjective as to what is considered a good design (I have much more to say on that subject later on…) and can be quite challenging, especially if you aren’t the type of person who is into design in the first place. A good general rule of thumb is to use two to three main colors for your blog and use the common fonts (Arial, Times New Roman) for your text. The last thing you want to do is scare the viewer away because they are having a hard time reading your articles. Content is one of the main components which you would want viewers to focus. Make sure your design complements whatever part you want them to concentrate on so they will not get too distracted on other things. If you wanted to highlight your advertisements for example, you wouldn’t want to make a crazy top banner and choose colors that directs the viewer away from the ads. Of course, you could always hire a professional designer to design the blog for you. If you are not looking into paying, there are many free professional-looking themes out there that you can work with.

Something that people may not consider when establishing credibility is when you are commenting on other blogs related to your niche, to consider how/what you write it. Your first comments are the virtual first impressions. You want to give off a good image by trying to elaborate on your thoughts about the person’s post. Of course, flattery is another way to write your comment, but try not to be too overbearing. Likewise, honesty is just as good if not better. Constructive criticism and letting the person know how you really feel (in a polite manner, of course) will truly show your character. By giving a good initial impression of yourself, you are building upon your credibility and will strengthen it with further quality comments.

Another small piece of advice is keeping your promises. It can be quite the turn-off when you say you will do this and never do it, or you will write about X in Y days and you fail to deliver. If you can’t do whatever…simply don’t say you will. Keeping to your words is more powerful than most people realize, and backing down on them will turn off your viewers. As the frequency increases, the effect increases exponentially.

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Eventually you will see the results of what you are doing to establish a name for yourself. Traffic will definitely increase. You will also start witnessing yourself becoming more and more involved with the community by answering people’s questions and such (even when they aren’t directed to you!). If you stay focused on your niche and keep up with developing your authority, as the time comes, you will be well established and your credibility will speak for itself.