Guide, Nov 2021

Building Brand Authority Online

November 1, 2021 | by FRodriguez M.S., L.E.

As a skincare professional, branding is no longer an option in the world of social media, video content, and e-commerce sales. As a result, there is more pressure than ever to create a brand that genuinely represents your business and is a trusted source within the industry. Building an authoritative brand is not a quick endeavor, but the massive benefits make your efforts worth it over time.

Brand authority is essentially earned trust from your clients, potential clients, and others in your industry – and the easiest way to do this is content. Starting with the steps listed below will help you create authority in your brand and will build a more well-rounded marketing strategy for your business.

Start With Strategy

The first step, and maybe the most underrated step of any successful online brand, is to draft a strategy before diving into the deep end. A good branding strategy should be relevant to your business goals and stay genuine to the core values of your business. This step is a great time to bust out your business plan to cross-reference and make sure that your business aligns with what your brand is portraying to others.

“Building an online brand authority is never a one-size-fits-all approach and needs to be customized and tailored to your goals, audience, and desired results.”

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The strategy step is the best time to list out what your brand’s identity is, who you want your brand to form a connection with, and where you want those people to find your brand. The internet is a large space, so now is the time to be specific on where you want to focus the energy of your brand. Start with three online platforms and add more when you feel like you’ve mastered the first three – don’t spread yourself too thin.

Bring Your Brand To Life

Consistency is vital when it comes to the internet. Information, trends, and content move faster than ever before, and what is viral today could be gone tomorrow. Therefore, when building brand authority online, it is better to create consistent content that resonates with your ideal clients than to create irregular content with the intent that it will go viral.

At this stage, incorporate any elements that you feel are necessary to bring your brand’s identity to life. For example, think of your brand’s voice, style, and identity and how to implement those elements into the platforms you chose during your strategy session. After finalizing those elements, it’s time to do a little research to ensure the internet spaces your brand is showing up in relevant to your key audience demographic.

Step Up On Social Media

A strong social media presence is the modern-day business card and one of the quickest ways to build your brand authority online. Social media is a popular way to build brand authority because you can direct the perception of your brand for free. Introducing your brand, connecting with ideal clients, and building relationships with other leaders in the industry are all possible with social media.

Sounds like magic, right? It still takes a bit of effort on your part – showing up frequently, answering questions, and sharing your story are all part of the game when positioning your brand on social media. To be viewed as an authority in a particular subject online, you must first view yourself as the authority. Now is the time to shake off the imposter syndrome and share your credentials, testimonials, and professional advice for all to see on social media.

Bring Customers Home

Many businesses attain a following on social media and call it good, only to be wondering why they still have empty schedules a few months later. Social media alone is not enough to build brand authority, even though that is where so many professionals end their efforts. The reality is that you don’t own your social media, which means putting all your efforts in one platform or the other can leave you empty-handed. (Think Vine circa 2016.)

Having a well-done website is the key to having a well-rounded brand strategy. Guiding social media followers to a place that includes your portfolio, treatments, and business story solidifies your authority in the industry. In addition, it creates a stronger connection between your brand and your social media followers.

Content isn’t only for social media networks. For example, by posting regular blog posts, videos, or podcasts on your website, you build credibility with search engines like Google or Bing, which leads to higher rankings of your website when people search for specific keywords. (Location, services, etc.)

Tying It All Together

Building an online brand authority is never a one-size-fits-all approach and needs to be customized and tailored to your goals, audience, and desired results. By mapping out a strategy and staying consistent with your content, you will generate more traffic to your business, which organically builds your authority in the industry. By remaining true to your business’s values and brand’s core identity, you can find great success by adding these authority-building steps into your current marketing strategy.

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