How to Build Authority & Expertise Through Your Content
It takes multiple types of content to help strangers on the internet go from strangers to followers to customers or clients of your creative business.
The first type of content you need is one that sparks a connection with them.
But after that connection is sparked, you need to start teaching your audience what it is you do to help them and why you’re uniquely qualified to do it.
To do that, you need to start building authority and expertise.
For this, you’ll want to post a type of content I like to call “Kindle Relationships” content.
What is “Kindle Relationships” content?
“Kindle Relationships” content is how you teach your audience more and more about what your creative business does, who you help, and how you do it.
It helps build trust in the fact that you’re qualified to help your ideal client.
Your audience needs to see that you have the skills and qualities they’re looking for when they’re at the point of evaluating options for the product or service you offer.
Posting this type of content solidifies you as the “go-to” in your client’s mind when it comes to your niche.
What does “Kindle Relationships” content look like?
This type of content is kinda all about demonstrating “how the sausage is made.”
You want your audience to walk away imagining how it would feel to work with you or to get one of your products.
You want them to understand all of the expertise and craftsmanship that went into your offer, and all of the value they’re going to get out of it.
Here are some examples of Kindle Relationships content:
Tips/actionable advice
“Behind the scenes” posts
Walking through your process
Before/afters
Common mistakes made without your solution
Photos of your products/services
Posts highlighting your differentiators
Showing your client experience
However, there are a couple things to watch out for with this type of content:
You’re not teaching them how to do the thing they can pay you for.
Otherwise, why would they pay you for it?
Avoid the pitfall of posting step-by-step tutorials and how-to’s, and instead share helpful tips, or a snippet of your process—just enough for them to get a feel for how you teach, share information, or work with a client.
You need to tailor this content precisely to your ideal client’s needs in order for them to see the value.
If you start sharing posts that demonstrate your expertise in an area the client doesn’t care about, or doesn’t know that they need help with, they’re not going to pay attention.
You need to ALWAYS relate your content back to your ideal client’s needs.
Start with the words you hear them saying now—the words they use to describe their own problem or what they think they need.
THEN you can explain the skills and expertise that’s needed to solve that problem, or the solution that they actually need.
P.S. If you need help figuring out your ideal client’s exact needs and challenges, this is something I do with my 1:1 coaching clients!
Kindle Relationships Content Examples
Here are some different types of Kindle Relationships content I’ve posted on Instagram to give you ideas for what you can post on your own creative business accounts:
Mistakes to Avoid
What it is: A post that shares common mistakes your ideal clients make (that your solution solves).
Why it works: It gives your audience advice they can put into practice, while demonstrating your expertise as you indicate what the “better way” is.
Tips
What it is: Quick, helpful tips that will help your ideal client get closer to solving their problem/challenge (without giving away everything they pay you for!)
Why it works: It gives your audience value for free by giving them actionable tips that help solve their problems—building both trust and authority.
Behind the Scenes
What it is: A photo or video showing what things look like when you’re working, including your setup, workspace, or process.
Why it works: It gives your audience a peek behind the curtain to make them feel VIP, while also boosting your authenticity as you show the more raw, unfiltered side of the biz over perfectly curated posts.
Your Process
What it is: A post or video that shows a portion of your process, or a timelapse showing start to finish.
Why it works: It lends credibility—you’re not just telling people you can do something, here’s proof showing that you actually do it!
Posting more of this type of content builds authority with your audience and helps them see you as the “go-to” for your product or service—which is critical if you want to be the first one they think of when they’re ready to invest in a solution!