Here’s the rewritten article with the domain URLs removed:
Step 1: Demonstrate Each Element Of E-E-A-T
First things first: how do you assert yourself as an authority on your chosen topic?
If you are familiar with the concept of E-E-A-T, you know it’s closely tied to topical authority. Working on one is the same as working on the other, and E-E-A-T clarifies what you need to do.
What does E-E-A-T mean, and how do you demonstrate it?
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Experience: Share what you have personally dealt with as a person and a professional. Example: a detailed product review where you describe how you have used it.
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Expertise: A high level of skill and knowledge in your field. Example: a Knowledge Panel with an expert’s name, photo, credentials, and contact information.
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Authoritativeness: Earn the title of an expert by creating content and gaining rankings and backlinks over time. Example: being referred to as a credible source by another website.
- Trustworthiness: Maintain a good reputation with your target audience. Example: positive user reviews.
Each of these elements signals to search engines that your website is run by a real pro who knows what users want. This is your end goal; now let’s get into the details.
Step 2: Stick To A Single Niche
Can you dedicate your site to multiple niches? Sure. But as the saying goes, the person who chases two rabbits catches neither.
If your chosen niches are not closely related, search engines may not consider you a specialist. But if they are closely related, it’s possible to succeed.
For example, a well-known travel authority covers destinations, activities, and more.
To be acknowledged as an expert, it’s best to pick a single niche and fully commit to it. If you’re feeling ambitious, pick several related topics and produce content as if the Internet will shut down tomorrow.
Step 3: Start Gaining Experience & Never Stop
How do you get good at something? By doing it countless times, of course!
The more experience and knowledge you have, the more you can put into your content and show to your audience—and search engines. The more you have to show, the more credible you appear in everyone’s eyes.
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. A bad experience is also valuable.
Step 4: Create Original, In-Depth Content – Lots Of It
No expert steals others’ work. Real stars create their own content and make it as good as they can.
Be original, amazing, and productive.
What else can you do to get the most out of your content?
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Update outdated content. It’s easier and faster than writing a new article from scratch and makes sense from an SEO standpoint.
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Include links to authoritative sources. This increases your content’s credibility since you know the best sources.
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Use relevant keywords and phrases. Your experience can identify the best phrases to use.
- Promote your content. Social media and email outreach are excellent options.
Quantity matters as much as quality. If you want to become a real authority, you’ll need to cover your niche fully, not just with one or two articles.
Step 5: Create Different Types Of Content
Even if you stick to one niche, it can be presented in multiple formats.
Don’t rely solely on blog posts. Consider:
- Podcasts
- Graphs and diagrams
- Case studies and research reports
- Images (photos, infographics)
- Videos (including shorts, streams, webinars)
The more you create, the better. However, focusing on a few content types you excel at is okay.
Step 6: Use An Efficient Internal Linking Structure
When one page links to another, it shares some of its own authority with it.
Efficiently interlink your site’s pages to achieve two important goals:
- Visitors will easily find any content they want.
- Important pages will receive maximum authority.
Note that page authority and topical authority are related but not the same. Increasing one often increases the other.
How Do I Create An Efficient Internal Link Structure?
As mentioned before, create lots of content to explore a niche fully.
Some pages will be related by covering different aspects of the same topic. Those pages can be grouped into a topic cluster.
What Is A Topic Cluster?
A topic cluster usually has one page with the main topic and several others with related topics. The hub page has the most authority and shares it with the rest, increasing their search visibility.
Step 7: Get Backlinks From Authoritative Sites
Authoritativeness is vital, and it requires building links to your content, one of the toughest parts of SEO.
Find trusted sites whose backlinks will boost your authoritativeness. One strategy is to see where your competitors get their backlinks.
Step 8: Grow Your Online Reputation
Gaining clout requires transparency.
People and companies cannot become authorities by remaining hidden. At the very least, attach a name and a face to your content—like an author bio.
The more professional it looks, the better.
What else can you do?
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Get positive user reviews. Ask for them; don’t be discouraged by bad reviews, as they add authenticity.
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Create an About Us page. Describe your company and successes.
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Create social media pages. Have one for your company and each expert, or just one if you work solo.
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Engage with followers on social media. Like posts, follow back, and reply promptly. Use a chatbot if needed.
- Engage with competitors on social media. Be active on their pages.
Step 9: Create A Wikipedia Page
Wikipedia is a trusted resource. Having a page there boosts any person or brand’s image, especially if it’s filled with detailed information.
You can only create a personal Wikipedia page if you’re already famous, so consider creating one about your company.
Get an auto-confirmed Wikipedia account, then start making your page. Use similar pages as a guide.
Include citations and sources from sites other than your own.
Step 10: Provide Excellent User Experience
A true expert’s website should function flawlessly. Professionals have standards, and so do users.
What can you do?
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Improve loading speed. Identify slow-loading pages and optimize them following recommendations.
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Ensure mobile-friendliness. Make your site responsive across all devices.
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Fix technical errors. Find all site errors and fix them promptly.
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Translate content into multiple languages if targeting a multilingual audience.
- Ensure user accessibility. Equip your site for all visitors, even those with disabilities.
Wrapping Up
If you aim to become an expert, gaining topical authority is essential. It takes years of hard work, but the reward is acknowledgment in your community and search engines.
Take the first step. Arm yourself with SEO tools to help your content reach top rankings faster.
