Blogging is 100% About Building Trust

How do you develop a loyal readership that will follow your every move and promote your every action?

Some say it’s quality content, others say it’s about developing relationships and adding to the conversation. These are all viable answers but they miss out on a key component. TRUST.

The root of successful blogging is about building trust. Sure you can write the best articles about a particular subject, but if no one trusts you then it all amounts to nothing. Similarly, you can be an excellent marketer who knows how to sell and close deals. If you don’t have a quality product, however, your trust goes out the window.

Everything you do as a blogger is based around this trust factor. Learn to embrace it.

Below are the 8 components that determine your blogger trust level.

1. Quality of posts

This is simply something that cannot be ignored. As a blogger, your articles make up the product that you sell to potential readers. If you’re not informative, unique, creative, humorous, or entertaining, no one is going to stick with you. Offer value to readers and they’ll slowly learn to trust you.

2. Expertise

I hate to say it but expertise is just a matter of perception. You can be an expert in anything you want (reasonably speaking) if you study hard, go through trials and errors, and give off the right impression. It really amazes me when bloggers intentionally label themselves as newbies who don’t know anything. 

Why would I trust you if you don’t know what you’re talking about? Learn to be an expert and sell yourself with the right impression. People will trust your opinion much more and that in itself will do wonders for your blog.

3. Be genuine

Aside from being an “expert”, you want to be as genuine as possible. I’m learning this more and more through blogging here at Winning the Web. No one really cares about your “10 ways to blah blah blah”. 

They want to hear YOUR story and how it relates to you. So go against what your 6th grade English teacher taught you and frequently use the letter “I” in your writing. That’s what people want to hear, and that’s how they’ll relate to your experiences and trust you.

4. Referrals, links, awards, & media mentions

You can talk about how awesome you are, but no one is going to believe you unless someone they already trust backs you up. Network with some of the most influential leaders in your industry and try to gain attention. 

This one is closely tied to the other components but it doesn’t hurt to make an extra effort. Don’t be an obnoxious spammer, but don’t be afraid to ask for links, testimonials, and plugs as you develop close relationships.

5. Get exposure around the web

The more people see you, the more likely they will check out what you’re all about. This is the first step to developing trust: exposure. People do have to see you first in order to eventually trust you. Keeping this in mind, do everything possible to get your name out there (without spamming - this will kill trust). 

Frequently comment on other related blogs, guest post on top blogs in your niche, spend some money on advertising and paid reviews, and be active on the social media front. A little work here goes a long way.

6. Age of the blog

In the long run, perseverance pays off. If you do everything right and stick with it, you’ll slowly but surely gain the trust of your readers. No one becomes an A-list blogger overnight and rightfully so. 

Trust is built like a rolling snowball. It might be difficult to get started in the beginning, but in a couple years you’ll have momentum on your side.

7. Personal contact

People love personalization. Whenever possible, email readers directly and thank them for supporting you. A small gesture like this can really stay in the mind of a reader and enable them to connect with you on a personal level. 

Take part in social media networks and forums where you can personally stay in touch with many potential readers. It takes time and effort but it’s worth it if you want to take your blog to the next level.

8. Display pictures and videos

The Internet is full of anonymous trolls who give the online space a bad reputation. As a blogger, that’s trouble for you. In order to combat this, it helps to put up pictures and videos of yourself on your blog. This shows readers that you are a real person who can be trusted. It’s simple yet effective. Try it out.

Like I said, blogging is 100% about trust. Every action you take is just a means to build trust and grow your readership. Focus on trust and everything else will fall in place. Which of these components do you rely on most? Which could you use some work on? Do you trust me? Leave a comment below.

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