Positioning Yourself As An Authority in Your Marketing Niche
these are tips I've practiced and have yielded results.
Before We Begin…
GUESS WHAT’S HAPPENING NEXT WEDNESDAY?!
That’s right, the DDMB Virtual Event!
If you’re not planning to attend, you’ll be missing out on an incredible opportunity to learn from our expert guest speakers and gain insights that could transform your marketing career.
Don’t let this pass you by! Tap "I Won’t Miss It" to secure your spot.
If you're reading this, chances are you're working hard to build your presence in marketing, but how do you go from being just another marketer to being seen as an authority in your niche?
I’ve been on this journey myself, and I want to share practical strategies that have worked for me. These aren’t just theories; they’ve been tested, refined, and proven to deliver results. Let’s dive in!
The Excuse That Holds Many Back
Maybe you’re thinking:
“There are so many people already talking about this, how will I stand out?”
“Others have more experience than I do and can explain things better.”
I had these same doubts until I reached my "If I perish, I perish" phase, where I decided to show up anyway.
And here’s what I learned:
You improve with every post, every newsletter, and every conversation.
You gain deeper knowledge on topics because you’re researching, listening to industry conversations, and engaging with your audience.
You eventually reach a point where you say, "I’ll post it anyway."
My Results Since This Year?
If you’re wondering what this journey has done for me, here’s a snapshot of my achievements this year:
Wrote my first ebook—"Planning Your Marketing Career" and it’s still selling fast!
Grew this newsletter to 414 subscribers (and counting!).
Landed my first paid consulting gig in January and my first paid speaking engagement this February.
Secured multiple speaking opportunities through my posts.
Signed retainer clients, all from my content.
Hosting my first virtual event next week with over 110 registered participants.
Expanded my network by interviewing top marketers I’ve learned from.
Reached almost 4K followers on LinkedIn and launched my Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube accounts.
Became better at my job by constantly researching the topics I write about.
And trust me, this didn’t happen overnight (plus I started since 2023). It took:
Posting cringe-worthy content in the beginning.
Testing different approaches.
Hitting publish and sometimes wanting to disappear afterward.
Sharing posts across multiple platforms for visibility.
Now, let’s get into the exact steps to help you build authority in your niche.
1. Own Your Niche and Be Specific
One of the biggest mistakes I see new marketers make is trying to be everywhere at once. Specializing makes it easier to be recognized. Are you great at content marketing for B2B SaaS? Social media marketing for e-commerce brands? Email marketing for course creators? Own it!
Identify a sub-niche within marketing that excites you and where you can build deep expertise.
2. Create High-Value Content (Consistently)
Authority isn’t just claimed, it’s demonstrated through the knowledge you consistently share. The most effective way to establish credibility is by creating educational, actionable, and insightful content that directly addresses your audience’s pain points.
Start with one primary platform (LinkedIn, Twitter, a blog, or YouTube) and commit to a posting schedule that feels sustainable. I began with one post per week until I found my rhythm, now, I post daily. The key is consistency, not frequency. Avoid overcommitting to a pace you can't maintain. Instead, start with what feels manageable - whether it’s writing, creating graphics, or a mix of text and meme-style posts.
Pro Tip: Repurpose your content to maximize impact and prevent burnout. For example, transform a tweet into a LinkedIn post, a blog into a carousel, or a video into an infographic.
3. Engage and Build Conversations
Many marketers focus only on posting content but forget the power of engagement. Being an authority doesn’t mean you talk at people, it means you build conversations with them.
Spend time engaging with your audience. Comment on industry leaders' posts, answer questions, and start discussions.
Example: If someone asks, “What’s the best way to grow a brand’s Instagram?” don’t just reply with, Post consistently! Instead, share a mini strategy and a personal experience.
4. Showcase Your Wins and Case Studies
Nothing builds credibility like results. Even if you’re just starting, document what you’re learning and the results you’re achieving, whether it’s for a client, a side project, or even your own brand.
Start compiling case studies. Even if you don’t have client work, do a personal experiment and share the insights.
Example: Ran a TikTok growth experiment? Share what worked, what didn’t, and what you’d do differently next time.
5. Collaborate with Industry Leaders
Networking and collaboration speed up your authority-building journey. When people see you interacting with respected voices, your credibility grows.
You can interview an expert, feature them in your content, or even engage with them through meaningful comments and DMs.
Example: I recently featured five top marketers in my newsletter, which not only provided value but also expanded my reach and credibility.
6. Speak, Teach, and Share Your Expertise
Teaching accelerates learning and positions you as an expert. Whether it’s hosting a webinar, giving a talk, or mentoring someone, sharing knowledge builds authority.
Start small. Host an Instagram Live, a Twitter Space, or even a Zoom workshop. The more you teach, the more people see you as a go-to expert.
7. Build Social Proof and Testimonials
Authority isn’t just about what you say, it’s about what others say about you. Collect testimonials and showcase social proof to reinforce your credibility.
Ask past clients, colleagues, or even people you’ve helped in free consultations to share their feedback.
Example: “After following Success’s LinkedIn content strategy, our engagement tripled in 3 months!” - this kind of testimonial adds weight to your authority.
Another Example:
8. Build in Public
People trust those who share their journey openly. Documenting your progress, learnings, and even failures makes you relatable and positions you as a thought leader.
Share your process, wins, and struggles in real-time. Post behind-the-scenes insights on your projects, client work, or personal experiments.
Example: If you’re working on a new content strategy, post about your approach, what’s working, and what you’re tweaking along the way.
Positioning yourself as an authority doesn’t happen overnight. It’s a result of showing up, sharing insights, and providing value - consistently. Pick at least one action from this newsletter and implement it this week!
I’d love to hear from you. What’s one thing you’re doing to build your authority? Hit the button and let me know!
Book Excerpt
This Is Marketing by Seth Godin
This excerpt from This Is Marketing by Seth Godin explores the idea that "better" is subjective in marketing. Here’s a breakdown of the key themes:
"Better" is Relative:
The Beer Advocate website lists many highly-rated beers, each being someone's favorite. This highlights that there is no universal "best" beer, just different preferences.
Similarly, when marketers claim their product is "better," they aren't speaking an absolute truth but rather something that may be better for a specific audience.
Empathy in Marketing:
People don’t see the world the way you do. They have different beliefs, experiences, and desires.
The concept of "sonder" (realizing that everyone has a rich and complex internal life) is crucial for marketers to understand their audience.
Instead of pushing a message onto people, marketers must acknowledge their audience’s fears, struggles, and emotions.
Dancing with Resistance:
The final part suggests that rather than forcing people to accept a product or idea, marketers should embrace their audience’s existing perspectives and work with them. This means understanding their struggles, respecting their preferences, and positioning the product in a way that naturally aligns with their needs.
Takeaway:
Marketing isn't about proving that your product is "the best." It's about understanding people, their emotions, and their perspectives, then presenting something that resonates with them.
You should read this book.
Meme of The Week
Episode’s Bonus:
Last week’s newsletter, Documenting Your Work & Processes, is quickly becoming one of the most-read editions on DDMB! Excited by the response, I reached out to Onyi of
after her LinkedIn post and asked her to share her SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) with me.An SOP is a valuable tool for streamlining recurring tasks, ensuring consistency, and improving efficiency, making it an excellent way to document your processes.
See You Next Thursday at 13:00 WAT
Until then, keep growing and keep showing up.
Best,
Success Lawal
Your Marketing Buddy.
If you aren’t a subscriber you are missing a lot of gems!
I'm not yet doing anything to build authority but I want to get started on Medium and activate my LinkedIn profile
I'm always ready for your nuggets and you never disappoint. I loved last week's newsletter so much I had to recommend to a marketing community I was a part of.