These days, blogs are more influential than traditional, non-informational websites. Why? Because we all relate to personal experiences better than we relate to corporations and brands.

Earlier, I shared about how to increase the trust factor of a blog. This is something you need to do, especially when you are operating a blog under a brand name. You have to turn yourself into a credible blogger.

When I say “credible blogger”, it means that people should trust you with each and every word.

A credible blogger has a lot of people saying good things about them, and very few people saying bad things.

The biggest problem is how to become one of these bloggers.

Becoming More Credible

Well, first, you need to start by being a credible person.

Yep. You heard me right.

• You need to become a credible person in order to become a credible blogger.

When it comes to blogging, it’s not enough to become a credible person only; you also need to become a credible leader. Either you have it in you, or you need to work hard to become one.

There are two very common traits of credible people:

1. Consistency
2. Persistence

Let’s explore how to become a credible person, and ultimately, a credible blogger.

Think Beyond Personal Profit

Money is one of the top motivation factors for blogging, but to cross that line of “being stuck”, you need to think beyond money.

When you are working on building a quality blog, money making opportunities will keep coming, but you should never overlook the aspect of community building.

This means that, at times, it’s good to let go of a few monetary offers which may hurt your current readership. For example, it may be better to reject certain paid reviews.

You need to prioritize high-quality content over content designed to make money.

If you’re running a group or forum, you need to work as a moderator to encourage healthy engagement and a supportive sense of community. Similarly, on your blog, you are responsible for community building, and with a pro-active approach, you can easily achieve that sense of community.

Always Stand For What’s Right

One of the biggest traps in life is “right vs. wrong”.

The more you think about something being right or wrong, the more you start running away from what’s “right”. This is because humans are inherently more focused on pleasing themselves more than others.

Especially when working online, where you can’t physically see another person, make sure you’re standing up for what’s “right”.

Part of being “right” is also being authentic.

In blogging, don’t blindly follow what others are saying or doing, you need to have your own view and opinion. It’s OK to disagree on things, but disagree in a way that doesn’t hurt anyone.

And when blogging, make sure all of your thoughts are backed up by logic.

Make Every Word You Say Count

One of the good and bad sides of working online is that you don’t get to see the people you’re talking to. We read words; this creates an idea or impression about the person behind those words.

So what we write on our blogs, what we say on our social media profiles, and how we interact with people online all plays into our overall credibility.

Make sure your words are meaningful, and make sure that your interactions are valuable. Don’t use social media as a crutch to entertain yourself when you’re bored. Instead, use social media to create genuine connections with your readers.

This is usually where social media gurus recommend cross-checking what updates you are posting on each social media site. This makes you appear consistent and professional.

Ensure each of your profiles reflects your personality and stays updated.

Become Likable

We all like to talk about things we like or believe in, and it’s this which will help us become consistent. And when we become consistent, we become likable.

Another thing that will help is giving things away for free.

Now, it should be obvious why this makes us likable; people like getting things for free. But more than that, people respect altruism more than they respect greediness.

Think about which one of these scenarios is more “likable”:

1. Getting $100 for doing some work.
2. Giving away $100 to a poor person who has not eaten in days.

The person who willingly gives away is always liked, and that’s the reason why professions related to medicine and education are always seen as highly credible lines of work.

Similarly, if you wish to become a credible blogger, you need to have the mindset of giving back to the community.

Always remember:

• The more you give, the more you will receive.

Also remember that it doesn’t matter how knowledgeable you are; what matters is how you give away your knowledge.

Be Confident

Confidence is an attribute of successful people, and success is a great measurement of credibility.

Make sure you are always displaying confidence, and create a mechanism for yourself to be more confident in times of need.

Here are a few things which will help you become more confident:

• Exercise daily: If you can’t do it for long, start with 10 minutes a day.
• Meditation: Like exercise is useful for your body’s muscles, meditation is useful for your brain’s muscles. If you’ve never done it before, I recommend you try Headspace.
• Travel: Traveling helps in opening up your limited beliefs, and it is very handy for self-growth. If you always find yourself waiting for the right time to travel, imagine how many travel opportunities you have already missed. Just get up and do it! It’s much easier than you think- especially if all you need for work is an internet connection.
• Fight your fears: Make a list of all the fears you have and pledge to fight one fear every day. The more you fight your fears, the more confident you become.
• Work on verbal communication: When you speak, speak with conviction. Really say what you mean and convey the fact that you know what you’re talking about.
• Work on nonverbal communication: Nonverbal communication is the first impression, and it should be the cornerstone of your communication efforts. Stand tall. Sit tall. Be relaxed and in control of your environment. Nonverbal communication also includes how you dress and behave. There is no excuse for dressing or behaving inappropriately. Follow social norms and decorums at all times.

Do remember, “good” is a synonym of perfect. Focus on becoming “good” first, and perfection will soon follow.

Strive For Peace, Not Happiness

I often thought happiness was what really mattered, but after learning about what makes me happy, I learned that “being at peace” is what really matters.

I was at a stage of my life where I had everything. And I was happy, too. But eventually, that feeling of happiness turned into sadness and emptiness.

Because the thing with happiness is that it exists along with sadness. One can’t exist without the other.

However, being at peace is something that can exist on its own. 

If you really want to be the person that people look up to, you need to learn & understand the higher meaning of life. You need to learn how to be in the moment & how to be at peace with whatever life is giving you.

For me, the changing moment was when I read these two books:

• The Power Of Now
• The Surrender Experiment

What happened after I read those two books was magical.

Anyway, this is the takeaway:

• You are the only person responsible for how you feel.

If you spend a lot of time worrying about the past or the future, waiting for acceptance, complaining about things, getting angry, or feeling like you need to fix something ASAP, then you will surely create an environment of unnecessary stress.

If you really want to feel OK with your life, you need to create an existence which doesn’t always cater to the fear of missing out (FOMO). You need to level up yourself.

My best suggestion is that you start living in the moment. With practice, you can learn to become more and more peaceful every day.

Becoming A Credible Blogger

The last 2 points are more “life hacks, but like I said, being a credible blogger is about being a credible person. And you shouldn’t use becoming credible as a “trick” to make money. You should see the real value here- to live life more authentically in order to become more successful.

To make your blog more credible, make sure it’s professional, work on its image, and build up your brand. It takes time, but it’s completely worth it.

If you find yourself getting into that rat race of making money forever, you will miss out on enjoying life. Build up your authenticity, and your blog audience will respect that.

When that happens, making money is right around the corner!

What are your tips for building credibility as a blogger? What do you do to make sure your readers know that you’re trustworthy? Which one of these tips are you going to start implementing today? Let me hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments below!

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