Back to Authority & Trust
Section 9 · Content Authority
Content That Earns Authority
Teach what you know. Share what you've learned. Comment on what's happening.
Authority
Credibility
Why it works
Authority is built by repeatedly being useful in public. Content is the proof of expertise at scale.
Connects to
Authority
Credibility
When to use it
Anyone with knowledge, experience, or a strong perspective.
When NOT to use it
Don't publish content you can't back up — one wrong claim sinks years of credibility.
How to use it
- Educational content: 'How to do X step-by-step'.
- Teaching content: frameworks, models, mental models.
- Problem-solving content: 'If you have problem X, here's how I'd fix it'.
- Research-based content: original surveys, data, audits.
- Industry commentary: thoughtful takes on news in your niche.
- Case studies: real outcomes with numbers and lessons.
Examples
Original research
Backlinko's SEO studies built authority that powered millions in revenue.
Case study
Indie Hackers' founder revenue stories built the entire community brand.