Why Blogging Makes You Trusted and Credible

Written by Jeff Bullas - View Comments
Categories: Blog, Blogging


Blogging doesn’t come cheap, especially if you want to do it several times a week.

You have to come up with a good idea, create a great headline, write the post, hyperlink the appropriate phrases and words and sources, select some images to break up the text, select the right tags and categories and then hit publish.

So you start writing,  it just isn’t happening… time for another topic.

As you trawl  go through your blog posts drafts lists… again nothing there to inspire the creative blog writing juices.

Next you head over to your Google Alert inbox and check to see if anything  that jumps out at you that is topical and worth writing about, Yes… finally … I notice a topic about “Trust” from the repected and trusted public relations firm Edelman, with 51 offices and 3,200 employees world wide, which has been publishing the “Edelman Trust Barometer” Study for the last 10 years and has just released its 10th study.

On reviewing the study 2 graphics catch my attention.”Expert Voices Most Trusted” and “Multiple Sources Enhance Credibility”

1. Expert Voices  Most Trusted

An academic or expert is the voice most to be trusted according to the survey.

Blogging doesn’t make you an expert but just through the sheer committment, research involved and the passion required to write often and regularly, that the expert label perceived or real starts to  shine through. It is said that to become an expert it takes 10,00o hours of practice to be at the top of your game, whether you be a musician or surgeon.   Blogging gets you noticed  and positions you as a thought leader and consequently as potential customers read your blog posts and observe your committment and passion they brand you as an expert. The next logical step is that they trust you and want to buy from you.

2. Multiple Sources Enhance Credibility

The 2009 Edeleman Trust Barometer Suvey revealed that people need to hear something about your company 3-5 times to believe its veracity.

So you are blogging and posting regular articles and promoting your articles via Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and LinkedIn. Other blogs and websites link to your content because it is interesting, insightful and expert. You are enhancing your credibility, you are on multiple channels.

If your competitors are only mentioned a couple of times who are they going to buy from?



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  • http://www.johnpalmieri.com John Palmieri

    A good word. I think there is also something to be said about transparency in writing posts. When we speak and tell the story from the heart people feel it and tend to trust. Truth and kindness also play a critical role in building loyal readership.

  • http://www.profoundinsightmedia.com Kevin Boon

    Great Post!
    As part of my business plan I make it a commitment to blog because it allows me to better connect with people. Blogging and writing in general take commitment but are well worth it!

  • http://www.collinharbour.com Collin Harbour

    Nice tips . . . especially the 10,000 hour to expertise advice. It doesn’t matter your field; if you don’t practice you won’t get better. Once we start blogging, we become consumers of information an this allows us the opportunity to re-package that information with our ideas to continue the conversation.

  • http://timgier.wordpress.com timgier

    Trust. I have to trust myself enough to write what is true – for me and about me. And I have to trust that if what I have to say is worth saying, and that I have a way of saying it that is worth hearing, then the relationships will follow.

    Good post, thanks.

  • http://www.CenayNailor.com Cenay Nailor

    Hadn’t realized there were studies out there that back up what my personal experience has been showing me. Multiple sources, multiple channels, multiple blogs all equal a greater trust level for new readers.

    And since more trust = better relationships and better relationships = more referrals, well… it’s just good business to be out there, speaking to your target market in whatever form they will allow.

  • http://www.greggmorris.com/curated-stories-weekend-feb-13-and-14-2010 Curated Stories Weekend Feb. 13 and 14, 2010

    [...] Why Blogging Makes You Trusted and Credible Published: February 13, 2010 Source: Jeffbullas's Blog Blogging doesn’t come cheap, especially if you want to do it several times a week. You have to come up with a good idea, create a great headline, write the post, hyperlink the appropriate phrases and words an… [...]

  • http://www.beyondphilosophy.com Colin Shaw

    Jeff, I wanted to talk with you about reproducing one of your posts. Can you contact me to discuss. I can’t find another way of getting in contact with you other than via posting this.

    Thanks, Colin

  • http://jeffbullas.com jeffbullas

    Colin, that is fine, just attribute it back to the original post and me. :)

  • charlestaggart

    Great Blog entry on creating Trust & Credibility through Blogging, with very good examples and graphs!!! Excellent description of how much time it takes to set up and write a good Blog, and the time it takes to be creative or come up with an idea of what to write about…

  • http://nexttolastblog.wordpress.com nexttolastblog

    I think there is also something about being earnest and transparency in writing blog posts. Graphs, pictures, links, and video are all great. Being genuine, credible, and honest all work better for me. Thanks for your article.

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    Hoe je een online autoriteit wordt..
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  • http://bragaw.blog.sbc.edu/?p=2404 Blogging and credibility « Sweet Briar College { Steve Bragaw's Blog }

    [...] Interesting.  (More on this later) Categories: Uncategorized [...]

  • http://jeffbullas.com/2010/05/17/12-blogging-mistakes-to-avoid/ 12 Blogging Mistakes To Avoid « Jeffbullas's Blog

    [...] all make mistakes with our blogging and I have certainly made quite a few, but if you are not stepping up to the plate to have a swing [...]

  • http://ramonalife.blogspot.com ramona

    Hi

    Great information

    I’m new in blogging, so this is interesting to know!

    Thanks!

  • http://twitter.com/AndreVarga Andre Varga

    Absolutelly usefull. great points. :)

  • http://www.tuubol.com Deepak

    I agree that blogging can make you trusted among your readers. And this is also true that you ought to be an expert at your field in real life whether be academic or business.

    But writing exhaustive and engaging content that gives your readers information about things that affect them is the key to garner the much required trust among readers who did know you in the real world. Only word of mouth publicity or recommendation by those among whom you are trusted in real life is not going to be enough.

    Why do you say Jeff?

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