Some say that authority is the secret to finding more clients and improving your business. I’m inclined to agree, particularly when it comes to private practices. Think about the type of business you’re running; it’s all based on services. People come to you for help, and you provide it to them in your own unique way.
Consequently, potential clients will look at different factors to influence whether or not they choose your practice over another. One of the main things they look at is your authority. Clients want to feel confident that they choose a practice with the very best knowledge, skills, and experience. When you establish yourself as an authority source, then people associate these things with you. You’re seen as one of the leading businesses in your field, which makes it easier to draw in clients.
So, how do you improve your authority? Well, here are some ideas to help you turn your private practice into an authority source online:
Create unique & informative content
Content is king, and you need some excellent stuff to build your authority online. Content provides people with information and displays all your skills and knowledge to a broader audience. If you produce things that are valuable to others, then it instantly improves the perception of your private practice and raises your credibility.
The type of content you make will play a significant role here. In my eyes, these are the things you should think about creating:
- Written content: blogs that display your knowledge and provide the audience with information on topics relating to your field.
- Presentations: this is almost a hybrid type of written content as you display the information more engagingly. Presentations work best for long-form content that goes into greater depth. Improve your authority further by using presentation software that helps you avoid making presentation mistakes, so the quality of your content improves. I think presentations are excellent for explaining how to do things or presenting analysis.
- Infographics: presentations work well as long-form content, but infographics are really good at summarizing things for your audience. They include visuals to make them engaging and can be used to bring a presentation to social media for people to see. Include a summary of the presentation in infographic form, post it to Instagram, then direct your audience to the main presentation content.
- Videos: people love watching videos, and a lot of your audience might find it easier than reading a blog. So, consider creating explainer videos where you provide information and tips to people for free. Not only will this show your authority, but it helps create a personal connection as people see you in the flesh.
Use a combination of these content types to produce things people are eager to consume. Ensure they’re relevant to your private practice and show off your skills, knowledge, and experience.
Update your website design
Web design breeds online authority. Possible clients will have an immediate reaction to your company based on what your website looks like. If it’s outdated and very plain, then you’re not seen as an authority source. But, if you have a modern and professional website that looks clean and impressive, then you are seen as more of a credible business.
The first thing you should do is find a web designer to look at your site. If they think it can be improved, then be open to suggestions. Some private practice owners are guilty of neglecting their websites because you focus more on creating the perfect office space to charm all your clients. But, they’ll never get to your office if your website doesn’t inspire them!
Make sure your site is both visually appealing and responsive – so it’s easy for people to use. Also, focus on improving your SEO as well. This helps create ranking signals that boost you up the search results. In turn, a high search ranking helps boost your authority. People are aware that Google pushes the most credible sites in the first few results, so they instantly see you as a more authoritative entity.
Show off your accomplishments/experience
Experience is such a big factor in determining whether or not a private practice has authority. If you have lots of experience, then people trust that you’re capable of providing the service they’re after. So, it makes sense to display your expertise by showing off all of your accomplishments.
This idea relates to your website design as you should have a section that’s all about you. You can talk about your experience in your chosen field, while also showing off some of your key accomplishments. If you have any awards or certificates, then list them here for everyone to see.
In my opinion, you should have a section like this on your homepage, so it’s one of the first things people see when they visit your site. Then, have a more detailed and expanded section on its own as an ‘About’ page.
Maintain a constant online presence
There’s one final thing to touch upon, and I’ll keep it short and sweet. It’s all well and good following the tips above, but you need to be consistent with everything you do. Don’t just create a few pieces of content and leave it at that! You have to maintain a constant online presence by updating your website, creating new content, and posting regularly on social media.
If you’re not active, then it makes it look like you don’t care. The most authoritative sources are ones that keep posting, keep creating content, and ensure their websites are updated continuously.
On that note, you should now be aware of how to make your private practice an authority source online. Authority breeds business – you will see more clients if you present yourself as a credible company. All of this advice is focused on your online activities; don’t forget to extend this offline by creating a private practice that screams authority and professionalism! When people come to your practice, they need to have a sense of relief that they made the right choice because your office space looks very credible and professional.
