Are you an expert? By one definition, you are after at least 10 years of sustained experience in your field. But are you being acknowledged as an expert? You’ll know when you: get interviewed by the media; receive awards or honors; are invited to speak at industry & association events; are asked to mentor others, etc. Thanks to Joan Stewart of Publicity Hound fame for pointing me to a 12-page white paper published by the National Speakers Association: The Expertise Imperative (PDF) See pages 5 – 7 for how to measure the expertise of a professional speaker. Applies to other professions as well.
Oh, and what’s one of the easiest ways to establish yourself online as an expert? You guessed it… start a blog on your topic of expertise and add to it regularly. It’s a heck of a lot easier than writing full-length articles. And you get a huge return on your efforts. Each blog post is equivalent to a separate Web page. Click the permanent link below and note how this entry is its own page. Search engines love that.