DIGITAL

My Top Blogging Tips 5: Be a Trust Agent

This is my last post with top blogging tips and I think that most of my remaining points can be combined in one – becoming a trust agent. The term was coined by Chris Brogan and Julien Smith in their book on the topic. Here is the core of the book:

“1 – Trust Agents are digital natives using the web to be genuine and to humanize their business. they are interested in people (prospective customers, employees, colleagues, and more) and they have realised that these tools that enable more unique, robust communication also allow more business opportunities for everyone.

2 – They are the power users of the new tools of the Web, educated more by way of their own experience and experiments than from the core of their professional experiences. They speak online technology fluently.

3 – Trust Agents use today’s web tools to spread their influence faster, wider, and deeper than a typical company’s PR or marketing department might be capable of achieving.

4 – Trust Agents care about the people in the equation. They work to grow relationships that eventually influence people’s experience with an organization.

5 – They make people feel comfortable, all the way, building deep relationships before ever asking something of others.

6 – We don’t need to make another team lose to win ourselves. There’s plenty of room.

7 – No matter whether you have lots of connections or few, don’t use this as a measure of your success online.

8 – Trust Agents are being in the center of a network and being able to spread ideas.

9 – Trust Agents build networks, then build circles, and then include others in those circles.

10 – Part of what you do as a trust agent is realising that everyone else has great ideas, that they are professionals, and that they have angles you’ve yet to consider.”

Becoming a trust agent as a blogger means having consistent, trusted and genuine voice. It means giving much more to the community than asking from it. It also stands for collaboration and contribution as opposed to self-praising, talking about others, not so much yourself. It means talking about our inspiration and showcasing who we are through our work and values we represent not empty words or titles we come up with.

Start with moving away from talking about who you are to what you do. Move away from talking about your own achievements to showcasing others – inviting them to write a guest post on your site or take part in an interview. Share case studies, good tips and interesting learnings. Care for your readers and provide them with content that has a potential to change their lives for better.

With this attitude, you will have more genuine relationships with fellow bloggers. You will extend your on-line networks to off-line events. If you work with brands, your voice will be trusted. Your audience will come back with great ideas, support and they will stand behind you. You will feel that your blogging is actually changing your own life for better too!

0 Comments

  • MuMuGB

    Thanks again for your advice. I like the concept of being a trust agent. I find that most bloggers are nice, helpful and supportive and it is actually what I like about blogging!

  • Sylwia Presley

    Thank you for stepping by!:) It was really nice to meet you at the event! Yes, I think most of bloggers are trust agents and I hope it will stay this way!:)

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