How to Be an Expert Without Knowing *Everything*

A couple of weekends ago I was walking through Victoria Station in Manchester with my pal, let’s call him Mark.

Mark says “Gemma, look at this lil guy…” and to my surprise, he’s pointing at a pigeon.

Now, my interest in pigeons thus far has pretty much been just the few minutes the pigeon lady was on the screen in Home Alone 2. And that’s about it.

But Mark proceeded to tell me, with the excitement of Steven Barlett pedalling Huel, about how this pigeon was lean as hell and pretty darn cool.

I asked a couple of questions and he told me pigeons have lived in our cities for thousands of years. They descended from dinosaurs, they mate for life, and the hatred they receive for simply existing is wildly misplaced. Not least because surprise surprise, humans domesticated pigeons to do jobs… and then abandoned them.

Before this chat, I knew naff all about pigeons. Now I know some stuff. Hurrah. I might even get a point in a pub quiz one day. But mostly I really loved learning from someone mega passionate about the subject.

I can tell you Mark is the go-to animal expert amongst his friends. Got an animal question? Best ask Mark. And yes, he does know his stuff. More than most of us laymen anyway…

But what’s really solidified his position as the expert?

His passion. That and the fact he’s always reading a book about animals or looking something up. He’s always learning more. I trust that if he doesn’t know the answer, he’ll have a rough idea of where to find it.

Because “being the expert” is not usually being a know-it-all in your particular niche. Tbh, most people don’t actually like know-it-alls. We like people who are passionate, authentic and trustworthy.

And that’s what we’re going to talk about today. Just in your digital marketing rather than walking through Vicky Station. Although it works for both. So without further ado…

What does “being the expert” mean?

The official definition from those English experts Oxford English Dictionary is “a person who is very knowledgeable about or skilful in a particular area.”

But what does being the expert actually mean? Truth is, you’re probably already an expert in something.

It’s about perspective. Say you’ve been learning to paint for the last year, you might still feel like a bit of a rookie. Especially when you go walking around your local art gallery...

However, over the year that you have been practising, you’ve picked up techniques and styles that you could show to someone who has never painted before. Look at that, you’re an expert - or at least to that person, you are.

You just need to find the people looking to you to guide them through the thing you know a lil summin’ summin’ about, whether it’s painting or personal branding photography. Share your expertise, because chances are, someone else is struggling with the exact thing you find yourself doing every day.

You might not necessarily feel like you fit the dictionary definition of an ‘expert’ but if people are picking up what you’re putting down then that’s a pretty good place to start.

The more you help people with their problems - the more you’re seen as the go-to person for knowledge about your unique thing. That’s being the expert.

The power of authenticity

We can spot a fake from a mile away these days. We know what AI content looks like and we know *those* influencers who are just regurgitating the same crap as everyone else (*cough* Steven Bartlett *cough*).

We want authentic experiences. We want your thoughts, opinions and your real-life experiences. Give us what we crave: personality.

Sharing a more personal side, allows you to connect with your audience and build trust.

People with similar opinions and views will find you relatable and keep coming back for more - and this is exactly what you want, right?

Your audience will see your progress alongside their own (thanks to your help no less) and feel a sense of collaboration and growth. They’ll feel part of something.

I remembered what Mark told me because I genuinely loved his pure delight at the sight of something literally every other person walks by without a second thought. Authenticity is powerful.

The value you offer (...even without being a “guru”)

Wanna know a little secret? You don't have to be at the top of your field to create useful and valuable content. Far from it.

Think about the journey that you went on to get to where you are today. There were a few bumps in the road, right? Moments you could’ve used a helping hand?

You can be that helping hand for someone else who’s at the start of the same journey. Everyone’s gotta start somewhere.

You’ve already been there and done that. You can break it down in a beginner-friendly way that’s easy to understand. And you already know where the bumps are so you can warn everyone else to avoid them.

Think about the specific problems you’ve had. We’ve all scream-cried ‘til the early hours about something - how did you fix it? Could it have been avoided altogether? And the million dollar question… How would you do it differently if you could go back and do it over? In fact, would you do it over even if you could? Or would you sack it off and start something else sooner…?

By helping people with clear, actionable advice, you create your space in the world as the expert.

Overcoming imposter syndrome

And as you start creating your first piece of content... Dishing out all the good advice. That’s right about when that whisper in your ear kicks in with the “who the hell do you think you are?”

Amirite?

Ah, imposter syndrome my old friend. A topic experts in almost every industry have covered relentlessly - and yet we all still feel like a fraud sometimes (maybe even most of the time).

Let’s get one thing straight: That whisper is lying to you.

I’ll say it again… that damn voice is lying to you.

But guess what? Expertise isn’t about knowing absolutely everything there is to know. Phew.

Okay, you need some knowledge of a topic, sure. Maybe don’t write about performing surgery if you literally don’t know your arse from your elbow.

But expertise is also about passion and being willing to learn as you go. And I guarantee you know enough about something to be able to help someone.

Start with something you’re passionate about. Even if it’s something as daft as a pigeon in a train station (don’t tell Mark I said daft, he really likes pigeons). Share your unique perspective and actionable advice, even if you’re still on the journey. Take your audience with you!

Sometimes the most interesting content is created by people who are still figuring it out. You’ve absolutely got this, promise 💖

What to do next - being the expert on your blog!

All this ‘being the expert’ stuff pretty much applies to anywhere you put content out in the world - but I wouldn’t be very good at my job (web designer and SEO at your service) if I didn’t hint strongly at you to start a blog.

A blog is on your website so it’s under your control. Meta can’t lock you out of it.

It’s your own corner of the internet to experiment, refine your messaging and build a community of people on your wavelength. Writing blogs will even help you become even more expert-like as you research and learn about the topics you’re interested in.

And did I mention Google is a sucker for a regularly updated blog? Blogging is a must-do exercise if you wanna get yourself to the top of the search results and get more eyes on your lovely wares… without screaming “BUY MY STUFF!!” on Insta everyday.

Wherever you’re sharing your expertise with the world, the most important thing is sharing new, unique and relevant content. Consistently.

If you’re blogging, start easy! Aim to get 1-2 blogs out a month for a few months and adjust from there.

If you’re creating content across multiple platforms, I always suggest starting with a blog and recycling what you write into a few smaller pieces of content for your socials or emails. Lazy business owners unite 🤝

And if you’re not quite sure where to start with blogging, have a butchers at 30 blog post ideas for small business owners by yours truly - or if you need to expert-ify your brand, ya gal Eleanor Mollie has got your back with copywriting services.

Go do your thing expert x