How to Become Known & Trusted Online
You’re posting consistently. You’re showing up on social media. You’re even putting yourself out there with video content. But somehow, you’re still invisible in a sea of coaches all saying the same things.
Here’s the truth nobody wants to tell you: Being known online isn’t about posting more content. And being trusted isn’t about having perfect graphics or a fancy website.
You’re probably doing everything the “experts” told you to do. Post daily. Use trending hashtags. Share behind-the-scenes content. But you’re still not getting the recognition you deserve, and potential clients are still choosing your competitors over you.
The real problem? You’re playing by outdated rules in a game that’s completely changed.
Why “Just Be Authentic” Doesn’t Work Anymore
Every coach is being “authentic” now. Every entrepreneur is sharing their morning routine and their struggles. Being real isn’t enough when everyone else is doing it too.
What actually makes you known and trusted online is strategic authenticity combined with undeniable expertise. It’s not just about being yourself: it’s about being the version of yourself that solves specific problems for specific people.
Stop trying to be relatable to everyone. Start being indispensable to someone. The coaches who become known aren’t the ones who appeal to everyone: they’re the ones who become the obvious choice for their ideal clients.
The Foundation: Become Findable for the Right Problems
Before anyone can trust you, they need to find you when they’re actively looking for help. But here’s where most coaches get it wrong: they try to be found for everything instead of being the go-to person for one specific thing.
Pick one problem you solve better than anyone else. Not three problems. Not “helping women entrepreneurs with everything.” One specific, painful problem that keeps your ideal client awake at night.
Once you’ve identified that problem, own every conversation about it online. This means:
- Creating content that addresses every angle of this problem
- Using the exact language your clients use when they describe their struggle
- Being present in every online space where this problem is discussed
- Positioning yourself as the person who “gets it” better than anyone else
When someone searches for help with your specific problem, your name should come up. When someone asks about it in a Facebook group, people should tag you. This is how you become known: by becoming synonymous with the solution.
Build Trust Through Proof, Not Promises
Every coach promises transformation. Every entrepreneur claims they can help you “level up.” But trust comes from evidence, not declarations.
Your content needs to prove your expertise before anyone gets on a call with you. This means sharing:
- Specific strategies that demonstrate your methodology
- Behind-the-scenes looks at how you work with clients
- Case studies that show real transformations (with permission)
- Your unique perspective on why traditional approaches fail
But here’s the key: don’t just share what you know: share how you think. Anyone can Google strategies. But they can’t Google your unique approach to solving problems or your specific way of seeing challenges.
The Visibility Strategy That Actually Works
Most coaches think visibility means being everywhere. LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, podcasts: trying to maintain a presence on every platform.
This is why you’re exhausted and still not getting results. Real visibility comes from depth, not breadth.
Choose one primary platform where your ideal clients actually hang out. Not where you think they should be, but where they actually are when they’re looking for solutions to their problems.
Then commit to being the most valuable person in that space. This means:
- Consistently sharing insights that make people think “I never thought of it that way”
- Engaging meaningfully with other people’s content (not just posting your own)
- Becoming known for a specific type of post or content format
- Building relationships with other respected voices in that space
Stop spreading yourself thin across every platform. Master one, then expand.
Turn Expertise Into Authority
Being knowledgeable isn’t the same as being an authority. Authority comes from having a point of view and defending it publicly.
Develop strong opinions about your industry. What are you tired of seeing other coaches do? What conventional wisdom do you disagree with? What approach do you think is completely wrong?
Share these opinions consistently and unapologetically. The coaches who become authorities aren’t the ones who agree with everyone: they’re the ones who stand for something specific, even when it’s controversial.
This doesn’t mean being contrarian just for attention. It means having genuine convictions about the best way to help your clients and being willing to say so publicly.
Create Your Own Category
Instead of trying to be the best coach in a crowded category, create your own category where you’re the only option.
This happens when you combine your unique background, your specific methodology, and your distinct point of view into something that didn’t exist before you created it.
Maybe you’re not just a “business coach”: you’re “the coach who helps former corporate executives transition to entrepreneurship without losing their family time.” Or you’re not just a “mindset coach”: you’re “the coach who helps perfectionist women leaders stop overthinking their decisions.”
When you create your own category, you eliminate competition. You become the obvious choice because you’re the only choice for that specific transformation.
The Trust-Building System That Compounds
Trust builds differently online than it does in person. Online, trust comes from consistency over time combined with increasing levels of value.
Here’s the system that works:
Start by solving small problems for free. Share quick wins, simple strategies, and immediate relief for your ideal client’s daily frustrations. This builds initial trust and demonstrates your expertise.
Then gradually share bigger insights. As people begin to trust your ability to help with small things, they’ll pay attention when you share more complex strategies or deeper transformations.
Finally, invite them into deeper relationships. Once they’ve experienced value from your free content multiple times, they’ll be ready to invest in working with you more closely.
This process can’t be rushed. Trust builds in layers, and each layer needs time to solidify before you can add the next one.
Stop Waiting for Permission to Be Seen
The biggest barrier to becoming known and trusted online isn’t your strategy or your content: it’s your willingness to take up space and be seen as the expert you already are.
You’re probably more qualified than you think and more needed than you realize. The people you’re meant to help are actively looking for someone exactly like you right now.
But they can’t find you if you’re not visible. And they can’t trust you if you’re not consistently proving your expertise.
Start showing up as the authority you’re becoming, not the beginner you think you are. Share your insights with confidence. Offer your perspective boldly. Take up the space you deserve in conversations that matter to your industry.
The online world needs fewer people trying to be everything to everyone and more people willing to be the definitive expert on something specific.
Your expertise deserves to be seen. Your ideal clients deserve to find you. And you deserve to be known for the transformation you create.
The question isn’t whether you’re ready to be known and trusted online. The question is whether you’re ready to stop hiding your expertise and start sharing it with the people who need it most.
Ready to stop blending in and start standing out? Your clients are waiting for someone exactly like you: they just need to be able to find you.
If you’re done with trial and error and ready to build with proven frameworks and strategic guidance, here’s what’s next:
Book a Clarity Call with Lisa Benson. Let’s map out your next 90 days with tactical strategy, not theory. We’ll look at where you are, where you want to go, and exactly what needs to happen to get there.
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