It may be scary to be seen as an “expert” on something when you have others looking to you for advice. Particularly when your advice could be used to make life changing decisions regarding love, money, or health. But if you participate in your field, you’re honest with readers, strive to help them, and produce excellent content, you’ll find blogging to be a far more rewarding endeavor.

Once I realized people actually listened to what I had to say, or wrote, I was a bit surprised. Maybe even scared. Not only does it become your journey, but theirs as well because our advice becomes gospel at times. We are the defacto “pros” in an ever changing landscape of information. Readers have far more access to us now than the  traditional journalism. The barriers are now down and we’re exposed for better or worse.

At first, I was a bit apprehensive of this position. Thoroughly researching every question that came to my inbox. Scouring the internet and books for the “right” answer. Being afraid of ever being wrong. But I soon realized it’s less about always being right and more about being honest and being there. Honest about what you do and do not know and being there when readers need you. This is the difference between us and traditional media.

Have any of you felt the pressure of being seen as an authority? Have you ever been disappointed by the lack of responsiveness from a blogger?