It does take time and effort to build a following. I teach my Internet marketing students that, in order to build a substantial, long term Internet business, it is essential to create an aura of credibility. Article writing and blogging are essential tools for building this foundation. Thanks for bringing this to light on your blog.

For example, with my personal blog I had instant credibility.

Lives in Chippendale. Tick!
Not demented. Tick!
Can write. Tick!

Therefore, has credibility.

The challenge here was not in building credibility, but in building community. This happened slowly, and involved as many conversations at the local pub and swimming pool as on the internet.

But when it comes to credibility, my number one tip would be to ensure everything you write is defensible. You don’t have to make people like you or agree with you, but you must be able to justify your posts with reasoned argument if they come under attack. Because remember, when you write about a person, an organisation or whatever, you are affecting their reputation, and it is their perogative to challenge anything they see as damaging.