I've never once checked someone's credentials to assess their credibility. I assess credibility by whether the person in question writes/speaks correctly, clear

I've never once checked someone's credentials to assess their credibility. I assess credibility by whether the person in question writes/speaks correctly, clearly and creatively. I know nothing of Jon Skeet's credentials, but he still commands respect because his answers on SO are almost always correct, clear and creative. He doesn't answer when he doesn't have anything to say, and when he does answer, he not only answers the question but answers the questions that his answer will raise. Who he is doesn't matter. What he does matters. I don't imagine I'm atypical in judging the credibility of developers. If this is how we judge the credibility of others, why do you expect your credibility would be judged differently? How do you start building your online credibility? Start having something creative to say and saying it correctly and clearly. For me at least, that's all there is to it.