When you’re a business trying to stand out in the market, what can you do differently?
Here’s an idea: thought leadership.
It has been a proven strategy that can elevate your brand to new heights. According to Semrush, 81.4% of thought leadership content results in organic traffic.
But what does thought leadership really mean? And how can you excel at it?
That’s what this blog is for – we’ll help you understand the concept of thought leadership and how to incorporate it into your marketing strategy effectively.
Here’s what we’ll talk about:
• What Is Thought Leadership?
• 5 Reasons Why Thought Leadership Matters
• 6 Steps on How To Become a Thought Leader
With this guide, you’ll be able to bring thought leadership to your business and gain more customers and leads.
What Is Thought Leadership?
Coined by Joel Kurtzman in 1994, thought leadership is a form of business-to-business (B2B) content marketing strategy that provides valuable insights and knowledge to readers. It establishes your brand as a go-to authority in your industry.
So, what is thought leadership, really?
“It is leading from the front,” said Brandon George, Thrive’s Director of Content.
“It’s people who are experts in their fields who become informed opinion leaders.”
Instead of just selling your products or services, you’re also sharing valuable information and expertise through thought-provoking content. This can be in the form of:
• Blogs
• Whitepapers
• Webinars
• Podcasts
• Infographics
So, unlike traditional marketing, this B2B content marketing strategy is not focused on promoting your brand directly. Instead, it aims to build credibility and trust with your audience.
So, What Is a Thought Leader?
The next logical question is: When does one become a thought leader, and what is a thought leader, exactly?
While anyone could post an insightful blog or podcast, a thought leader is someone who consistently produces high-quality, valuable content and has established themselves as a credible and knowledgeable authority in their field.
George shares how a thought leader should be: “They are people who can take ideas and make them foolproof, with the ability to replicate the success again and again.”
They also constantly push the boundaries of current thinking and offer a fresh perspective on industry trends, challenges and strategies.
Simply put, thought leaders are those who inspire others with their ideas, insights and actions.
Here’s what a well-written blog page for marketing thought leadership looks like:
Image: Page with regularly scheduled expert blogs.
You can see a thought leader if they have:
• Several websites linking back to them as a source of authority
• A strong following on social media platforms
• Testimonials and reviews that speak to their expertise and influence
• Guides and ebooks that offer valuable insights
• Collaborations with other thought leaders in their industry
These are just a few examples, as industry thought leadership can take many forms and is not limited to one specific role or platform. In the end, it is about being a trusted source of information and inspiration for your audience.
George recommends using Help a Reporter Out (HARO) to gain those precious backlinks and citations.
5 Reasons Why Thought Leadership Matters
Now that you know the answer to the question, “What is a thought leader?”, how exactly will your business benefit from it? It doesn’t matter if you’re a more personal brand or a larger company – incorporating entrepreneurial thought leadership into your B2B content marketing strategy brings numerous advantages.
Here are five reasons why thought leadership matters:
1. Establishes Credibility and Trust
Original insights and data-driven content help establish you as an expert in your industry, increasing the confidence of your audience in your content.
By pushing boundaries and offering new perspectives, you showcase your knowledge and expertise in a way that builds trust with potential customers.
2. Drives Influence and Impact
Imagine having your content shared by industry leaders or featured on reputable websites. This boosts your reach and puts you in front of a larger, more diverse audience. There are many ways this could happen, including:
• Backlinks from other websites that cite your content
• Social media shares and mentions from influential individuals or companies
• Inclusion in round-up articles or expert interviews on industry websites
If other professionals trust your executive leadership, it creates a ripple effect that leads to further opportunities to connect with and influence your target audience.
3. Enhances Brand Reputation and Perception
Fame and infamy have always been closely intertwined, and the same is true for digital branding. By writing content and boosting your thought leadership strategy, you show that your brand is knowledgeable, creating a positive perception in the minds of potential customers.
Think of it this way: if a brand can provide valuable insights, it must be doing something right. This elevates your reputation and sets you apart from competitors who may not have the same level of expertise in marketing thought leadership and content creation.
4. Nurtures Customer Relationships
This leads us to an obvious point: customers love working with someone who knows their stuff. The reliability of your information eliminates doubts and strengthens your relationship with existing customers.
This is valuable for three reasons:
• Referrals: Satisfied customers are more likely to refer others to your brand, resulting in potential new business.
• Retention: A strong relationship with customers increases their loyalty and likelihood of staying with your brand.
• Upsell Opportunities: When current customers trust your expertise, they may be more willing to invest in higher-priced products or services from your company.
So, not only does industry thought leadership help attract new customers, but it also helps retain and grow existing ones. It’s like its own funnel, working on multiple levels to support your brand and its growth.
5. Attracts Talent and Fosters Employee Engagement
Thought leadership isn’t just about the customer, though.
If a job candidate sees your company consistently publishing insightful content and establishing itself as an authority, they may be more inclined to join your team.
Employee morale is also boosted by being associated with a thought leader in your industry. It fosters a sense of pride and motivation, leading to higher engagement and productivity.
6 Steps on How To Become a Thought Leader
Now that we’ve covered the benefits of a thought leadership strategy, let’s dive into how you can become one. The process is actually very simple, with these six steps and executive thought leadership tips:
Step 1: Establish Your Niche
You can’t create content for all types of things in thought leadership marketing campaigns.
Why?
First, that would mean you don’t have specialized knowledge in one field, making you an inferior option to someone who focuses on one topic.
Second, that’s too much for you or your team to keep up with.
That’s why you need to establish your niche – the specific area or industry that you want to be known for as a thought leader. Think about what makes sense for your business and expertise:
• What do you want to be known for?
• What topics are essential in your industry?
• What do you have unique knowledge or perspective on?
Once you have that figured out, stick with it and make sure your entrepreneurial thought leadership strategy is related to that niche.
Step 2: Engage in Lifelong Learning
Thought leaders, like any leader, are constantly learning and growing.
Commit to continuous education and staying up-to-date on industry trends, research and news. You can also leverage fads, memes and other types of reactive marketing that help you stay relevant.
It’s also wise to subscribe and keep an eye on the competition: what are they doing that you can learn from? What are they lacking that you can capitalize on?
These regular audits and updates on web design help keep your content fresh, relevant and engaging.
Step 3: Pick the Right Platforms
You know that anecdote where your value, no matter how great, is useless if you’re telling it to the wrong person? It applies to thought leadership marketing, too.
You can create amazing content, but it won’t have an impact if your target audience isn’t seeing it. The most crucial platforms to stay in are the following:
• LinkedIn: Perfect for B2B companies who want to connect with other businesses and professionals in their industry.
Image: What a fully optimized company LinkedIn profile looks like
• Facebook: For a more casual audience, this can be used to share marketing thought leadership content in a less formal setting.
Image: How a fully optimized company Facebook page looks like
• Search Marketing Ads: These are great for directing traffic to your website and increasing brand awareness.
• Website Blog: This is your owned platform where you can have complete control over your content and how it’s presented. It also helps with search engine optimization (SEO), bringing more traffic to your site.
• Email Newsletters: Aside from regular blog posts, sending out a monthly or weekly newsletter can help keep your audience informed and engaged with your executive thought leadership content.
You don’t have to use every platform to reach the right audience. It really depends on your target market and what platforms they are most active on. The key is to choose the ones that will have the most impact. Don’t spread yourself too thin; focus on quality over quantity.
Step 4: Share Your Insights Generously
There should be no gatekeeping when running thought leadership marketing campaigns.
Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should divulge your company processes or trade secrets. What we mean here is that you shouldn’t hold back on valuable information just to keep your competitors from knowing.
A great way to showcase your results and expertise is through case studies:
Image: Page full of case studies showing the results from current and previous clients
Image: A case study explaining the process of identifying opportunities for growth for the client.
The goal of thought leadership is to establish yourself as an expert, and that can only happen if you are transparent with your audience.
“Another way to use your content to position your business as a thought leader is to develop in-depth guides or content clusters that highlight your expertise and results in a specific vertical,” said George.
So, pump out content – be it blogs, videos, webinars or podcasts – and make sure it’s packed with valuable insights that your audience can take away.
Step 5: Maintain Authenticity and Consistency
While entrepreneurial thought leadership is a long, complex and ever-evolving process, you should never sacrifice branding, tone and authenticity.
All these elements help you stand out while reinforcing your brand and expertise.
Another key thing is consistency – not just in quality but also in the timing of your content distribution. Your audience will appreciate a regular and reliable source of information. Here are a few ways to do this:
• Create an Editorial Calendar: Plan your content and organize it according to themes, topics and timelines. This helps you stay on track and maintain a consistent flow of thought leadership content.
• Repurpose Old Content: You don’t always have to create new content. Sometimes, repurposing old but relevant content can also be effective in reinforcing your expertise and providing value to your audience.
• Use Consistent Branding and Tone of Voice: Make sure your thought leadership content aligns with your brand image and messaging, establishing a cohesive and recognizable identity for your thought leadership efforts.
Above all, don’t be afraid to show your human side. People connect more with real, relatable individuals than with a faceless company.
Step 6: Leverage Your Experts
If you’re a large company maintaining your own content, a good strategy would be to “include your own experts’ information, internal date and quotes in your blog content,” George said, citing how the same approach has elevated Thrive’s blog in the past few years.
Including expert insights tells your readers that you’re taking the time and effort to provide quality, well-researched content.
You can also “promote your brand and business through podcasts,” said George.
This is a win-win situation: Your experts become thought leaders, and your company enjoys the benefits of having their information and insights shared with your target audience.
Lead Your Industry With Thrive’s Content Creation Expertise
There you have it – everything you need to know about thought leadership and how to incorporate it into your marketing strategy. Use these thought leadership tips to become a trusted leader in your industry and stand out from the competition.
If all this seems overwhelming, don’t worry! At Thrive, we specialize in creating search-optimized and high-quality content across all channels, including thought leadership pieces.
Let us help you establish yourself as a leader in your industry and take your brand to the next level. Don’t just be another voice in the crowd – become a thought leader with Thrive.
