Many brands aspire to be thought leaders in their field, but often don’t know where to start, or what to say.
Thought leadership has to be engaging. And it has to be leading. You must add something of value to the conversation. If you’re saying what everyone else is saying, that’s not thought leadership.
According to FT Longitude, executives spend five hours per week consuming intelligent content. But you may only have 30 seconds to make an impact. [1]
These are the three questions decision makers ask when deciding whether to read or engage with your thought leadership content:
- Is it strategic enough?
- Do you understand the sector?
- Can you give me actionable recommendations?
So, with that in mind, how can you create effective thought leadership? Along with the above, there are things that differentiate thought leadership from your usual media relations campaign.
Getting thought leadership right
Yes, thought leadership content should say something new and add to the conversation or debate. You also need to share a genuine, fresh insight, that isn’t simply pushing your brand’s agenda or products.
Qualitative or quantitative data often gives your thought leadership content the edge it needs by helping you dial into a perspective that is current and is credible as it’s from an outside source. It gives you a hook that will pique not only your audience’s, but a journalist’s attention.
Another option is external sources, such as case studies or key opinion leaders (KOLs). These help back up your thought leadership with insights and advice from those who are either experts in their field, or are real-life examples of the idea you are trying to convey. If you’re looking to create a compelling thought leadership campaign or want to turn your research into compelling content, we’ve worked on plenty of projects, large and small (including some award-winners) that have seen great results. So drop us a line if you want to chat – [email protected]
Alex Williams
[1] https://ftlongitude-insight.foleon.com/masterclasses/thought-leadership-a-deeper-understanding/engage-audiences-effectively