Every business wants to be an industry leader, to be the first name on customers’ minds—but how exactly does one do that when faced with stiff competition and discerning customers with ready access to information?
The pursuit of thought leadership—positioning a company as a leader in its field—is built on establishing credibility. And one of the most effective ways to do that is by regularly publishing articles, videos, research, and all kinds of original content. Emphasis on “regularly” and “original.”
It should be clear that thought leadership and content marketing are compatible in some respects. As with all content marketing, thought leadership marketing involves attracting a clearly defined audience and getting favourable responses.
Thought leadership, however, doesn’t aim to directly drive conversions or sales. Its objective is to build enduring, visible authority on a subject, which then draws in more potential customers. It’s slower, but surer progress.
Knowing the value of thought leadership and the purpose of content marketing, the next step is to establish a strategy to meet your objectives. In this regard, a lot of content strategy best practices hold true. Your strategy will look quite similar, except for a few important shifts.
I. Know your audience. Think like them.
Who are the people you most want to be known by? Mainly, this refers to your potential customers, but don’t forget about your peers. The basis of an effective thought leadership strategy is engaging with everyone in your industry.
Talk about common problems in your field and how to solve them. Do further research on established methods or add new ones to the conversation. Test theories. Debunk myths.
But as you do so, speak a language that everyone can understand. This means avoiding jargon and technical terms. Your ideas should be complex, but your language should be simple.
II. Educate your audience.
The purpose of thought leadership content is to show your customers you have answers to their problems. Demonstrate your expertise; do not simply talk about your business offerings right off the bat. When they research on products and services, it’s to solve their problems; not to find out who you are.
Nurture your potential customers to come with the desired conclusion using their own mental processes. This would give them ownership of the solution they decide to take. This would also give them the impression that you’re not just feeding them information, but you’re engaging and inviting them to explore ideas with you.
III. Be consistent.
Out of sight is out of mind, so be sure to get your ideas out there regularly. This will help the business to be more constant and visible to customers. Weekly publishing is ideal, but remember: quality over quantity.
Also, be sure to have multiple touch points with potential customers. The easier it is for people to find you when they have problems, the better it is for you. A strong keyword strategy is a good foundation. Social media makes it easier to distribute content, as well.
IV. Direct the conversation.
But don’t drown it out. You want to be people’s go-to source for their problems, but remember that your best source for the industry’s pulse is the people themselves.
Open your ideas to feedback, discussion, and even criticism. People engaging actively and meaningfully with your content isn’t always a good thing. And being seen as a company that can talk earnestly with its customers will only increase your credibility.
In the end, talking about your products and showing off your skills aren’t enough anymore. In fact, those often turn customers off. Earning business is a matter of earning trust. Although this can’t be done overnight, it's worthwhile to invest time and resources—whether these take the form of skilled employees or digital marketing software—in creating enduring thought leadership content.
Facing marketing challenges on the way to becoming a thought leader? We’d be glad to discuss them with you. Drop us a line:
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