Content can have various purposes and impact on your target audience. Educational content positions you as a knowledgeable and helpful brand. Entertainment content creates relatability and an inside joke. Sales content gives clients the information they need to make a purchase decision. What a lot of brands miss out on that could elevate the impact of your content marketing is thought leadership content. 

Actual definitions of thought leadership vary. The ones I’ve read include positioning yourself as a subject matter expert turning your brand into a trusted resource and ahead-of-the-curve innovator. There’s also an element of sharing strong opinions, not just news and information. I like to describe it as demonstrating independent expert authority that inspires action. Let me explain why this is helpful for your content marketing strategy as a business and how to make it happen. 

What is the thought leadership marketing strategy?

The idea behind thought leadership marketing is that when your target audience thinks of your niche, they think of you. You’re not going to be everybody’s cup of tea or even necessarily represent your industry but the people who love you really love you because:

• You’re independent. You don’t regurgitate what everyone else in your profession is saying. You don’t bow down to trends or what’s popular. You have crafted your own unique approach. They can’t get what you deliver anywhere else. 

• You’re an expert. You have the experience (whether that’s qualifications, lived experience or a mix of the two) to back up what you say. That’s refreshing when anyone can say anything online. You can share evidence that your approach works through case studies, research studies or a combination of quotes from other experts who dominate their niche. 

• You have authority. This comes from your independent stance and expertise but also the way you communicate. You’re honest, authentic and transparent. You speak your truth as truth, not hiding it behind fluffy words. You’re not afraid to make your point or share your message because you know there are people who need to hear it. 

• You inspire action. The content you share resonates so deeply with your target audience and offers such an unfiltered and heartfelt alternative with evidential backing that they can’t help but get involved with your movement. They’re inspired to try out your approach by following the pieces of advice you share in your content and by working with you in your business. 

In a world of constant advertising with most of the marketing messages blending into one glob of ‘Buy! Buy! Buy!’ thought leadership content offers an attractive alternative. It’s someone to believe in and something to be a part of. One of my favourite thought leaders at the moment is Tori Dunlap of Her First 100k. She’s basically a financial expert but she’s so much more. She has a distinct point of view about fighting the patriarchy by helping women to build wealth. There are so many professionals in the financial industry that wouldn’t touch the topic with a 10 foot pole. But when I see her thought leadership content I’m desperate to do all the things she suggests to make money and stick it to the patriarchy. So much so that I bought her book. Yep, thought leadership marketing can make cold hard cash!

How do you write thought leadership content?

So thought leadership marketing sounds great and even dare I say fun. It’s an opportunity to stand for what you believe in and create strong relationships with the people you want to help. Thought leadership content is a pillar of your overall content strategy. It’s still useful to write educational and sales content because they provide the information your audience needs to become a client. Regularly weave thought leadership in by:

Defining your unique POV

Start by laying your foundation. What do you believe in? Why do you believe in it? How does that make up your unique approach? How does it influence the services you offer your clients? How does it help your ideal client? Remember this isn’t about pleasing anyone apart from your ideal client. Match their wants, needs, problems, dreams, characteristics and situations to your unique POV. 

Gathering your evidence

Who are you to talk on your topic of expertise? Your evidence can include your qualifications, your experience, case studies from clients and other people’s research, statistics and experience. When it comes to collecting evidence to support the points you’re going to make, whether it’s a scientific study or a personal anecdote, make it specific. Highlight the exact outcome. It makes evidence more believable and intriguing. 

Sharing your message

Say it how it is. Share the thoughts you have about your industry, area of expertise and most importantly the situation your ideal client is in and how they can make progress. Remember we’re writing content with authority so start the pieces of content with definitive statements and then go on to back up your statements with the evidence collected. This isn’t about being controversial for the sake of it. It’s about going all-in when so many people prefer to wait on the sidelines before jumping on the bandwagon. 

Welcoming them to your world

Thought leadership extends beyond social media content, although it’s a great place to share thought leadership content - especially LinkedIn. Once you’ve given people a taste of your thought leadership, they’ll have an appetite for more. Coordinate your social media content with blogs and email marketing that reinforce the points you’re making and back up your independence, expertise and authority. Having multiple marketing channels also helps you to inspire action because they can take the small step of joining your email list or getting the full rundown on your blog to help them become comfortable with the bigger action of becoming your client. 

Thought leadership content adds depth to your content marketing strategy and makes it even more compelling and effective at generating positive business results. However, it is a higher level type of marketing that requires thought, research, crafting and coordination across multiple content marketing channels. If you just don’t have the capacity for that, get a content writer to do it for you. Hi, I’m Rebecca and I’m a creative copy and content writer. I love writing pieces that make a difference to the people posting it and the people reading it. Let’s jump on a call to talk about growing your business through thought leadership content.