The Importance of Thought Leadership Marketing

Thought leadership can elevate your brand, ward off damage caused by negative customer reviews, and save you from the appearance of being “behind the times.” The majority of customers seeking a new business partner or service provider turn to the internet for advice. Even in inherently “non-digital” industries, the average consumer flocks to the web to find out what your brand is posting about yourself, and what your current partners and former clients have to say. Having a strong content marketing strategy that establishes your brand as a trusted thought leader makes all the difference in the world.

Our top five reasons your brand needs thought leadership marketing

• Generate leads through viral exposure when your customers share your content
• Establish authority in your industry about a topic or area of expertise through blog posts and articles
• Build trust in your brand by becoming a go-to source of useful information for your target audience that keeps them coming back for more
• Boost SEO rankings that make your brand more discoverable and outweigh customer-driven messaging or assumptions
• Solidify your marketing voice through carefully crafted thought leadership that supports deeper brand-customer relationships and loyalty

Great, But How Do I Create a Strong Thought Leadership Marketing Strategy?

Once you realize the potential of powerful thought leadership marketing, the next step is to begin executing. When embarking on a new marketing strategy, it’s easy to get overwhelmed or bite off more than you can chew. When aiming to become a thought leader, start simple.

First, choose an aspect of your brand or business that has the broadest audience. For example, if you’re a wellness supplement and vitamin company, establishing yourself as a thought leader in holistic nutrition and lifestyle choices has the power to touch a large swath of clients no matter what product they purchase.

Next, get blogging! There is no better way to build a thought leadership marketing platform than by blogging. Dedicate one to two hours per week writing about a topic that your audience can use (hint: make sure each article provides tips, tricks, or insight that will be valuable and actionable to your clients, not just informative). In the instance of a wellness supplement and vitamin company, a thought leader post may be a guide for readers to learn how to easily incorporate holistic nutrition into their daily schedules.

When you’re first starting, don’t worry if you don’t finish your article in that time. Simply getting in the habit of time boxing your writing will keep momentum going. The more you write, the easier it will get and soon you’ll be cranking out new ideas like a pro.

Extend the reach of your thought leadership by sharing these blog posts on social media, other like-minded blogs, industry sites and newsletters. Sharing is caring. As long as you’re getting credit and linking back to your brand website, the more exposure you can give your articles the greater your sphere of influence will become.

It’s Really That Simple?  

The halo effects of all this sharing, posting, and online conversation will begin to drive new business to your brand and solidify your existing customer base. Yes, it is that simple. The quickest way to becoming a marketing thought leader is to simply share your ideas.

So what are you waiting for? We think we can hear your blog calling for a little attention.

---

Posted In: Blog