What’s the Deal with Thought Leadership?
Social Media Tip: Your personal brand can serve as a critical tool for business growth. This happens through thought leadership.
A thought leader is a respected and trusted individual in their industry. Thought leaders offer helpful insights, advice, education, and more, building credibility. They challenge the status quo and encourage conversation around hot topics and trends. When a business owner or service provider begins to create thoughtful and educational content, they build trust for not only their personal brand, but their business as well.
Thought leadership is especially important for B2B marketing. According to Forbes, thought leadership drives growth “organically” since a thought leader is seen as a trusted source and is not easily replaced. They are followed for their knowledge and expertise, and can be used alongside other marketing strategies like paid social advertising and email marketing.
What are some ways individuals can begin to position themselves as thought leaders?
Share your story as it relates to who you are and the industry you’re in. This can be on any platform, whether it be in the form of a LinkedIn feed post or a blog article on your website. In fact, blogging and thought leadership go hand-in-hand. The ability to share your thoughts on topics relevant to your business in a blog post, building credibility and trust in your industry = thought leadership.
Challenge the status quo of your industry. Be a changemaker, and don’t blend in with the crowd. There are millions of posts out there that say the same thing over and over again. If you have something different to say or new to teach based on your own experience, say it!
Educate your audience by providing content that is useful, helpful, and teaches a follower something new. Whether it be about an industry as a whole, or a specific product or service, people love to learn new things and appreciate the support from a fellow community member.
Support industry your peers by engaging with their content through follows, likes, shares, and references. This not only allows you to be seen by their followers; it also grows your own professional network of likeminded individuals. Ensure these users are key players in their industry through thought leadership content.
Building a community with thought leadership is a selling tool - contact us if you’re interested in positioning yourself as a thought leader!
