Thought leadership refers to a position of authority and expertise in a particular industry, field, or subject matter. Once an individual or organization has obtained a position of thought leadership, then they are recognized as knowledgable, innovative, and influential within their industry. They typically produce information, insights, and guidance that is trusted and highly regarded.
Thought leaders typically push the envelope in good ways when it comes to their industry trends and best practices. They possess strong expertise and knowledge in their field, originality, credibility, trustworthiness, and a strong network. In order to build a thought leader strategy, businesses or individuals need to develop their original goal, set KPIs, develop the content plan and content, and distribute that strategy out into the world.
A thought leadership strategy may include:
- A comprehensive digital marketing and content marketing strategy
- Topics of interest within the field
- Strong research background
- Public relations and media appointments
- Speaking engagements and strong networking events
Content marketing can be used to boost a thought leadership strategy by showcasing a backlog of knowledge and insights on a business blog. We talk about the benefits of thought leadership on our blog.
