What is thought leadership?

Become thought leader Knowledge based trust What is thought leadership?

Thought leadership describes professionals at the forefront of their industry who regularly publish content that drives their industry. People respect these professionals’ opinions and know they can turn to these professionals to learn more about their field.

Become An Industry Leading Thought Leader

How do you become a thought leader?

Thought leadership pieces help you develop a reputation as a leader in your industry. As a thought leader, you want to provide the best answers to questions that customers frequently ask about your industry. Demonstrate thought leadership using the following methods:

  1. Create studies that offer fresh insight into the field (check out this report). Help people learn new best practices by running tests based on your own technology or case studies using past clients.
  2. Offer a personalized perspective on news and developments. As a thought leader, you will need to have ample experience to offer a unique point of view on the latest news and developments that impact your industry. By calling upon your unique experiences, you should not be regurgitating what others have said online. You should develop your own ideas, which might not always agree with other thought leaders.
  3. Monitor the latest trends about your industry and be the first to break news to your followers. For example, at BrightEdge, we regularly test for changes to the Google algorithm and user interface. When such a change occurs, we quickly publish helpful content for our users, such as this piece we published when the new Google user interface went live in February 2016.
  4. Offer timely advice to your followers when events or changes influence your industry. To be considered a thought leader, you need to help people face any challenges that arise in your sector. Be ready with new advice and guidance when problems arise.

Establishing thought leadership requires dedicating time and energy to building your reputation. 

Thought Leadership BrightEdgeWhere do I publish thought leadership content?

Knowing where to publish your thought-leadership pieces can greatly impact your success with reaching your intended audience. You do not need to publish your piece in a famous magazine to be respected. You can often use your own web properties, particularly if you already have a decent sized readership.

Publish your thought leadership in these places:

  • LinkedIn Pulse: With a potential audience of 400 million, publishing on LinkedIn will help you attract those interested in your industry and can help quickly establish your professional reputation.
  • Guest posts on other blogs. Many popular blogs are well-respected by their audiences. Blog owners want to build this reputation by continuing to publish industry-leading pieces. By writing guest posts on these blogs, you can tap into their audience and form your own reputation as a trusted resource.
  • Write for online publications. There are also online publications in a variety of industries. You can become a regular contributor and share your ideas with the publication’s audience.

Establishing yourself as a thought leader is beneficial for your professional reputation and the level of trust others have for your brand. Consider these guidelines and discover how you can help your brand attract the attention it deserves.

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