Most of you were probably looking at this link, wondering what in the world thought leadership marketing was. Actually, you are probably wondering what thought leadership is. Let me dive into the latter before we get started.
Thought leadership is when an individual or group is recognized as an authority of a specialized area or field and they are often sought out on the topic. Let’s turn gears and focus our attention to how it fits in with today’s marketing strategies.
This type of marketing is the art of positioning your business as a leader in its field through “best-in-class” content. What do I mean when I say “best-in-class” content?
By posting any form of content regularly, clients and those involved in your company’s niche will associate your brand with high-level insight into that niche. The goal is being atop a company’s or person’s mind when it comes to getting hired. Thought leadership can come from nearly anywhere – customers, designers, sales representatives, and pretty much any other person who’s hungry to work hard and inspire others.
Examples of thought leaders include Richard Branson, Warren Buffett, and Elon Musk. Each of those men is their own brands. They are experts in their own fields, who create change consistently and influence millions of people daily. Your business can be viewed in the same light by creating content that resounds with your customers and members of your niche.
Thought leadership marketing can also have an enormous impact on your company’s return on investment (ROI). It’s responsible for changing the brand perception of your business. Your customers will view you like the best in that particular industry or niche. If customers view your business as the best, they will be willing to spend any amount of money to use on your product or service.
That’s not the only benefit of this practice, as your business will be able to attract new talent, increase their exposure to the press, develop new business opportunities, and represent your niche at different functions around the globe.
Thought Leadership Marketing and Influencer Marketing
One thing I haven’t discussed yet is the similarities between thought leadership marketing and influencer marketing. With influencer marketing, the goal is to reach out to a group of select influencers (in this case, thought leaders) with the intention of them promoting your product or service to their large following; usually through social media.
Thought leadership marketing isn’t just similar to influencer marketing; it incorporates it into part of the strategy. Influencers will benefit your business in the same ways thought leadership marketing benefits the expertise of the thought leader. If you would like to know more about influencer marketing, check out our blog on the topic from earlier this year.
It’s Up to You!
If you kept up with me this far, you can see thought leadership marketing is directly related towards your content strategy. You might have been practicing or placing the building blocks for it all along. But, now that you know what it is, it’s time to go all in.
Content is everywhere, and marketing makes the overall strategy move. So, if you can spot a thought leader in your company (boss or employee), give them the opportunity to improve your business. Every thought leader needs a chance to shine. It’s one of the few ways businesses can become leaders in their industries.
If you have questions about creating content that will make your business get noticed, contact the content marketing experts at ENX2 Marketing today. We are here for any business, no matter the size, industry or goal.