You're creating Thought Leadership articles. How can you make them more engaging?

Interactive Content: ?? Use polls, quizzes, and interactive elements. Visual Appeal: ?? Add infographics and images for a captivating experience. Catchy Headlines: ?? Craft attention-grabbing titles for click-worthy articles. Storytelling: ?? Share real-world examples to make content relatable. Multimedia: ?? Embed videos or podcasts for diverse content formats. Engage with Comments: ?? Respond actively to build a community. Consistent Posting: ?? Maintain a regular schedule for reader retention. Social Media Promotion: ?? Share with relevant hashtags for wider reach. #ThoughtLeadership

First and foremost DO NOT CRAFT A CATCHY HEADLINE. They are for small ads, clickbait and snake oil. If you are a thought leader. Provide thoughts and ideas. Ask questions challenge your audience and tell them something they don't know, so that they will remember it and share it. Check your spelling and grammar with whatever software you want. Do not use any software or platforms to create your content. It will make you indistinguishable from your peers and competitors. If you want to be a thought leader you need to do your own thinking.

In a world of high decibel levels, silence often speaks the loudest. Sometimes it's the quiet reflection or a unique, understated perspective that captures attention. Start with an intriguing question or a counterintuitive statement to pique curiosity. Use narratives and stories that resonate on a personal level. They can turn abstract concepts into tangible experiences, making your content more relatable and memorable. Don't just inform; inspire. Challenge conventional thinking and offer fresh perspectives. This provokes thought and encourages deeper engagement. Incorporate visuals sparingly but impactfully. Invite readers into a dialogue. Go beyond conveying information; build communities around your ideas.

Use your network to help spread the word about your content, or ask them to comment on your post to help drive engagement. Write several pieces about the same thread, and don't be afraid to share an angle that may seem controversial or not said before. Creativity, consistency, conscious communication. Writing is a craft; thought leadership is a mindset - make sure you know what your thought leadership "point" is as the primary takeaway in every piece.

Check your intention. If it’s to be helpful and genuinely ‘of service’ then apply critical thinking discipline; define your target audience and carefully craft the problem statement. If your intention is simply to ‘sell something’ then place an advert. Leadership is about service to others. Please don’t confuse it with sales and marketing.

Generating attention-grabbing headlines only works so long. And does that really reflect who you want to be? You’re not in it for as many readers as you can get, you’re a thought leader looking for the right audience. Once they know you, and follow you for who you are, you can write any headline you want without resorting to clickbait.

here are a few catchy headlines to get you started, before you become confident and create your own: - "I need your help" - "I've got a secret" - "Hear me out" - "Why people aren't talking about..." - "X reasons why..." - "The biggest mistake you're making with..." - "X things about ____ I wish I knew sooner..." - "the #1 question I get about..." - "I used to think..."

You aim for headlines that ignite curiosity and capture interest. Your audience should perceive value in bridging their knowledge gaps or feel compelled to gain insights. Following the headline, a concise one-liner should succinctly encapsulate the essence of the article's content.

Convey your message clearly. The headline should tell your audience exactly what to expect from your post. Keep it concise. LinkedIn users are typically professionals on a tight schedule, so a concise headline that can be quickly scanned has more appeal. Spark curiosity. A headline that poses a question or presents a surprising fact can pique interest and compel users to click-through.

Crafting a headline in the realm of Thought Leadership parallels the art of storytelling in "Rebel Ideas." The limbic system, steering emotional responses, ignites with curiosity when exposed to a captivating story. In the same vein, a headline acts as the narrative gateway, triggering the brain's emotional centers. It's about creating a magnetic field that pulls the audience into the intellectual journey, much like a gravitational force that keeps celestial bodies in orbit. Practical Takeaway: Engage your audience emotionally through a headline that resonates with their limbic system, drawing them into the narrative web where every word becomes a constellation in the cosmos of their curiosity.

Start with a story that will draw the audience. If it is a personal story then it will connect with the audience more. Also make sure you end by reiterating some of the key takeaways and connect with your personal story you shared in the beginning

Highlight the takeaway or the unique insight that the reader will gain from your post. Use industry-relevant keywords. Including popular industry terms can help your post turn up in search results, attracting a wider audience. Be specific about the topic. General headlines are less compelling than those that offer a clear and targeted proposition. Positive or powerful emotions can drive engagement, but they need to be used sensibly and authentically.

Your call to action (CTA) should be clear and strong, but don't overthink it. Because a CTA doesn't convince people to act. It reminds them to act. What you tell people before the CTA does the convincing.

Think of the start of an article in the same way you think about the start of a speech. If you start out boring, you've already lost your audience. Start with an "a ha" - this can be a personal story, thought provoking/contrarian statistic or connection to something going on in the world. I think it's also important to try to stay away from jargon, whether it's in the intro or later in the piece. It takes away from the authenticity of the POV.

As "Everybody Writes" emphasizes, a compelling introduction mirrors the brain's attention mechanisms. The reticular activating system (RAS), akin to a vigilant gatekeeper, filters information, much like an introduction filters the relevance of content. A robust opening serves as the cognitive entrance, activating the RAS and ensuring your audience's sustained attention. It's like setting the stage for a grand cognitive performance, where the initial notes dictate the rhythm of the intellectual symphony. Practical Takeaway: Capture attention early, creating an intellectual resonance that aligns with the brain's natural filtration process, making your introduction the overture that sets the tone for the entire cerebral composition.

Please, please stop writing “thought leadership” content that sounds like a robot wrote it (or that a robot literally composed). If you want engaging content, it needs to have energy. Personality. Humanity. Relatability. So much thought leadership content is wrapped in a stiff corporate suit but somehow we expect people to “engage” and interact with us in a meaningful way. If you want engaging content, you have to BE engaging and remember your audience is made up of humans with thoughts, emotions, interests and ideas. Write for people—minds and hearts— and skip the watered-down best practices that everyone else has already written.

Thought Leadership first requires you have an actual thought, a POV that provides insight and is actionable. The best litmus test of whether you are saying something of value is to ask yourself whether you - if you received this article via email - would share it with the most influential people in your network.

When crafting engaging Thought Leadership articles, the emphasis should be on the unique perspectives and wisdom you bring to the table. Reflect deeply on the message you wish to convey and ensure it's grounded in authentic experiences and insights. Authenticity resonates, turning your article from mere content to a valuable resource that educates, informs, and inspires. However, remember that the true essence of engagement lies in the depth of your unique human values and insights. Write not just to share information, but to share a part of your journey, making your thought leadership not only seen but felt.

Incorporate numbers or lists. Headlines with numbers generally perform well because they set clear expectations (e.g., "5 Strategies to Enhance Your Leadership Skills"). Address the reader directly or include personal anecdotes. This can create a more personal connection with your audience.

1. Write something you're genuinely intrigued by. If you're not intrigued, why should your audience plough through 2,500 words on a complex and technical subject? 2. Make it useful/provocative/educational for your audience 3. Write for your audience - not your marketing department 4. Include original research and interviews with esteemed experts outside your business. 5. Find a great writer, ideally someone with a journalism background

Imply urgency or timeliness. This can encourage immediate engagement, especially if the topic is of high relevance at the moment. Suggest action or next steps. Providing a clear benefit and a call-to-action can boost interaction.

In times of continuous rapid change, people increasingly look for meaning and purpose. Hence it may help to ground the relevance of your call to action not only in the present but also in terms of future challenges or opportunities at a larger, societal scale (e.g. combat climate change, save energy, fight disinformation, ...). It can enhance a sense of importance and purposefulness with respect to the action required as well as increase the sense of urgency.

To get your audience to engage with your thought leadership articles, include a call to action promotes a high value yet is low risk for your audience. Use language & words that prompts action, such as “Join,” or “Subscribe.” The best call to action is one that is concise, catchy, and gets the audience to click over to where-ever to you want to direct them, website, landing page, contact form...etc.

"They Ask You Answer" echoes the importance of a clear call to action. The brain, intricately wired for action and reward, responds favorably to a directive. A well-defined call to action becomes the crescendo, the culmination of the intellectual journey that activates the brain's motivational circuits. It's akin to concluding a mesmerizing musical performance with a powerful chord that lingers in the audience's mind. Practical Takeaway: Conclude with a compelling call to action, triggering the brain's motivational centers and encouraging your audience to embark on the next intellectual movement, turning passive observation into active participation in the symphony of thought.

As a former PR person, I would argue the promotion piece is as important as the content of the piece itself. If your thinking never reaches the intended audience, nothing can happen for either of you! That's why it's so important to build what's called a "platform." A platform is composed of two elements. One is the thing you are (or want to become) known for. It's the main thing you write about, speak about, and that creates value for your audience. The second piece are your followers, especially those few key influencers who are so confident in and inspired by your message they can't wait to let others know about you. These third-party endorsements create a flywheel effect by confirming time spent listening to you will be worth it.

Please, for the love of all that’s good in the world, stop writing and behaving like an AI. Thought leadership requires the ability to evoke connection and followership. And I don’t mean the “follower” numbers. I mean people who read or hear or see you work and think “I need more of this in my life and I’d like to show up for more”. Good thought leadership has soul, human connection, and something evocative that makes people feel like they’ve become part of a community, not just a pipeline. It’s the antithesis of every best practice article, but it’s the only thing that really and truly sticks.

To make thought leadership even remotely engaging it must first answer a challenge or question your target audience has. Thought leadership isn’t really about you. Sure it’s got to be something you’re knowledgable in and have a passion for, that goes without saying - but if you’re not putting your audience front and centre it won’t resonate. When you understand their needs then your thought leadership can actually shine. But once you’ve nailed the angle for your audience that actually says something outside the norm it’s time to ensure it’s educational, entertaining or inspiring (or maybe all three)! No mean feat, but wordsmithing your thoughts is essential to making your them meaningful and must never be considered an after thought.

Your article is the start of your content. And, it can be sliced and diced into different formats to reach the same audience, even in the same delivery. Take a page from Oprah, literally - from O magazine. On any page, there are 7 points of entry. A headline, a photo, subtitles, a photo caption, a list, a call-out quote, and yes - on the website, there is always a short video. That's all in addition to the article. Yes, start with your article or your blog or your newsletter. Then deliver it in all the ways that invite people to engage the way that they prefer.

MIX IT UP, THEN REMIX IT! Written content is the first step, but consider ALL the ways you can reuse text, from LinkedIn quote graphics to micro-learning videos. Consistently sharing innovative insights and captivating narratives, you establish yourself as a thought leader who guides and shapes conversations. Thought leadership opens doors immediately: credibility, valuable partnerships, and demonstrates that you are a leader people should listen to as the industry and business worlds transform at lightning speed. Become the leader your audience craves!!