How can you promote your thought leadership content on digital channels while maintaining authenticity?

LinkedIn will work best for you if you are a professional who wants to share your authentic story. When you share your story, your network knows you have handled teams in the past and hold leadership experience; thus, whatever you are sharing is legit and authentic. When you keep pushing your stories on LinkedIn, 2 things will be automatically maintained - 1. Thought Leadership Content. 2. Your Authenticity.

It's also important to establish your brand kit, including your logo, color pallet, fonts, brand voice, etc., to utilize in all of your content materials. You can try new things, but sticking to your kit helps with consistency and establishing your overall aesthetic.

Some ideas for how to effectively engage with your audience: Host LinkedIn live events, respond to comments, ask thought-provoking questions, comment on other people's posts, like other people's article contributions on LinkedIn, engage with groups, connect with new members on LinkedIn, create polls, repost content, etc.

During a website redesign some years ago we focus group tested the phrase ‘thought leadership’ and it was received very poorly. Feedback was that it’s vague, pretentious and self-congratulatory. I suggest avoid using the term in any public facing material and instead use terms like insights, perspectives, point of view, etc.

The only rule of authenticity - you can't lead others where you haven't gone before. So always align with your unique perspective and lived experience instead of jumping on the bandwagon. There is a difference between being an influencer and actually being influential.

Authentic storytelling is a powerful tool for thought leadership. Don't be afraid to share both successes and failures. Being open about challenges and how you overcame them adds authenticity and relatability to your narrative. Weave personal experiences into your content. Sharing anecdotes from your journey adds a human touch, making your thought leadership more engaging and memorable. Use descriptive language and vivid details to paint a picture. Involve the audience in your experiences by letting them visualize and feel the situations you're describing. Authentic storytelling, in my own journey as a thought leader, has been a cornerstone of connecting with my audience.

The act of self-promotion can be awkward if you're not used to it. And even if you are used to it, it can still be awkward. You'll often feel like those "me, me, me" jerks you see on LinkedIn who you can't stand. Well, hold your nose and do it anyway. Because nobody is going to do it for you. And there is no other way if you want to be a thought leader. You won't annoy your friends and followers.