Top of the Class: Successful Thought Leaders and How You Can Become One

Here's what You'll Learn in this Guide:

1) Head of the Class: Becoming A Thought Leader

What is a thought leader, and how can you become one? What are some real, actionable steps you can take to advance your position as a leader in your field – and how can you use your online presence to grow your influence? Learn about all this and more in this section.

2) Rebels with a Cause: Successful Thought Leaders

One of the best ways to learn is by example. Figuring out how to become a thought leader is no exception. Read about four successful thought leaders, their stories and how we can learn from them to become rebels with a cause and influential thought leaders in our own fields.

3) Earning the Grade: Creating Content Consumers Want

In order to become a thought leader, you have to establish and build your brand’s authority. By creating high-quality, wanted content, you can quickly grow in your influence. Learn how to use blog posts, white papers, e-books and many other formats to this end.

Let’s take a moment and talk Business 101. Here’s something everyone working in business should know: one of the most important things you can do to ensure the success of a marketing campaign is making sure that you are a respected voice in your field. You want consumers, visitors to your website and businesses to see you as reputable and trustworthy. This is key to running a solid company.

But if you take it one step further, if you seek to become the authoritative voice in your field, if you hope to have people look to you first for information or commentary on a current event related to your business, then what you are seeking is thought leadership. 

Thought leadership is, in essence, a business-lingo way of saying that you want to be the authority on a subject related to your business. That could be a specific field in technology, financial advising, life coaching or anything else. Thought leaders are the voices that people turn to for information, respected opinions and analysis of events. To be a thought leader is to be respected and to have your voice heard. If you can successfully position yourself as a thought leader, it is a fantastic way to grow the reach of your content and business. 

If you want to take the next step in advancing your business’ authority and voice, then read on for information on thought leadership, how to attain it, what we can learn from successful thought leaders and how to create content that will position you as a thought leader in your field!

1. Head of the Class: Becoming a Thought Leader 

They’re all around you. You read their blogs, listen to their TED talks and subscribe to their podcasts. Their newsletters arrive in your inbox and their status updates on your social media platforms. Thought leaders influence your personal, political, physical, spiritual and professional opinions. And, by understanding the basis of thought leadership and following a few simple steps, you can be one of them.

Who are the Thought Leaders Influencing Your World?

Think back to your time in high school. As much as many school districts deny the existence of cliques, these specific groups have existed for generations. And, as much as group members hate to admit it, each group has a “leader.” This person is the one who rallies the group, who sets up plans and activities and influences the entire tone and atmosphere of the group. 

Without realizing it, these are the earliest thought leaders in our lives. We look to them for their responses to school situations and allow their opinions to shape our own perceptions. The same is true of thought leaders in the world today. They may have been the leaders in school — or they may have been the driven outsiders, working on creating a better future world by influencing the world in which they currently live. 

Thought leaders may have developed greater resilience by overcoming challenges in their lives, like Kris Carr, who battled an advanced form of an incurable, rare cancer. When she couldn’t find any publications geared toward young women facing a cancer diagnosis, she decided to write her own, which accompanied a documentary about her journey, “Crazy Sexy Cancer.”

Since then, she has created an entire community around a healthy lifestyle, and is recognized by stars and other thought leaders like Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Mehmet Oz and Marianne Williamson. 

“She is an inspirational speaker and original thinker,” Williamson said. “I predict that she will ultimately bring hope and comfort to millions.”

Others have called her a revolutionary, a leader in encouraging people take control if their health and a force of nature — who didn’t start out that way. She saw a need and decided to meet it.

“I realized that if I was going to make it through this I needed to become the C.E.O. of my own healing start-up,” she told the New York Times in 2011, noting that among her hundreds of thousands of monthly readers, cancer is now just one of many situations and challengers her fans are facing. “I just think it’s not my job to judge...But it is my job to help you get out of it.”

Other thought leaders, like Alex Sheen, founder of because I said I would, found that the remarkable could be discovered not only in the exceptions to everyday life, but in the day-to-day living. His non-profit was born the day of his father’s funeral. 

“My father was an average man,” Sheen writes “He was a pharmacist. No recognition. No fame. But for everything that made my father ‘average’ and ‘everyday,’ there was one thing he did exceptionally well. He kept his promises. My father was a man of his word.”

Since then, Sheen has become a nationally-recognized speaker on the topic of keeping your word and honoring your commitments. He’s spoken to more than 142,000 school-age youth about this topic, he has more than 120,000 newsletter subscribers, and he has been featured as a TED speaker, among many other accolades and recognition for his niche.

Neither of them — along with most of the other thought leaders around the world — planned to become such powerful influencers. They understood and embody, though, the many definitions of thought leaders: individuals or firms who are acknowledged to be trusted authorities in specific areas, industries or specialties. 

Three Tasks to Become a Thought Leader

Carr, Sheen and the other thought leaders didn’t reach that position by just standing up one day and telling their friends that they were now thought leaders and authorities in their fields. Neither did any of society’s more well-known thought leaders, like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. What they did, though, was to take three specific, deliberate actions to help them reach that position.

1. Find your platform and your message

Carr made a documentary. Sheen gave his first speech at his father’s funeral. Liz Ryan, CEO and founder of Human Workplace who was named by Kisi as the top HR influencer in 2016, suggested starting with a journal. 

“Write every day or as often as you can,” Ryan says. “Don’t censor yourself. Don’t write as though you care who reads your writing. Just start writing, and see what happens. Little by little you will open a channel for your ideas and they will start tumbling out.”

Ryan’s blogs are read by more than one million social network followers, with more than 450,000 members of her company making connections and shifting their corporate cultures; Kisi says she “is a thought leader that has cultivated engaging conversations and industry-wide change on how we view the workplace and the humans who work within it.”

Her reach didn’t come easily. She was encouraged to quit — but stuck to it. Once she began journaling, she found the strength to share her ideas.

Be willing to speak out on topics that are important to you. These should be areas within your level of expertise and that interest you, because you’ll want to keep learning about and following trends in that specific industry. Then, start to communicate. Whether you’re communicating online or in-person, whether you write a blog or a book, start to share your message and sharpen your writing skills.

2. Gain your audience members’ trust

Stephen M.R. Covey has become an internationally recognized thought leader in the area of trustworthiness of companies. His work is so interesting because, while he was positioning himself as a thought leader in the area of trust, his efforts also show the impact trust has on someone becoming a thought leader.

Covey’s work shows four “Cores of Credibility,” which are needed to not only build but maintain that credibility. In your efforts to become a thought leader, start by becoming a credible, trustworthy person. Your followers are looking to you to help them make their decisions — but you need to demonstrate to them your character and your competency to speak on that area if you want to become a thought leader.

Integrity and intent: These character cores show your potential followers that you have values that influence your actions. You have humility and courage, and the good of others is at the forefront of your actions.

Capabilities and results: These are competency cores, which are tied to discovering and improving your passions, skills and talents — and showing what you’ve done and will do with those talents.

Really, all four cores of credibility boil down to showing that people are your priority. You want the best for them and you’re willing to take what matters, your character and competency, and make a difference in that area of thought.

3. Invite followers to embrace your message 

Your content is what will make you a thought leader. You’ve discovered your message and arena. Now, start writing pieces that will reach your target audience. To do that — you need to get to know your target audience.

• Who are they?
• What are their interests?
• Why should they follow you?

This doesn’t mean you change your message to meet their demands, it means you tweak your writing so that you’re giving your customers something they want to read. For example, if you’re starting with a highly technical engineering field, you may want to consider using more niche-specific terminology and writing that will catch the attention of these engineers while giving them solutions to their challenges. 

Then, as you grow in authority, you can make a few different direction choices. This could involve widening your audience in the same field. Instead of just talking to the engineers, you might also begin speaking about challenges in the industry and proposing steps that will improve the situations. The authority you’ve gained allows you to make bolder, more confident claims in the pieces you are publishing; your expertise and experience have combined to let you become a better trend forecaster and your followers will look to you to shape the future of your specialty area.

Or you might decide to widen your area of expertise. Start introducing other interests and passions. You’ll reach members of your current audience who have the same interests, and you’ll reach out to an entirely new audience. 

Becoming a successful thought leader comes when you put people first. It comes when you think about your target audience and what they want — and dedicate yourself to not just getting them the information, products or services, but changing the way they look at those areas in their own worlds.

A Whole New World: How Your Website Can Make you a Thought Leader

Right now, one of the main worlds where you’ll find your followers is the World Wide Web. With billions of blog posts being published each day, yours needs to stand out if you want to become a thought leader. Get started today by incorporating these ABCs for content and creation.

Add to the Discussion, Not the Noise

With so many blogs being published each day, make sure that yours is enhancing your readers’ lives. Take your experience and show your readers practical ways to apply it to your life. Show them how you use your technology and ideas to make shifts in your own daily activity. Offer all of this information for free (or, consider a landing page with gated or premium content.) More than anything else, use your authority to enhance your readers’ lives. Give them a unique perspective.

Build Your Brand

The story behind Sheen’s non-profit is his story. His message stands out, from the clear corporate name to the white letters on the black background. He’s built a team around him that also understands the importance of keeping your word. Anyone who visits his website can quickly see the organization’s mission and stance. Make sure yours is easy to find and understand. Know who you are and let your readers see your authenticity. 

Create an Outstanding User Experience

The way your website users interact with your site has become a highly studied topic when it comes to SEO and business marketing in general, and is so much more than just site design. Yes, your layout and menu and navigation matter — but not as much as your page load speeds, your content organization and your mobile compatibility. 

Remember, when it comes to business marketing, whether you’re promoting your brand, your products and services or your ideas, it all comes down to people. Build relationships and you’ll build a bridge that will land you at the top of the class.

2. Rebels With a Cause: Successful Thought Leaders

Whether you realize it or not, your daily life is influenced by thought leaders in a wide variety of fields. Think about it: if you’re interested in technology, you likely have waited to hear what people like Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs and Elon Musk have to say about the latest gadget or program. If you listen to TED talks or highly-rated podcasts, what you are doing is seeking out thought leaders in their fields. Summits and conferences bring together thought leaders to share their opinions and findings. Philosophy, politics, religion, business and art all have their own thought leaders.

So, what can we learn from successful thought leaders and how they run their companies or organizations? What lessons can they teach those of us trying to run a business about how to establish our own brand or voice as a leader in our industry?

The easiest way to answer that question is by looking at a few highly-successful and respected thought leaders in a few different fields and consider why they are in such a position of authority. 

Many thought leaders, you’ll recognize, are the ones who are willing to break the mold or challenge the norms. Yet they do so in such a way that isn’t destructive, but constructive. They aren’t seeking to tear down what others have done, but they’re offering a new (and, as they would suggest, better) way. Thought leaders are news-makers, they’re doers, they’re innovators, they’re unstoppable. 

They’re rebels with a cause, and by studying their successes, you can join their ranks.

Four Thought Leaders to Follow

Steve Jobs

“The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” – Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs was, and remains, one of the most influential thought leaders of our time. His uncompromising dedication to artistry and excellence in his products has undeniably shaped the world – both in the field of technology and in many other areas of our culture. Like the brand that he co-founded, Jobs’ name has become synonymous with innovation and a streamlined type of aesthetic minimalism that serves to enhance, not detract. He was willing to dream big and push past what everyone else had done in order to try something new. Setbacks and complications may have slowed him, but they never stopped him.

Jobs once said, “Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn’t matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we’ve done something wonderful...that’s what matters to me.” (You can read more inspiring quotes from him here.) His emphasis on pushing the status quo and ever excelling was what propelled him to the forefront of technology and culture as a voice that everyone looked to for innovative thinking. Jobs made it clear that his goal was to make simplicity, focus and beauty the impetus behind every design Apple released. Other tech companies release their own “versions” of Apple products soon after each design is unveiled, but there remains something about the quality and sleekness of Apple products that captivates the near-cult following the company has. Jobs, his charismatic personality and his innovative branding were no small part of that.

If there’s a lesson to be learned from Steve Jobs as a thought leader, it’s this: Don’t be afraid to put quality and aesthetics over quantity, whether that’s in your product, your branding or your personal style. Don’t be afraid to try doing something differently, even when everyone else in your industry has been doing it the same way for years. You might just break out and revolutionize the way people think about your entire field.

Dave Ramsey 

“The most powerful thing humans have at their disposal is the ability to choose.” – Dave Ramsey

Dave Ramsey is known for several things that all center around one topic: financial planning and budgeting. His books, financial course, conferences and radio show are all aimed at helping everyday people make smarter decisions about their savings and spendings. As Ramsey tells it, he made millions of dollars in his 20s, lost it all through unwise management and spent the next years of his life climbing out of debt. Now, he spends his time as a financial advisor, spreading his hard-won wisdom through his books, financial management course entitled Financial Peace University, radio show and appearances. 

Ramsey also has shared many thoughts on being an entrepreneur and leader, offering tips and ideas based upon his experience. His success as a businessman has led him to the point where he has become synonymous with creating and reaching financial goals in personal finances. Not only has Ramsey reached success, he has also helped to launch the careers of his protégés like Christy Wright, who focuses on entrepreneurship and finding a work-life balance, especially for working mothers.

One of the reasons Ramsey is so successful is that he found a niche and filled it. He has worked his way up from the bottom to become the one that people look to for advice on every kind of financial matter. People trust his common-sense, no nonsense answers with something very important: their financial future

With his down-to-earth style, blunt but charismatic demeanor and energetic desire to see others succeed, Ramsey has become the premier thought leader in the financial advising and budgeting field. A lesson to be learned from Ramsey as a thought leader is this: Don’t fear failure. Instead, take every failure and use it as an opportunity to turn it into your greatest success. Use your story to inspire others by being relatable and honest. You may be surprised at how much your vulnerability can mean to others – and how quickly they’ll be willing to accept your wisdom as a thought leader.

Sheryl Sandberg 

“The ability to learn is the most important quality a leader can have.” – Sheryl Sandberg

Sheryl Sandberg has a list of accomplishments a mile long. As the former vice president of Google and current COO of Facebook Inc., Sandberg has managed to infiltrate the predominantly (and notoriously) male culture of Silicon Valley. But beyond her place in the upper ranks of tech, Sandberg is a voice for women’s empowerment and resilience in the face of challenges through her two books and organizations, Lean In and Option B. 

Sandberg has earned praise from coworkers and employees for her honest management style. She’s a proponent for small businesses and has used her platform to become one of the foremost voices on the need for equal compensation and equal employment opportunities for women. Like many thought leaders, Sandberg has learned to practice what she preaches – she tells the story of when Mark Zuckerberg made her a salary offer to join Facebook. She was inclined to accept, but her husband encouraged her to negotiate — and she did. Zuckerberg came back with a far higher second offer. 

Her husband died suddenly in 2015, leaving Sandberg as a single working mother. Her experience in trying to regain her life’s balance is documented in her second book, Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy. By being vulnerable about her loss and grief, Sandberg has strengthened her position as a thought leader. While in the public eye, she has faced scrutiny for her career, suffered one of the greatest losses a human being can be dealt and recovered with grace. 

The biggest lesson that Sheryl Sandberg can offer for those who want to become thought leaders is this: Your greatest struggle is often the place where you can most effectively help others. For Sandberg, this means being a woman in the upper levels of tech companies and her life as a working single mother and young widow. Whatever the adversity is in your life, situation or industry, try using that to help yourself become more relatable and make a connection with others. 

Jane Goodall

“Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don't believe is right.” – Jane Goodall

Jane Goodall is known worldwide for her conservationist efforts, but more particularly, for her work with chimpanzees. Goodall went above and beyond typical efforts to understand chimps by living with chimpanzees in Tanzania, beginning when she was 26 years old. Over the course of the next 50 years, Goodall became a trailblazer for the study of primates and one of the loudest voices urging for humane treatment of animals and conservation.

Goodall has had an impact far beyond what one person can do through the foundation under her name. But that impact happened because she refused to give up and insisted on making herself heard. Even today, at 83 years old, she is still traveling and speaking and working to further her message. In 2002, she gave a TED talk on the differences and similarities between chimps and humans. She is widely respected by scientists and thinkers, with her quiet and unassuming demeanour only helping to make her more appealing. 

By living a difficult and often comfortless life, Goodall has succeeded in bringing her concerns to the public attention and furthering conservation efforts for endangered species and research into the minds and behaviors of chimpanzees. Her courage and refusal to back down have left a lasting impact on the world. She has lobbied politicians and companies, spoken in countless venues and done more than her share of hands-on conservation in order to make herself heard. She is a force of and for nature, a unique and compelling woman.

The greatest lesson to learn from Jane Goodall as a thought leader is this: Have courage and stand strong for what you believe. Convictions set you apart and give you a purpose. If you are able to winsomely convey those convictions to others, you can win them to your side – and something that may have been a spark in the beginning can become a flame and a cause that lives long past you or your company.

Human beings learn well by example – which is why, in order to become a successful thought leader yourself, you should examine what others have done. By looking at the things that set them apart and the lessons to be learned from their experiences, you can become a more effective thought leader among your peers, company and the world. 

There are numerous other thought leaders in the world, in every industry and area of life. Do some research and see who the strongest voices in your community or field are and listen to what they have to say. Be ready to be challenged by them. Be ready to take the next step and speak out on your niche. Becoming a thought leader doesn’t happen overnight, and it will take work to gain the respect and clout needed to be heard. But if you are willing to work hard and practice what you preach, there is no reason why you can’t be the next Steve Jobs or Sheryl Sandberg.

Be original, be creative and don’t be afraid to utilize your weaknesses and struggles to find real connections with others. Find your passion and follow it. Become an expert. Become a voice. Break the moulds, take risks and put yourself out there. Become a rebel with a cause. Become a thought leader.

3. Earning the Grade: Creating Content Consumers Want

Wow! Did you get all that? Likely after reading on what thought leadership is, does and looks like, inspiration drives you to take action. The question becomes, “How does journaling or just writing become influential?”

The current thought leaders give plenty of general examples and ideas for getting started. Be original. Get creative. Just start. Do not worry about what others think. Use your story or adversity to help others. Make your message stand out. Gain trust. Persevere.

But what are the nuts and bolts of accomplishing all of this? How do you practically rise above the noise to become a voice of influence in your niche? What tools already lay at your disposal to grow your authority as a thought leader? 

Your website, as mentioned above, is the starting point for building a solid foundation. Landing pages draw traffic to your site. A blog gives readers wanted information and encourages aspirations. These content basics work hard for you when done well. (For a review, check out the Copywriter Today guide here.)

However, going further with content sends you to the front of the class with your business marketing plan. Check it out. 

Establishing Authority With Quality Content

A Forbes article details the importance of, plus the mindset and strategies required for, building business authority and developing leadership influence in your industry. As stated, thought leadership provides “a powerful platform on which to build all other business development initiatives.”

As you work to establish this foundation, keep in mind that trust is not built overnight. Quality, trustworthy content over time gets you on mark with the high-ranking competition and your audience. 

But before talking directly about content quality and formats, you need to adjust and focus your mindset. Consider these three points to get you thinking in the right direction. 

Know Your Stuff

It may seem an overstatement, but to be a thought leader, to develop influence in your niche, you MUST know your stuff. No one follows a novice or one who thinks he knows it all. 

To do so:

— Learn, learn, learn

— Enroll in classes, courses and webinars

— Do your own research

— Read, read and re-read quality materials

— Consult with mentors

— Follow and observe influencers

— Network like crazy

— Gain experience and more of it

— Quench your curiosity 

As you grow in your knowledge, apply it. For instance, develop the ability to understand and generate solutions that matter to your audience. Technological solutions, in particular, provide answers to consumer questions but also save valuable time and money. A trifecta of impact. 

Know Your Audience

While said over and again, both in beginner articles and expert guides, it bears repeating: Knowing your audience is key to determining the content which gets attention, gains trust and builds authority. To be a thought leader, you must speak on topics which interest, excite and inspire your audience. 

So, study them. You must understand who your consumers are and what they want to know. Gender, age, profession, social class, geographical location, income and interests all play into the words you choose and topics you write about. 

Furthermore, knowing the places consumers frequent, particularly digitally, offers direction as to where to take your content. Mobile formats, the various social media platforms, website action and community building sites raise opportunities to connect with your audience if you know which they prefer. 

Know Your SERP

Another tip for establishing authority through content is to study the search engine results page (SERP). When you Google your keyword, topic or area of interest, who rises to the top and in which formats? Knowing the SERP of industry-related content areas points you to relevant subject matter and formats. 

While search engine optimization (SEO) is not the topic of this guide, it plays a role worth mentioning in developing content and thought leadership. Without rankings, your message lacks voice. After all, if consumers cannot find you, how will they engage with you? 

Furthermore, this information gives you a hint as to the formats consumers like. In other words, if readers are not reading it, the content will not rank. These pages also reveal common questions consumers ask around a topic which gives you an outline on what to write.

Creating Content Consumers Want

According to Smart Insights, case studies rose to the top of desired B2B content at 55 percent. Best practice articles (53 percent), how-to guides (47 percent) and market trend reports (43 percent) ranked close behind. 

The Content Marketing Institute reports in 2016 that in-person events (75 percent), webinars (66 percent), case studies (65 percent), white papers (63 percent), videos (62 percent), research reports (61 percent), e-newsletters (60 percent), blogs (59 percent) and infographics (58 percent) scored well as effective B2B content marketing tactics. 

A leader in inbound marketing strategies and analytics, Moz suggests that Google highly ranks the following content formats on a regular basis:

— Blog posts

— Short-form content and articles

— Long-form articles

— Photo and visual compilations

— Detailed, informative lists

— Interactive content

The Envision Creative Group names blogging, emails and webinars as essential inbound marketing strategies. They also address SEO, email and social media efforts. 

So, you might be raising your hand to find out, “WHAT DO CONSUMERS WANT?”

This is the tricky part. There is no hard and fast formula. Combining audience and SERP know-how with current trends and technologies wrapped in quality content is your answer. 

Let’s consider a few top content formats to get you started. 

(Reminder: ALWAYS share quality content. Poorly written, sloppy material earns a failing grade with readers, no matter what platform you choose. Relevancy and accuracy of information as well as correct spelling and grammar are all vital.)

Blogs

To take the advice of Liz Ryan, “just start writing,” a blog is a natural place to begin. Through this content you enrich the lives of readers and earn their trust. Check out Gabe Arnold’s Business Marketing Engine blog on how your blog establishes authority and gives you credibility. 

Guest posting also proves valuable for building thought leadership. However, beware. Simply putting your message on every website you can fails to make the grade. Find sites which match your niche and audience and offer their own credibility.

A few suggestions: 

— Contribute to related, influential blogs. 

— Use influencers within your content. 

— Accept influential guest posts. 

— Link all blog work to your social media accounts.

— Mention and backlink to your blog and website. 

E-books

Electronic books (e-books) download directly onto digital devices making them ideal in an on-the-go culture. Beacon points out that e-books are an ideal opportunity to “give detailed insight on an area of expertise, enhance their reputation and most importantly to generate new leads.” 

In short, they grow thought leadership. David Meerman Scott supports this idea in The New Rules of Viral Marketing when he states that “E-books are true examples of thought leadership at work…” 

Need some e-book tips?

— Plan thoroughly.

— Conduct keyword research.

— Layout a clear structure.

— Write an enticing introduction and call-to-action conclusion.

— Offer beneficial and actionable insight.

(For more hints, read Strategic’s 10 Tips for Writing Successful E-books.)

White Papers

Writing a mini-guide (five to 12 pages) on the benefits of your product or service generates new leads. These white papers also demonstrate to customers (current and soon-to-be) your interest in helping them find solutions to their issues. 

By meeting consumer needs with practical helps, you demonstrate expertise and build thought leadership as well. After all, the bottom line is that people want to know that you know how to help them. 

David Meerman Scott shares a few white paper bad habits to avoid:

— Offering uninteresting, not usable content

— Using jargon and slang which are unfamiliar to readers

— Rehashing product information

Case Studies

While the dry truth may be hard to swallow, case studies rise to the top of consumer wants in several surveys. One example, the 2017 Content Preferences Survey, led researchers to find that 78 percent of buyers accessed case studies when researching purchases. 

Case studies build your credibility as a thought leader in several ways:

— Relatable human evidence increases confidence in your product, service or company.

— The value of action in case studies trumps testimonials. 

— Original content is a natural trait of this format which thwarts writer’s block.

— The material of case studies flows into multiple formats and channels for greater impact. 

— This format builds relationships, trust and authority. 

In short, case studies share a story of a consumer problem and how your product or service provides the solution. Why do they work to build your thought leadership? Humans like a good story. Through narrative, you demonstrate expertise and make a relational connection. Enough said. 

Infographics

The stats abound. Copy paired with relevant images earns 65 percent recall over those without an image (10 percent retention). Sharing of infographics occurs three times more than any other content on social media. Following text with images proves 323 percent more effective. 

And the list goes on. Expanding content to include infographics boosts readership, comprehension, shareability and therefore, authority. Check out this infographic for creating great infographics. In short, it reminds of the importance of focus, simplicity and choosing one hot topic.  

Video Scripts

Research indicates four times as many consumers prefer video over reading product information. In fact, 43 percent of buyers want more video content, according to HubSpot. And, 2016 saw 62 percent of marketers ranking videos among effective content marketing tactics. 

Producing quality video scripts answers this consumer call and builds your thought leadership in the process. When taking on a video project, keep the following points in mind:

— Stay true to your strategy, message and brand. 

— Build a story to capture audience attention. 

— Use creative angles and tools to boost production quality, not budget.

— Develop authentic, reliable and helpful video scripts. 

— Match the tone to your audience and the viewing platform. 

Getting Consumers to Make a Return Trip

Ultimately, successful content is content which gets results. If consumers read, respond and return, your digital marketing plan is doing its job. Using analytics to evaluate copy in its performance helps tackle this tough task. 

But, as expressed, three keys increase your readership and engagement before you ever get to analyzing the data. Giving consumers content which values, informs and relates to their experience is a win. It keeps buyers coming back. 

Let’s summarize. 

Value

Demonstrate to consumers that you value their time and intelligence with great content. Original thoughts and innovative thinking rather than rehashed topics and material does so. Content which gives consumers something new to think about sticks with them long after they read or see it. 

Inform

Consumers scour the internet for information. Be consistent in providing it on a regular basis and with a focus on quality. Don’t just regurgitate what races around the web at high speeds. Make bold claims. Report big predictions. Take a risk.

Relate

Humans are wired for relationship. This fact applies to the companies we purchase from as well. The desire is to be more than a sale. Connect with consumer needs, problems and interests. Engage in the two-way communication inherent with inbound digital marketing techniques and establish that relationship. 

Spreading Your Wings as a Thought Leader

So, now you have all the tools you need – you know what a thought leader is, you’ve learned about successful examples in several different fields and you’ve read about creating the content your clients want. The next steps are in your hands. Time to go out into the world and show them what makes you and your brand unique. Capitalize on your strengths and discover the niche that best suits your voice. Be honest, be authentic and be passionate. 

Being a thought leader is all about gaining respect and finding a way to make your message heard. It may take some trial-and-error, figuring out what angle best suits your brand and your ideas.

Positioning yourself as a thought leader isn’t without its risks. You will have to be a trailblazer. You may have to go against the flow or ask tough questions. You may have to do things outside of your comfort zone. As Craig Badings and Dr. Liz Alexander put it, “Thought leaders are brave; explore areas others don’t, raise questions others won’t, and provide insights others can’t.”

So, go out and be brave. Ask questions. Challenge the status quo. Explore different options and paths – find the one that works best for you and your business. Do something meaningful and wonderful. Offer the perspective and thoughts only you can bring to the world. Be a thinker. Be a rebel. 

Be a thought leader.

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