Winning Content Strategy for 2022: Thought Leadership from Eaglematrix's blog

As  a part of  our series to help businesses with digital marketing, today we are presenting Winning Content Strategy for 2022: Thought Leadership. According to eagle matrix as a top digital agency with  20 years  in the business, there has been one constant in marketing online; Content is King.  it had been  true when Bill Gates said it back in the 90’s and is still true today as top content drives interest and engagement.

One of the most powerful methods for creating top content is by leveraging thought leadership as part of an overall content strategy.

What is Thought Leadership?

The idea of thought leadership starts with a thought leader who has a unique authority within a specific field and offers guidance and inspiration based on that knowledge and expertise.

A perfect example would be the late Professor Stephen Hawking in relation to theoretical physics. When Hawking would speak on matters  associated with  physics, he was always taken seriously and his views, opinions, or ideas would be sought out because people trusted his expertise and advice.

Thought leadership arises  once you  have such a leader in charge of a business where the expertise of the person then carries over to the entire organization to help build a reputation along with creditability. Current  samples of  thought leadership would include Elon Musk and SpaceX, Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway, or  speculator  Chris Sacca and Lowercase Capital.

Becoming  an idea  Leader

There is not a simple way to become a thought leader.  it's  something that takes time, effort, and a history of quantifiable successes which then creates credibility. But that doesn’t mean  an individual  cannot actively work towards becoming a leader or effectively build a brand into a position of thought leadership, which has become significantly easier in today’s digital world.

Here are some specific areas to  specialise in  when building a thought leadership presence in your field of expertise.

Become a Pioneer

This can be a challenge to accomplish depending on your area of influence. Those involved  in additional  creative enterprises have an advantage although some thought leaders have become pioneers by finding solutions to problems in their everyday lives.

As an example, Richard Branson started Virgin Airlines because his flight from Puerto Rico to  Mary  Islands was canceled. Innovation can occur when  there's  friction with products or services, how a process  is employed ,  or maybe  how an organization is structured.

Increase Peer Reputation

Thought leaders are often highly thought of by their peers, primarily because  they're  willing to help, collaborate, teach, and mentor. By taking the time  to assist  others, collaborate, share ideas, and work together, a brand can increase their standing among competitors.

Go to Live Events

One of the best ways to share innovative ideas and highlight unique knowledge is at live events. Encounters between peers  leave  experiences to be shared and discussions to take place that allow authentic, sustainable connections.

Taking that one step farther — hosting events allows you  to line  the stage and craft a message that showcases you or your brand.

Embrace Blogging

Regular blogging  that gives  consistent value to readers helps display authority. Seth Godin, who has authored 18 best-selling books about marketing and strategy, has  one among  the most popular blogs in the world and posts almost daily. While the blogs aren’t always long, they consistently provide value to readers.

The best content strategies are built around great blogs, videos, and podcasts disseminated to interested people though posting, email, and newsletters.

Create White Papers and Case Studies to Showcase Expertise

White papers, case studies, and research papers have always been a source  of data  within industries. Authoring papers with new insights  and concepts  that both customers and peers can utilize will increase your position as a thought leader in your industry.

Launch a Podcast

Podcasts are  a cheap  version of a talk show where people can share thoughts and ideas, interview other experts,  and usually  highlight knowledge and authority in a way that benefits their audience.

There is so much easily accessed technology available today,  that you simply  can produce, record, and edit  right  your laptop or phone.

Become a Judge

For industries that have annual awards,  like  the Webby Awards for web design, judging your peers  may be a  feather in the brand’s cap. It reflects that person’s knowledge and skill within their field and creates a mystique where others  hunt down  their expertise.

Author a Book

In today’s digital age, self-publishing a book  is simple . The book can then be offered as  an idea  leadership piece and is still one of the strongest ways to showcase ideas and establish credibility and trustworthiness.

For  those that  already blog or host a podcast, ideas and topics are  presumably  already available and simply need to be compiled into a singular narrative.

Be Active on Social Media

Creating a following or community on social media  also can  highlight authority on subjects and provides an opportunity to interact and discuss ideas and thoughts.  another  bonus is that this can also build brand awareness.

Demonstrate Compassion

Getting involved in causes that affect our humanity  and check out  to make the world a better place will earn respect from other like-minded people both in and out of your industry. By having your brand  specialise in  social responsibility, it showcases your character and values.

Relating Thought Leadership to Marketing

Thought leadership, once established, can then be applied to your content marketing strategy. Once experience, passion, and credibility  are  recognized, a business can start to  specialise in  creating content that provides the best, most thoughtful answers to customers’ biggest questions.

It’s not just talking about products or services  that you simply  can provide and how they are better than the competition. Instead,  it's  analyzing the challenges your customers face and taking a deep-dive using knowledge and expertise only you have to then provide information and solutions.

This type of content marketing can be effective for consumer-facing businesses as well as B2B companies. Consider this three step approach:

Find  a subject  or topics that you are an authority in that is associated with your brand.  it's  important to realistically evaluate the level of authority and continue to grow that authority as your thought leader role continues to expand.

Top customer questions  have to  be identified, listed, categorized,  then  prioritized. Start at  the highest  of the list, creating content that answers those questions and solves those issues always looking  to supply  the best, most innovative solutions.  it's  perfectly acceptable to provide both informative and opinionated content,  because the  opinions of thought leaders are highly valued.

That content then  must  be posted in the most auspicious ways, whether  that's  to blanket social media platforms or individualized email lists or the dozens of other ways to reach your audience.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that thought leadership in marketing can help a brand in numerous ways from attracting top talent, increasing brand value and reputation, increasing sales, and providing more business opportunities.

It should be a goal  for many  brands to develop a level of expertise and authority within their industry and community. This, in turn, allows for the creation of a winning content strategy for 2022 and beyond.

Be sure to check back every week for great new Eagle Matrixblog articles or contact us directly to learn more about our services.