Over the past decade or so, “thought leadership” has evolved from corporate events to more inspirational and interactive leadership content that has the potential to drive discussions and instigate positive social change on a worldwide scale. This is largely thanks to the advent of the internet and social media channels. Far from being an outdated industry buzzword, thought leadership is a great avenue for brands to build lasting credibility and authority.
In the late 1990s, entrepreneurs like Bill Gates and Steve Jobs dominated and defined the tech industry narrative – as every business looked to them for answers in an ever-changing landscape. This could be your brand, but becoming a thought leader and household name won’t just happen overnight. It takes a lot of work to establish your brand as an expert within your field, which is why you should be taking advantage of social media marketing tools to elevate your brand’s thought leadership messaging, drumming up interest, intrigue and authority. There’s no denying that social media has made it easier for experts to impart knowledge online. But with so much information available, it's increasingly difficult for brands to break through the noise, so, if you’re in need of direction, join Wordsmith as we show you four key ways you can utilise these platforms to provide informative and educational content going forward.
1. Promote thought leadership through storytelling
The important thing to remember about thought leadership is that the content you create should always be at least two steps ahead of your competitors. For your thought leadership messaging to make a real impact, you need to be sharing novel ideas and open unique discussions, or else you’re just adding to the content clutter online. Smart brands leverage customer surveys and other research tools to find completely niche topics and emerging trends that will not only engage their audiences but show why their brand should be a trusted source of information in the industry, that can weather ebbs and flows.
But it’s not only educational content that people want to see, people inherently crave stories. So, pairing your thought leadership material with storytelling prowess is a recipe for success. It adds personality and authenticity, making your brand more approachable. And one of the best methods for combining thought leadership content and storytelling is by creating podcasts and sharing them across LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Global management consulting firm, McKinsey & Company, understands the importance of storytelling, which is why they’ve created multiple podcasts which broadcast their key research findings in an engaging way that opens the floor for discussions, including McKinsey on Consumer and Retail, Inside the Strategy Room and McKinsey Talks Talent.
2. Leverage and highlight user-generated content that aligns with your thought leadership strategy
Branded thought leadership content doesn’t only have to be produced in-house. If your content strategy is worth its weight in salt, your customers should already be organically creating content that aligns perfectly with your brand’s values and thought leadership messaging – and it’s essential to give these customers their time in the spotlight. User Generated Content (UGC) gives customers a unique opportunity to participate in a brand’s conversations and growth as a thought leader in the industry. Acknowledging customers in this way, and integrating their content into your thought leadership strategy will turn normal customers into brand advocates and ambassadors who are dedicated to promoting your brand’s core messages. People thrive off being part of something greater than themselves, so promoting their content allows them to be part of your brand community while instilling brand loyalty and affinity at the same time.
Utilising UGC allows you to leverage social proof by showcasing the opinions of real customers rather than self-promoting why you should be considered a thought leader – and audiences appreciate this. There’s no embellishment, fabrication or photoshop involved, these experiences and statements are raw and real – it’s the new form of word-of-mouth advertising, and like it or not, it’s a real driver of positive customer sentiment. Brands that promote UGC find it easier to open two-way conversations with engaged audiences which in time can deepen relationships and encourage them to go to the brand in search of answers and advice because they view them as thought leaders.
Dylan Duke, Founder and CEO of Glewee, explains, “Most of the time, UGC can be easily sourced online by simply searching hashtags or uncovering content in which your brand is tagged or mentioned. For a more concerted effort, you can invite users to submit content by launching giveaways, contests or campaigns with branded hashtags that encourage participation. On a smaller scale, you can pose questions in the captions of your brand's posts to prompt engagement from followers.”
Emphasising “purpose over profits”, no one does thought leadership content quite like outdoor clothing brand, Patagonia. Patagonia is consistently one of the top performers among sports apparel brands across Facebook and Instagram. The brand has arguably one of the most active user bases, as well as the highest number of likes and shares per 1,000 fans, Engagement Labs studies claim. And a large reason for this is due to their successful strategy of promoting UGC across their social channels, which include shots of breathtaking natural landscapes, powerful sustainability-led quotes or adventurous customer stories.
What sets them apart is that they see their customers as advocates for something greater than their brand alone. Patagonia has set the stage for sustainable brands, going above and beyond by donating millions of dollars in annual contributions to conservation and key environmental causes – and they avidly encourage their customers to speak out. Patagonia Founder, Yvon Chouinard, has also led numerous campaigns against oil drilling and deforestation and has even publicly challenged climate-change-denying governments. He sums up the brand’s thought leadership content by saying, “Patagonia’s image is a human voice. It expresses the joy of people who love the world, who are passionate about their beliefs, and who want to influence the future. It is not processed; it won’t compromise its humanity. This means that it will offend, and it will inspire.”
3. Collaborate with industry experts and social influencers
It’s no surprise to hear that consumers are growing increasingly sceptical of traditional advertising methods. Research shows that 61% of customers trust recommendations from family members, friends and influencers on social media channels compared to 39% for brand recommendations. And according to the Influencer Marketing Hub, the influencer marketing industry has increased almost tenfold within seven years, from $1.7 billion back in 2016 to $16.4 billion by the end of 2022, and it’s only expected to rise further. So, it might be worth considering working with key social influencers who can build meaningful relationships with your audiences and promote your thought leadership content in tandem. And this doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to drain your marketing budget on massive celebrity endorsements. Micro-influencers, (those who have between 10,000 and 100,000 followers), are a group that’s increasingly helping to spur brand engagement, perhaps because they’re easier for customers to relate to.
Partnering with other industry experts is a great way that brands can bring in fresh content perspectives that will resonate with wider audiences. And collaborations can come in many forms, like co-creating thought leadership blog content, speaking on a podcast series/panel, or allowing the expert to do social story takeovers for the day. By combining an influencer’s expertise with your own, you can establish your brand as a thought leader, all while creating credible, data-driven content. Brands are getting more and more creative in how they incorporate influencers into their thought leadership strategies. For example, the online teaching platform, Udemy, invites influencers such as Guy Kawasaki, Founder and CEO of Garage Tech Ventures, and Gary Vaynerchuk, Chairman of VaynerX, to teach specialised courses in entrepreneurship, personal branding and thought leadership. By co-creating content with influencers in niche fields, Udemy is setting itself apart from the competition and instilling its brand as a thought leader in the industry.
However, Nancy Marshall, Founder and CEO of Marshall Communications also urges brands to analyse the success of influencer campaigns, to help inform future partnerships. “You can determine the outcome by analysing details like impressions, likes, shares, comments and unique URL clicks. Depending on the campaign, your goal may be an uptick in sales or even just increased public awareness and education. Just make sure the collaboration is meeting your brand’s needs.” But this doesn’t only apply to influencer campaigns, it should apply to every thought leadership piece you create, Scott Baradell, editor of the online publication Trust Signals says. “You can’t fly blind with your social media content unless you want to leave success to chance. Invest in quality analytics tools, like Shield for LinkedIn or TrackMyHashtag for Twitter, to see what’s working and what isn’t. Study the subject matter of your posts, the time of day they’re sent, different hashtag strategies and other variables to see what tends to increase your visibility. Then, lean into that. Give the people what they want.”
4. Create shorter, more impactful video content
Your brand’s thought leadership content should convey how you’re constantly researching, investigating and innovating. You want to show that your brand is filled with experts who aren’t afraid to take a stand. And a great way to communicate this is by sharing videos. Thought leadership videos offer an educational perspective on a novel idea. And when you get the right speaker and script, videos are one of the most effective ways to engage your community. While thought leadership videos are nothing new, creating thought leadership clips for social media is.
Last year, Meta stated that Instagram and Facebook collectively get over 140 billion Reels plays per day, which is a clear testament to the ever-increasing demand for dynamic short-form video content, so brands need to rethink how they create and share thought leadership content to keep up with shorter attention spans and the preference for snackable, visual content. This means embracing shorter formats and introducing more interactive elements. Perhaps your thought leadership piece is best split into a video series, where the experts on the video read the questions in the comment section and prepare to answer them in the next upcoming clip. Victor Potrel said, “When it comes to viewers, I believe they’re looking for a sense of belonging and the chance to interact with others who share their passions. That’s why it’s vital to facilitate active viewer participation through engaging content.” He continues, “Believe it or not, when done well, short-form videos can convey a sense of authenticity and belonging, boost engagement, create a participation culture across platforms, and reinforce a positive feedback loop between creator and viewers.” So it’s important not to underestimate the power of sharing short videos on social media when it comes to strengthening your position as a thought leader in your field.
To give your thought leadership content a fighting chance, you need to think of how social media marketing tools can help to boost your messaging, so it has a lasting impact on your key audiences. Whether that’s promoting your storytelling podcasts on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook; collaborating with influencers and leading industry experts on social; embedding UGC content into your thought leadership strategy, or condensing your video content into a snackable short series, there are so many social media avenues available to elevate your brand as a thought leader in your field, so make them work to your advantage.