70% of C-suite executives said that thought leadership had led them to reconsider their current vendor relationship. When people view your company as a trusted resource for information, they’re more likely to seek out what you have to offer. It builds credibility, and with that, a stronger connection to your audience. In this article, we are going to talk about how you need to grow your company’s thought leadership. First, we’re going to go over why you even need to grow your thought leadership in the industry.
Growing your thought leadership is crucial for positioning your company as an industry expert. When people view your business as a trusted source of knowledge, they’re more likely to seek out your products or services. It builds credibility, and with that, a stronger connection to your audience. Thought leadership goes beyond selling, it’s about offering value, sharing your expertise, and being someone your audience can rely on for answers and solutions.
Now that you have an understanding of the importance of thought leadership for your company, let’s go over our top strategies to grow your company’s thought leadership.
Blogging is one of the easiest ways to start building thought leadership. It allows you to share your expertise, answer common questions, and discuss trends in your industry. Writing insightful, well-researched content positions your company as a trusted source of information and keeps your audience coming back for more. A blog that’s updated regularly signals to your audience, and search engines. that your company is active and engaged. Optimizing posts for SEO by using relevant keywords, linking to reputable sources, and structuring content in a readable way helps your blog reach more people. Tools like SEMrush can help you discover keywords and relevant questions that your audience is asking, that you can then create content around.
Podcasting gives your company a voice, literally. It’s a great medium for thought leadership because it allows you to engage your audience in a more personal way. Whether you’re interviewing industry experts, discussing trends, or sharing company insights, podcasts provide a unique way to connect with your audience. Unlike blogs, podcasts can be consumed on the go, making them an accessible format for busy professionals. Starting a podcast doesn’t require expensive equipment, just a good microphone, some basic editing software, and a clear vision for your content. If you’re interested in podcasting, check out our article How to Start a Podcast.
Collaboration is one of the fastest ways to get highly relevant impressions. By partnering with complimentary companies, or companies that aren’t direct competitors but have a similar audience, you can leverage each other’s expertise and reach. This could take the form of co-branded content, joint webinars, or guest blogging. These partnerships expose your brand to a new audience while also adding credibility to your business. Here at Visitor Queue, we have done a number of co-written blogs and they end up being some of our best performing articles.
Trade shows and industry events provide a great opportunity to showcase your company’s expertise. Speaking at a conference, participating in a panel discussion, or even hosting a booth at a trade show allows you to interact directly with industry professionals. Networking with peers, engaging in discussions, and sharing takeaways from the event online further solidifies your thought leadership. Even if you’re not presenting, attending and actively participating in conversations will keep your company visible and relevant. Ensure that you share on social media that your company will be attending to grow the reach even further.
LinkedIn is one of the best platforms for thought leadership, whether it’s from your company or your team. Professionals turn to LinkedIn to stay updated on industry news, making it the perfect place to share insights, articles, and company updates. Posting regularly, engaging with others’ content, and joining industry discussions helps build your reputation. Thought leadership on LinkedIn isn’t just about what you post, it’s also about how you engage. Commenting on relevant posts, sharing your perspective, and contributing to conversations all help position your company as an authority in your field.
Webinars provide an interactive way to engage with your audience while showcasing your expertise. Unlike pre-recorded content, webinars allow for real-time discussions, Q&A sessions, and audience interaction. Choosing timely and relevant topics ensures that your audience finds value in attending. Webinars also offer repurposing opportunities. You can turn them into blog posts, share key takeaways on LinkedIn, or use clips on social media. Webinars can be intimidating, but they don’t have to be. Check out our article How to Host a Webinar to Generate Leads to learn more.
Long-form content like whitepapers and eBooks allows you to dive deeper into industry topics. This provides valuable insights backed by data and research. Unlike blog posts, which are often shorter and more conversational, whitepapers and eBooks position your company as a serious authority in your space. Gating this content, or requiring an email address before download, can help you generate leads while demonstrating the value that your company provides.
Original research is one of the most effective ways to establish thought leadership. Conducting surveys, analyzing industry trends, and publishing proprietary reports set you apart from competitors who rely on third-party data. This will make media outlets, bloggers, and other industry leaders more likely to cite your research. In turn, expanding your reach even further. And, getting your website backlinks which will improve your visibility on search engines as well.
After all of this work trying to grow your company’s thought leadership, you’re probably wondering if it’s paying off. While Google Analytics can show if your traffic has increased, you’ll never know if you’re attracting the right visitors to your site. This is where Visitor Queue comes in to help. By adding a tracking script to your website, you can see the companies that visit your website, along with how they got there, the pages that they visited, and how long they spent on each page. This information will help you see if you’re attracting the right website visitors or not. Additionally, we provide employee contact information to help you reach out and ensure that they found what they were looking for. These capabilities are helpful for both marketing analytics and lead generation. Start your 14-day free trial of Visitor Queue today to get more insight into your website visitors.
Growing your company’s thought leadership takes time, but it pays off in brand trust, industry recognition, and business growth. By sharing a mix of the content mentioned above, you can position your company as an authority in your industry. The more high-quality content that you produce, the more people will see your company as a trusted resource. But, keep in mind that thought leadership isn’t about promoting your company, it’s about providing educational value. As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team if you have any questions about Visitor Queue.