How To Build a Strong Portfolio of Thought Leadership (And What Is It Anyway?)
Before 2021, I had never heard the term “thought leadership.”
Since then, I’ve ghostwritten over 1000s thought leadership articles for executives across industries.
So, what is it? And what approaches have I seen that work best?
What is thought leadership?
Broken down, the phrase is easy to understand. “Thoughts” are the ideas we have in reaction to our lived experiences. “Leadership” describes people in a position of leading others.
In their path to leadership, leaders confront situations that few have the opportunity to experience. With access to these thoughts, everyday Joe-and-Janes like the rest of us can expand our understanding and improve our chances of success.
Of course, executives have their own reasons for developing thought leadership, but it has to come across in a helpful, authentic, non-promotional way to be effective. They can:
Raise awareness: highlighting the way they approach problems as a brand, through products, or as a company,
Build trust: providing transparency around their approaches to product development, labor management, and customer service,
Attract and retain: explaining the benefits of healthy people policies to draw top talent and assure team members of their leadership’s efforts,
Shape public opinion: growing a large audience to influence and trigger significant change, and;
Draw new opportunities: strengthening their creative assets to expand future leadership opportunities.
The story behind your accomplishments — the trials, tribulations, and mistakes made along the way — becomes the skills, lessons, and added value that readers seek out in your thought leadership content.
What approaches work best?
Successful thought leadership takes more than a one-and-done effort. Influencing is a competitive industry. It takes consistency, frequency, and a nurtured, growing audience to stand out. With either of these two approaches, you can hit the ground running:
1. Basic: High-impact social campaign with recurring blog or newsletter
Sharing content on platforms where your audience engages can establish thought leadership, but frequency and consistency are critical.
As Justin Nassiri, CEO of Executive Presence, points out, only a small percentage of your network might see your content or even be online when you post it. Engagement, especially in the first hour, expands viewership, but consistently posting between 2 and 3 or up to 5 times per week, says Nassiri, can increase monthly views by 250%; likes by 270%.
Of course, this depends on the content. Innovative or countercultural opinions grab attention. Research builds authority. First-hand experiences resonate.
A blend of long- and short-form content gives you more control over your impact. Launching a blog or newsletter allows for insights that delve deeper into a topic through research. Short-form content on social platforms establishes a personality and starts conversations. By engaging directly with your audience through frequent touchpoints, you can amplify the visibility and effectiveness of your thought leadership.
2. Fast-Tracked: Borrow audiences from established platforms
This option leverages the same elements outlined above, but fast-tracks growth by borrowing from existing audiences. To do this, executives can try their luck at pitching op-eds to major periodicals. Of course, they also qualify for exclusive thought leadership bylines in established platforms.
These outlets—Forbes, Entrepreneur, Fast Company, and others—benefit by sharing unique executive insights with their business-savvy readership. Executives, positioned alongside recognized journalists and experts, benefit from a significantly expanded reach and authority. Such exposure can also generate additional opportunities: webinars, podcasts, conferences, or industry collaborations.
Is it worth it?
Both the basic and the fast-tracked approach require time and effort, which few executives have to spare. Naturally, they might wonder, “Is it worth it?”
All signs point to “yes.”
Industry leaders are reading thought leadership. A 2024 Edelman/LinkedIn thought leadership impact report found that about 50% of C-Suite executives and decision-makers spent over one hour a week reading thought leadership, more than before the pandemic.
And thought leadership is having an impact. According to Semrush, “81.4% of thought leadership content results in organic traffic, 64.9% see a boost in social media following and engagement, [and] 47.6% of thought leadership content generates the actual leads and sales.”
Here’s how to start:
Determine which publications and platforms align with your expertise and get an idea of the thought leadership already offered there.
Understand your target audience, where they read, and their biggest challenges.
Establish short- and long-term thought leadership goals and design a content roadmap to get there.
Consider freelance writers, editors, or content strategists to maintain quality standards, ensure a consistent value to the audience, and design a storytelling arc that keeps people engaged.
Consider an agency like KNG Services to handle everything. Contact us to discuss building your thought leadership legacy.
