What is thought leadership?

Thought leadership is a phrase we often hear, but it can sometimes sound like just another buzzword. The truth is that thought leadership is very real and can have major impacts on your brand and business. 

What even is thought leadership? It’s the expression of ideas that demonstrate a leader has expertise in a particular field, area or topic. Many executives strive to become leaders in their industries and communities but don’t always know how to build their brand in a meaningful way. 

Here are 3 important things to know about thought leadership if you desire to be a recognized leader in your field.

Thought leadership takes time: Becoming a thought leader takes dedication, patience and strategy. Most thought leaders not only have command of their subject area, but they are also passionate about it and eager to share their knowledge with others to benefit a company, organization or cause. Thought leaders are trustworthy resources because they provide valuable, insightful information and resources that the market is craving over a demonstrated period of time. 

Content marketing is an important thought leadership component: One of the best ways to establish authority on a topic is to develop timely content on the subject and share knowledge or perspective no one else has. Content marketing, including media guest articles, blogs, speaking engagements, LinkedIn and other means can increase your authority and influence. Content can be informative and even inspiring, which is why many thought leaders are invited to speak at conferences and events, why they have many social media followers, become LinkedIn experts and why their content is widely followed. 

The benefits of thought leadership are numerous. A consistent approach to sharing valuable content will not only grow your audience, but it will build trust, too. Plus, strengthening a leader’s personal brand through thought leadership will help build brand recognition for your company and attract the best talent. People will be more likely to gravitate towards your brand or company because they want to work with recognized leaders who have influence on the audiences they serve.

The benefits of thought leadership are vast and far reaching. I’ve seen what it’s done for many of our clients across diverse industries, and the impact can be significant. Many of them now sit head and shoulders above their competition as industry authorities. The same is possible for you, too.

Julia Bonner is the president & founder of Pierce Public Relations.