How to write a great thought leadership article
Image: Jehyun Sung via Unsplash
Writing an article, web page or blog post where you share your expertise is a chance to provide interested readers with information useful to them, while also building your profile as an expert in your field.
The marketing value of thought leadership content is implicit rather than explicit – the ‘hard sell’ is rarely effective. The marketing purpose is to build the credibility of your brand rather than pushing a particular product or service.
Here are some tips to help write quality thought leadership content:
1. Be authentic
Apply this rule when developing any form of business communication, and particularly when you are imparting your expert knowledge. Being authentic means writing in your natural ‘voice’, not assuming a different tone to sound more authoritative or informed. It also means being honest about the limits of your knowledge – don’t be tempted to stray outside your field of expertise or pretend to know more than you do.
2. Be humble
Don’t flaunt your expertise. The intention of a thought leadership article is to contribute to the overall body of knowledge, not to show off your particular skill set. The tone can be authoritative, but it should never be arrogant. Don’t be afraid to write about mistakes you have made and the lessons you learned as a result, to build others’ knowledge base through your own experience. Writing with honestly and humility will make your writing more empathetic and engaging.
3. Be original
With so much information available online, it might feel hard to say anything new. A thought leadership article needs to contribute something of value, rather than just rehashing the thoughts of peers. Do your research to understand what is being said, but then step away to gather your own thoughts and form your own opinion. Your article might be a response to the common consensus, or it might apply a particular context to a broader issue (for example, how it relates to an Australian context, or for a particular industry segment).
4. Be professional
By writing an article whose purpose is to demonstrate thought leadership, you are engaging with your audience as a professional in your field. If the writing is disjointed, difficult to follow or contains errors in grammar and spelling, it will call into question your level of professionalism. After your first draft, take some time away then re-read what you have written with fresh eyes. Get a colleague to check over the final draft or, better yet, get a professional editor to review your text to make sure your writing is as clear and succinct as possible.
