How Do You Amplify Thought Leadership Content?

As the digital era continues to reshape the business landscape, the currency of influence has evolved, with thought leadership emerging as a pivotal asset. In the quest to elevate thought leadership, we sought insights from marketing leaders and business founders on how they amplify their stories. We have compiled 18 diverse strategies that have helped professionals establish their presence, from crafting personal brands on LinkedIn to leveraging team expertise for content.

Craft Personal Brand

One of the pivotal elements in cultivating thought leadership is the creation of a personal brand. This endeavor compels us to refine our ideas, present them publicly, and expose ourselves to potential criticism or feedback. Specifically, crafting a personal brand on LinkedIn has the power to draw in new clients, offer insights into our professional activities and individual ethos, and unveil numerous opportunities. Thus, I firmly believe that it's imperative for organizations to foster brand ambassadors who are willing to take the extra step.

These individuals should actively share content that resonates with their expertise as well as the organization's, particularly in forums where decision-makers congregate. LinkedIn stands out as the prime channel for this type of engagement. By doing so, not only do these ambassadors enhance their visibility and credibility, but they also contribute significantly to the organization's reputation and reach.

Engaging on LinkedIn with tailored, insightful content allows for a direct connection with industry leaders and potential clients, facilitating a dialogue that can lead to fruitful collaborations and partnerships. Hence, leveraging LinkedIn for personal branding and thought leadership is not just beneficial but essential for those aiming to make a substantial impact in their fields.

Rafael Sansores Majul, Director Marketing Communications, Rafael Sansores Majul

Personalize Outreach for Engagement

To amplify our thought-leadership content, we focus on 'thinking human' and personalization, and move away from generic distribution tactics. We research our target audience and tailor our outreach by creating customized messages addressing their needs.

Adding a human touch, we cut through the noise, build connections, and maximize engagement.

For example, if we've published a report on emerging trends in a particular industry, we'll segment our promotion by role, company size, geography, and other relevant attributes. A CIO at a large enterprise will receive a different message than a startup founder. The CIO's message might emphasize how our insights can help them navigate digital transformation, while the founder's message could focus on capitalizing on disruption.

People can distinguish between thoughtful, relevant outreach and generic, impersonal blasts.

Oleh Sorokopud, Head of Digital Marketing, Softjourn

Share Expertise via LinkedIn Profiles

One effective strategy we've implemented to amplify thought-leadership content involves leveraging LinkedIn as a primary distribution channel. By encouraging our executives and experts to share and discuss our content on their personal LinkedIn profiles, we tap into their networks for broader reach and engagement. This approach is complemented by participating in relevant LinkedIn Groups and publishing articles on LinkedIn Pulse. We focus on creating high-quality, insightful content that addresses current industry challenges or trends, which encourages sharing and discussions. This strategy has significantly increased our content's visibility, establishing our company's voice as a trusted authority in our industry and driving meaningful conversations with our target audience.

Omer Lewinsohn, General Manager, Marketing Expert, Management.org

Speak at Industry Conferences

The best way to amplify thought leadership throughout your industry is to attend conferences where you can speak to your strengths and the future of your niche. Public speaking on a topic that is meaningful to your company can increase visibility and lend credence to your organization, not to mention it's a great way to speak to others in your industry and offer feedback, help, or thoughts on where the industry is headed.

Tiara Rea-Palmer, Director of Partnerships, CouponFollow

Utilize LinkedIn Newsletters for Reach

Leveraging LinkedIn newsletters has proven to be a game-changer in amplifying my thought-leadership content. With a dedicated subscriber base of 6.4K individuals, each newsletter dispatch ensures direct engagement through both email and LinkedIn notifications, creating a consistent touchpoint with my audience.

This strategy not only enhances visibility but also fosters a sense of community around shared interests and insights. By delivering value-packed content directly to subscribers, I've been able to deepen connections, spark meaningful conversations, and position myself as a go-to source in my field.

The interactive nature of LinkedIn allows for immediate feedback and engagement, enabling me to tailor content more effectively to meet the needs and interests of my audience.

As a result, this approach has significantly expanded my reach, reinforced my thought leadership, and opened up new opportunities for collaboration and growth.

Vivian Acquah CDE®, Certified Diversity Executive, Amplify DEI

Build Relationships for Content Amplification

One successful strategy we've used to amplify thought leadership content at our organization involves networking and relationship-building. By actively engaging in relationships with key stakeholders, industry leaders, and media contacts, we've leveraged amplification through mentions, interviews, and collaborations. This has expanded our overall reach and enhanced our credibility within the industry.

Bernice Chao, Founder, Asians in Advertising

Collaborate for Diverse Audience Reach

When you want to spread your ideas further, it's not just about talking louder; it's about talking smarter. Find folks who share your enthusiasm but reach different crowds. Team up to create content that's not just interesting but truly stands out because it blends the best of what you both know. Then, share it across your networks. This way, you're not just sharing a message; you're starting conversations far and wide. Remember, it's the connections and collaborations that really amplify your impact. So, let's not just add volume; let's multiply our voices by joining forces.

Allison Dunn, CEO, Head Business & Executive Coach, Deliberate Directions

Engage in LinkedIn Conversations

One effective strategy we've employed to amplify thought leadership content involves leveraging LinkedIn for social-type knowledge sharing. This approach, used for clients like Smart Robotics and MintBlue, focuses on sharing valuable insights and industry perspectives directly on LinkedIn. By engaging in meaningful conversations and sharing expert content, we've been able to position our clients as thought leaders in their respective fields.

This method not only increases visibility but also fosters professional connections and dialogue within the industry, contributing significantly to our thought-leadership efforts. Importantly, combining news and social platforms for thought sharing ensures a balanced approach, enhancing credibility through validated news while fostering interactive community engagement on social media, broadening the reach and impact of our thought-leadership initiatives.

Marco Genaro Palma, Chief Marketing Officer, PRLab

Mention Ecosystem Players in Content

Relying on an ecosystem of players has played a critical role in amplifying some of my content and clients.

The idea is to genuinely mention pieces of content, tools, quotes, papers, or research pieces of people in the same ecosystem as your prospective buyers. Think about thought leaders, industry analysts, journalists, authors, industry associations, consultants, educators, speakers, and coaches.

When you write your thought leadership, use their content or ideas to support your points and narrative. Then, share your thought leadership content with them so you get them onboard before distributing it. Make them feel, 'You know, before anyone else, I respect your opinion and want to show you my idea.' They'll get back to you with feedback. Once you adjust your content, distribute it, mention these players in your social posts, and share links with them to the article. Most of the time, they will reshare, comment, and amplify your content as a way to say 'thanks for counting on my ideas.'

Think that these people could be very influential players in your market. Thus, a single like or comment may be worth your time going through this process!

Jose Bermejo, Founder & Managing Partner, Predictable Innovation Strategy

Equip Sales with Research Insights

One effective strategy I consistently use to amplify our thought-leadership content is providing our sales representatives with original research findings and relevant data points. Instead of solely relying on traditional channels to promote content, like email marketing, for example, I prioritize equipping our sales team with valuable insights derived from ongoing research efforts.

This includes a range of insights, such as emerging trends, market shifts, and new industry pain points. By empowering our reps with this knowledge, they can seamlessly integrate it into their customer interactions, outreach to potential leads, and even their personal social media presence. To further help our reps, my team also creates a range of templates and scripts for different kinds of conversations.

This strategy not only expands the reach of our thought-leadership content but also creates a culture where our sales professionals take on the role of brand advocates and thought leaders themselves. Through their direct engagement with clients and prospects, our reps can better resonate with our audience and enhance their sales efforts.

Wisia Neo, Content Marketing Manager, ViB

Host Webinars with Subject-Matter Experts

Hosting webinars involving other subject-matter experts and influencers has successfully amplified thought-leadership content at our organization. Co-hosting webinars with other complementary brands helps to build content together, offer complementary products or services, and tap into new audiences.

Webinars are more interactive, which ensures the engagement of an audience interested in the discussed topic or content, who can submit questions, share comments, and provide feedback that can help brands improve their content marketing strategy. Webinars also help showcase the real brains or thought-leader experts in your organization, the voice of your brand that helps build more trust and relevance.

Furthermore, webinars are excellent sources of lead generation and collecting customer feedback, as long as brands can provide relevant giveaways in return for their personal information and thoughts. We also repurpose insights from these webinars as content pitches for journalists and editors from media publications looking for answers to domain-relevant questions at platforms like HARO (Help a Reporter Out) and ProfNet, thus getting earned media placements on high-readership websites, improving reach and amplifying exposure.

Brian David Crane, Founder, Spread Great Ideas

Follow Favorite Podcast Distribution Strategy

Picture your favorite podcast—then copy their distribution strategy. Think about it: Every single episode they record is packaged into social media content, video clips, sound bites, blog posts, written Q&As, emails, and more. Subject-matter expert interviews are the key to building a flywheel of content. One great conversation can be distributed in various content formats across various channels. If you're lucky, you'll get quotes to repurpose across thought-leadership campaigns for years!

Cari Murray, Director of Marketing, Marvin

Ask Experts the Right Questions

The unparalleled thought leadership output comes from crystal-clear input. Asking your subject matter experts the right question—distilled to the very essence of the topic—will make their expertise shine through and become unignorable. Putting together a clear, focused, and expertise-packed opinion is a cornerstone of amplifying thought leadership content and impact.

Ana Casic, Media Relations Manager, TalentLMS

Collaborate Across Company Departments

One highly effective strategy that Thought Leadership Managers can utilize to amplify thought leadership content in their organization is collaborating with other departments and stakeholders within the company.

By proactively working with marketing, PR, and sales teams, Thought Leadership Managers can ensure their content is shared across various channels and reaches the intended audience. This can be achieved through diverse tactics, such as creating compelling social media campaigns, producing high-quality blog posts, and partnering on industry events and webinars.

Additionally, engaging with external influencers and industry leaders can help amplify thought leadership content and increase its visibility and impact. By strategically building relationships with these key players, Thought Leadership Managers can create a network of advocates who can help promote their content and establish the organization as a thought leader in its industry.

Amore Philip, Director of Public Relations, Apples & Oranges Public Relations

Identify Core Messages for User Base

We found great success in amplifying thought-leadership content by first identifying the core message and how it can resonate with our audience. By identifying a user base that wanted a more private, secure internet experience, we created suitable channels to distribute this content through blogs, newsletters, and social media. In doing so, we created partnerships with affiliates and organizations to enhance credibility and expand our audience. Developing a message that solves user pain points and providing them with the content to solve these issues is one of many ways to develop and amplify thought-leadership content in organizations.

Mia Naumoska, CMO, Internxt

Form Strategic Content Partnerships

We've discovered a winning formula for amplifying our thought-leadership content: fun, strategic partnerships. By teaming up with respected experts and well-respected companies targeting the same industry, we are able to craft meaningful content that does more than just exist for search engines—our content provides unique value while also meeting the needs of our prospective clients and generating brand awareness. By working closely with our partners, we amplify this content across multiple channels, sparking engaging conversations through live sessions and discussions.

Tracking metrics such as website traffic and social media engagement allows us to gauge the impact and fine-tune our approach as needed. These partnerships not only extend our reach but also highlight our credibility and authority within the industry. In fact, our partnerships have led to a 30% increase in website traffic and a 25% rise in social media engagement over the past year alone. It's a collaborative journey that drives both awareness and growth for our business, all while providing genuine value to our audience and to our partners.

Jane Ingram, Director of Operations and Marketing, Forwardly

Encourage Employee Advocacy and Partnerships

An effective strategy we've employed to amplify thought-leadership content is leveraging employee advocacy. We encourage our subject-matter experts and employees to share insightful content through their professional networks on social media channels, fostering exposure and credibility. Additionally, we collaborate with industry influencers and partners, cross-promoting each other's content to reach broader audiences. This multi-pronged approach has significantly amplified our thought-leadership initiatives.

Nicole Smartt Serres, Founder, Smartt Enterprises

Leverage Team Expertise for Content

One successful strategy I've used to amplify thought leadership content within our organization is to leverage the expertise and insights of our team members across various departments.

We are a diverse team of professionals with a wealth of experience in fields such as international education, migration consulting, and business solutions. By tapping into this collective knowledge and encouraging our team members to share their unique perspectives, we've been able to create compelling thought leadership content that resonates with our target audience.

For example, we recently launched a series of blog posts and social media updates focused on the challenges and opportunities facing international students in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. To create this content, we brought together our education consultants, migration experts, and marketing specialists to share their insights and experiences.

Our education consultants provided firsthand accounts of how they've helped students navigate the changing landscape of international education, while our migration experts offered guidance on how to manage visa and travel requirements in the face of evolving restrictions. Our marketing team then worked to package these insights into engaging, shareable content formats like blog posts, infographics, and social media updates.

By showcasing the expertise of our team members in this way, we were able to establish ourselves as a trusted source of information and advice for international students and their families. The content series generated significant engagement on our website and social media channels, with many readers sharing their own experiences and seeking further guidance from our team.

Moving forward, we plan to continue leveraging the diverse perspectives and expertise of our team members to create thought leadership content that educates, inspires, and empowers our audience. By amplifying the voices of our talented professionals, we can build stronger relationships with our clients and establish our company as a leader in the international education and migration space.