How Content Marketing Can Drive Thought Leadership [Rick Smith Interview]

One of the benefits of content marketing is in generating thought leadership, but how exactly does it work?

This episode will go deep into content marketing, content syndication, traditional media, and how all of it can be leveraged to yield thought leadership. Specifically we will focus in on these 3 points:

1. Thought leadership requires a deliberate strategy
Associations and nonprofits are authorities on the industries, professions and issues/causes they represent. Association and nonprofit leaders naturally have deep expertise to share. But thought leadership doesn’t just “happen.” This should be supported by a thought leadership strategy - to media, policymakers, members, prospects, donors, etc.

2. Thought leadership involves multiple tactics - but brings many benefits:
There is no one way to do thought leadership. Some campaigns are directed more towards policymakers, others towards consumer media, others towards donors. Thought leadership spans speaking engagements, blogging, video, social media, by-lined articles and more. It is not a one-time thing: rather establishing thought leadership requires regularly communicating knowledge, intelligence, and insights. It is a long game, not a short burst, but has huge benefits of building credibility, trust, visibility and recognition.

3. Leverage visibility opportunities by give media what they can use:
Thought leadership campaigns can be standalone, though are generally part of a larger PR/visibility campaign for an organization and/or an issue. For any visibility campaign, make sure your “owned media “ (social media channels, blog, Linked In, etc.) is robust. Then make it easy for media to cover. Submit by-lined articles or columns that outlets can run with. Regularly share not just data trends, surveys, and forecasts, but also stories of impact. Associations and nonprofits have so much knowledge but generally share it only with members or donors, etc. That expertise can go so much broader by figuring out the best way of capturing and communicating it.

Key Highlights

[02:20] Introduction of Podcast Guest, Rick Smith

[12:34] Why Deliberate Strategy Is Critical

[13:46] The Real Challenge To Content Marketers

[16:09] Ways To Build Up Your Credibility

[19:41] Multiple Tactics For Thought Leaders

[23:50] How To Leverage Opportunities Aligned In What Media Can Use

[27:50] Connect With Rick

Notable Quotes

• The challenge people face is, you start off by wanting to build that credibility or be that expert.
• You have to sit and think, what is it that makes you unique? What is it that you have to offer? You've got to craft your message.
• People should be doing utilizing every channel they have. 
• If you got to think of it this way, the media is concerned about their audience, they want their audience to have inte

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