With over four million blogs written daily, streaming across our social feeds (delivering the same “tips” and “tricks” we already know), it’s no surprise about 90% of it goes unread.
Despite how difficult it is to gain traction, content still remains king and of course, all content is not created equal. One well-positioned thought leadership piece will not only drive demand and lead generation but actively impact every stage of the B2B buying process from awareness through purchase.
Arguably subjective, thought leadership content typically refers to “free” informational pieces, such as:
What it shouldn’t be is technical jargon or solely product, service, and solution focused.
Excellent-level thought leadership development requires planning and input from SMEs. It must first attract and then compel the reader to share before it will aid in conversion. A tall order for many companies given the current marketing mentality, especially where more is better and consistent publishing is key.
A joint study between Edelman and LinkedIn revealed B2B decision makers, including C-level executives, vet an organization based on thought leadership content and over 80% agree their trust level increased after engaging with it. This alone is a very compelling reason to have company subject matter experts, not just technical experts, contribute to content development.
While it might seem obvious that thought leadership drives growth among audiences you haven’t met yet, there is actually a wide chasm between its actual and perceived value.
Consider the following:
Overall the study demonstrates decision makers are clearly aware of its impact in their buying processes, and it’s the content creators who lack an understanding of the significant role thought leadership plays in driving revenue.
The type of thought leadership content that influences B2B decision makers relates to a topic they’re currently working on and is short and to the point:
No matter the format, all deliver new original ideas and come by way of someone they know and respect; a colleague emails a link, a trusted connection posts on LinkedIn, it trickles down from the boss, or it’s a source they opted into.
There are always a few rich SME channels within each organization that your marketing team can tap.
Combining information from these three sources and employing seasoned writers with a knack and track record for crafting content that converts, is key to cultivating your thought leadership and using it to drive more growth.
Need help assessing or developing a winning content strategy or crafting and distributing thought leadership for your technology company? Contact us, we’re here for you!
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