I see this all of the time on LinkedIn. When leaders share their ideas and opinions on news trends or industry issues, those that track well have one thing in common – they make the reader pause and think. This is the “wow” moment which may elicit responses such as, “I didn’t know that,” “I’ve been looking for such insights,” “I just learned something” or “I see it differently.” This is the kind of alternative thinking that persuasive thought leadership delivers.

Here are 5 ways to make your thought leadership more impactful. 

Start and End With A Question

If you’re sharing thought leadership content on LinkedIn, begin your posts by asking something that hits on a pain point, such as “Is XXX impacting your business?” This draws in the reader and sets the stage for thought provoking content. According to LinkedIn, posts that open with a question drive stronger engagement. If you’re writing a LinkedIn article or newsletter, you can do the same. At the end of a post, ask another question which relates back to the content that encourages the reader to respond.

Conduct Thorough Research on the Topic

Before authoring a post, article, or newsletter on LinkedIn, do your homework. Research the thought leadership content of other industry leaders and peers. This will help you to identify the “white space” areas of opportunity upon which to build your unique perspective and stand out from the crowd. Taking this extra step will enable you to create completely original content, the hallmark of impactful thought leaders.

Put Yourself In The Reader’s Place

I recently received a compliment on a post I had ghostwritten for one of my executive clients. Responding to the content, a reader remarked that “the post captured exactly what had been on my mind.” Thought leadership should address what the target readers are thinking about – the issues they face at work and challenges that are tripping them up. A strong leader will be very clued into those things and will be reflective in their writing. 

Check Engagement

When a LinkedIn post, article, or newsletter is truly compelling, it will show itself in the level of audience engagement. Are people reposting and commenting, and if so, what are they saying? Whether they agree with your perspectives or not doesn’t really matter. What’s important is that they took the time to collect their thoughts and respond. Join in the conversation and respond or at a minimum  like their comments. I use the Shield app to monitor engagement from week to week, which helps us to identify content theme trends and engagement. Establish a benchmark so you can monitor results from week to week or month to month to track results. Over time, you will know which subject themes and language are garnering the most engagement.

Plan Ahead

Think in advance about the kind of thought leadership content you wish to share. There may be certain times of the year – earnings periods, national celebrations – that come around annually or topics that tie into a specific program. Planning out your thought leadership allows you to get a sense of the quantity you want to put out and the cadence.

Does your thought leadership inspire others to stop and think differently? Still not convinced you should be adding thought leadership to your marketing mix? I recommend you read my latest article: How to Write Provocative Thought Leadership about what the writing should reflect and how to organize it properly.