I read and create a great deal of thought leadership in my work and have found several common missteps that can dramatically affect its stickiness and loyalty among readers.
Here are five common thought leadership errors to consider when creating any campaign.
1. Relying on Research That Is Lacklustre
The best thought leadership is based in research but only if it’s credible and from a trusted source. This is true for qualitative, quantitative, anecdotal, or something more technical. People say that they don’t trust thought leadership that includes “bad” research from an undependable or unknown source. Thought leaders looking for research to augment or substantiate their content should consider partnering with an organization that specializes in research and or is well regarded in their industry.
2. Developing Predictable Content
Audiences are drawn to thought leadership that offers fresh insights that will make them think differently, as well as things they can put into practice immediately. That means you should be selective when creating your thought leadership (internal or external). While white papers are no longer as attractive to readers, a downloadable PDF with exciting visuals can be a great solution. Be sure to weave in exciting storytelling and a narrative that draws readers in and offers valuable solutions and or conclusions.
3. Incorporating Uninspired Graphics
If you’ve ever read a thought leadership piece that grabs your attention, chances are that the content is exciting and that also contains compelling visuals including graphs, charts, photos, or even carefully executed illustrations. In our digital age, people have shorter attention spans, which is why data visualization and infographics can encapsulate your story in a compelling manner. The graphic app, Canva, which has a free version, can be a great resource for creating ideas and actual graphics to enliven your thought leadership.
4. Suggesting Unachievable Recommendations
If you’re giving advice and making recommendations in your thought leadership (and you should), make sure they are easily understandable and actionable. Lay out the steps to achieve what you are suggesting in a clear way so that readers get hooked. This builds trust and will make your aurience more inclined to read your thought leadership in the future.
5. Ending with an Unclear Conclusion
I find that some leaders get tired and end their thought leadership pieces with something boring or generic. Your conclusion should inspire people as much as the rest of your content to take action and or create change. Think of the conclusion in similar fashion to the closing remarks of a speech or presentation. Recap the key points and then offer a fresh perspective – key takeaways – which inspire readers to take the next steps.
Thought leadership creation isn’t just about putting content out into the world – it’s about delivering the right ideas to the right people. Effective thought leadership is so much more than the random act of publishing. Intention is everything when creating thought leadership. You need to understand not only your audience’s pain points, but how to engagingly deliver the information they crave. Avoiding the common errors outlined above will help you not only be relevant, but build trust and credibility.
