Tweet

Content = thought leadership. Wrong.

Guest post by: Craig Badings

Article Overview: There is tons written about content and content marketing but there is a very clear distinction between what is content and what is thought leading content.

Content = thought leadership. Wrong.

There is an interesting article which appeared on the MarketingProfs site recently. It was titled: "Brands using content curation to build thought leadership."

The great news is that of the 150 marketing executives surveyed by HiveFire, 78.9% said their main objective for content curation was to establish thought leadership.

But let's hope these 150 marketing executives are very clear in distinguishing what thought leadership is and what it's not. Because there's content curation and then there's thought leadership - the two are very different.

Content can include:

• Opinions and views
• Marketing collateral
• Product information
• White papers
• Press releases
• Company announcements
• Reports
• Presentations
• Talks
• Assimilating other people's content on a particular topic
• Etc, etc

Thought leadership content on the other hand:

• Is new
• Typically reflects/provides new insights into the challenge/issues faced by a particular target audience
• Can frame new debates/discussions around an issue whether that be social, environmental, economic, political, business, etc
• Is evidence based
• Does not overtly sell your product or service

Content that doesn't do this cannot and should not be called thought leadership. It is merely information.

This is not to say that it's not useful but it doesn't make you a thought leader.

In the thread of conversation that this article prompted, one reader, Jeff Molander, had this to say. I think he sums it up beautifully:

"Respectfully, the point is really moot. It boils down to "what looks better" or "who looks smarter." Thought leadership is simply not defined this way by end users. Rather, it's defined by the functional output of the content - what it helps readers DO.

"Here's my point: Different ways of effectively "showing off" what you know is different than showcasing something useful for end users.

"Showing end users something you're seeing, that they are not, and that reveals risk or opportunity - now that's how I measure "thought leader." Giving people a reason to think about something in a new light -- and then take action on it. That's valuable."

I couldn't have summed it up better myself.

Related Articles
  Does content curation have a role in thought leadership?
  Three key challenges facing thought leadership
  The secret questions of successful thought leaders
  The nine fundamentals to thought leadership
  Thought leadership's magic cube
  Beware, content doesn't a thought leader make
  Thought leadership = emotional connections on steroids
  Does product, sales or market leadership equal thought leadership?
  Economist on thought leadership - hypocritical or valid point?
  Thought leadership is a culture not a tactic
  Thought Jacking your way to thought leadership
  The impact of thought leadership on your employees
  Your thought leadership is like a Christmas tree
  Avoiding sales' seven deadly sins - thought leadership
  How to fill your pipeline pre- and post-sale? Thought leadership is the answer
  Thought leadership blueprint and tips for 2011
  Thought leadership - a marketer's new value proposition
  How to take your thought leadership campaign to market: One – strategic business imperative
  David Ogilvy's greatest tip for thought leaders
  Tips on taking your thought leadership campaign to market: Three – share

Article Tags: content, content marketing, thought leadership marketing



Related Forum Posts
Bad books - One of my pet peeves: I really, [i:3gjt67s5]really [/i:3gjt67s5]hate those "franchise" books like The __________ For Dummies, or The Idiot's Guide to ______________. The titles offend me, and the way they're written (yes, I have looked at a couple), in a "yes we know you're not a dummy but we'll talk to you like you are, anyway" manner, get on my nerves. So any business books coming out of those franchises.... I never look at. I'm also not too sure about those "gimmick" books - leadership skills of Attila the Hun, or of The Sopranos (how sad that someone actually thought it might be amusing to write a book about the leadership skills of characters in a TV show based on the Mafia...)
Re: Meta Tags - [quote="ChrisH":tzc1bohg]I'm just curious what you all think -- - How important do you think meta tags are? If the content is keyword optimized and they are being used correctly (as per Google's current instructions) how important are meta tags?? Chris[/quote:tzc1bohg] Metatags were very important 10 years ago. Now, search engines are smarter... There are 2 very important things on your page: 1/ Page title: make sure to place some keywords in your title (avoid title like "welcome to my website, great information resource". You are wasting prime keyword real estate. 2/ Content. Content. Content. Content. Content. Oh, did I mention content?? Your content as to mention your main keywords several times. 3/ <h> and <b> tags are very important too. They tell search engines you emphasize these keywords.
Re: Best looking social networking site? - Hi Kevin [quote:3h76yt08]With so many social networking sites to pick and choose from, what influences your decision to join a particilar site? Is it just your friends, the content, people using it or looks??[/quote:3h76yt08] For me, the most essential criteria in selecting a Social Networking Site is its Content followed closely by popularity- in terms of daily visitors. Then comes the Content followed by the Friends and looks. Most of do social networking to attract traffic to their website(s) and as such the Content and Popularity of the site are important. btw, the list doesn't have digg or netscape or del.is.us which are the top social media sites.
Internet Users Hbk http://www.internetscamsanonymous.com - Current site for sale of our handbook as a Clickbank product Welcome any and all feedback: Sale page Content Handbook Content Pricing Too Big Considering braking it to 2 volumes: Avoiding Scams Online and Doing Business Online and maybe ad 3rd volume related internet technology Kind of like selling preventive medicine!! Thank you in advance for your interest and comments
Key Components - Two key components for success in network marketing are passion and leadership. As others have said, you have to believe in, or be passionate about, what you are selling. But, just as important, is the development of leadership skills. People want to work with a leader -- someone who can show them the way. So you must take the time to study and become a leader if you want to meet with real success in the network marketing industry.


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

3 Competencies of Leadership

How to develop the best lateral thinking skills

Make Small Commitments. Get Big Changes.

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.