In parts 101 and 102 we examined how brand and audience combine to provide the foundation of an online marketing strategy.
Today we’re going to look at how to turn all that preparatory work into relatable content your audience will love.

Lexicon specializes in telling our clients’ stories to their ideal target audience. One of the main ways we do this is through a concept called Thought Leadership.

Thought Leadership is an excellent way for individuals and firms to differentiate and gain credibility in the digital age. In the past, people became Thought Leaders by appearing on TV, in newspapers or writing books. But today, blogging and digital publishing have leveled the playing field.

We all want to tell our story and promote our services, but very few people enjoy reading hagiographies or press releases. So, before you start writing, consider what the key takeaway is for your ideal reader.

What’s in it for them? Does your headline answer this question? Does it promise your readers a unique reward for taking their valuable time to read your article? 

Your written content needs a solid headline to catch the attention of casual browsers, then you need to grasp the opportunity to add value to the reader by providing useful content.

If you fail in either of these missions, one of two things will happen: 1) your content will get no clicks; or 2) readers will be bored and avoid your future content.

That’s why the most important question to guide all your content is “What’s in it for them?” In other words, what’s in it for your readers. Why should they click on, and then read your article?

So, how can you use Thought Leadership to leverage your brand?

4 ways Thought Leadership benefits your business

In our previous two articles, we discussed the importance of speaking with a clear brand voice and understanding the needs of your audience. Thought leadership combines these elements into a content production strategy.

The written content you produce can be turned into a variety of other content to be used online; for example, see the images and video on this article. Below are four of the key benefits of factoring thought leadership into your company’s marketing strategy.

• Google Benefits – Thought Leadership articles will help your website rank in Google. And the more valuable the content is, the better ranking you get. Lexicon ranks on page one of Google for dozens of terms, such as copywriting agency bangkok, digital marketing agency thailand, video production agency bangkok, corporate branding agency bangkok, and social media marketing agency thailand, and we’ve never paid Google a single setang. 
• Expert Positioning – When you provide valuable content that answers “What’s in it for me?”, you become an advisor. This changes the perception of your business. Potential customers will start looking to you for advice and answers. By delivering on your promise of valuable content, you’ll establish credibility and trust. You’ll gain the social proof that demands a good reputation and attracts a consistent flow of leads.
• Personalize your brand – The most difficult task to achieve online is to become human. Digital marketing is no in-person networking event or phone call. Online you lack the human touch and instant credibility people gain from interacting in person or on the phone. Therefore, it’s vital you humanize your brand and show you’re a legitimate company. How can you do this? Promote individuals inside your company. By doing this, all of a sudden you’ll be attaching a face to your brand and content. People will not only begin to relate to your brand, but also the people in your company—which supercharges the speed of your relationship building.
• Create a newsletter – Content you create in Thought Leadership articles can be repurposed. And while we’ll dedicate a later article to this topic, let’s touch on newsletters briefly. Newsletters are the number one ROI generating tool in your digital marketing arsenal, as your existing client base is most likely to buy from you. Therefore, if you’re creating great Thought Leadership content, be sure to include it in your newsletter. Nobody wants to get press releases in their inbox, but everyone wants to get advice on how they can be more efficient and profitable. Provide that value and business is just one click away.

These are just 4 of the many benefits of Thought Leadership articles. If you have a limited budget for marketing, we strongly recommend you put the majority of it into thought leadership content production as these ideas can fuel the entirety of your online marketing campaigns.

And while written content is highly-valuable, this is not the only type of content to produce. At least not if you want to maximize revenue. Multimedia is also key to your success, and is another medium to connect with your audience—especially the ones who don’t like to read. Our next article examimes the key characteristics of effective multimedia content and looks at the many storytelling tools available in the digital age.

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