Five Key Elements of High-Quality Thought Leadership
There are five key elements of high-quality thought leadership:
- Topical, relevant, and interesting. A high-quality thought leadership article should have a topical hook but stay relevant for several months. Relevant means that the focus should be on delivering quality analysis rather than on reporting news. Interesting means that it provides the reader with new information rather than simply reporting easily attainable public information.
- A unique point of view. High-quality thought leadership should have a clear point of view. A focus on original analysis will attract more attention and help the firm or professional develop a reputation for thoughtful analysis.
- Well sourced. High-quality thought leadership must cite credible sources to build reader trust. Primary sources can be data developed by the firm, including case studies, or acquired from a credible source. Secondary sources include news articles, research papers, and books.
- Well written by credentialed author. Thought leadership must be well written and visually appealing. It must also be readable online, on mobile devices, and in print. The author should include a brief biography that is tailored to the topic with relevant experience and credentials.
- Provides applicable information. Thought leadership must provide information that the reader can use immediately. This can be a framework, a set of questions, or a checklist that the reader can use to think about how the topic relates to their business. A article that provides valuable and useful information is more likely to lead the reader to follow up with the firm or author for additional insight.