Most of us know that the secret to marketing online is creating quality content but developing a thought leadership positioning takes time. It is important for the content to be new, thought-provoking and full of cutting edge insights that are highly engaging, prompting readers to take action, and of course, share. To ensure that content is as effective as possible, it is essential that it includes well reasoned arguments backed up with facts and figures, market trends and industry statistics.
Yet, the challenge is as much about creating the content as continuing to generate it on a consistent basis. We normally recommend to our clients that they generate content on a weekly basis, as a minimum. But it normally follows that business 'thought leaders' are generally time-starved and will struggle to produce quality content to this weekly frequency.
So, to do this without compromising on the quality of content most businesses and organisations will require the support of an experienced, creative team, with sound and relevant knowledge who are able to generate effective content to help support the thought leadership position.
The content that is produced should always be written with specific audiences in mind. We are all at 'information overload' so it’s imperative that planned content has 'cut through', it should also offer a new perspective and inspire the reader to take action. It is also important to consider the written style of the planned content – great insights will not engage if they are badly articulated.
A key part of developing content that is truly engaging does require a creative approach. For example, when developing a White Paper, if the document is dull and uninspiring, it will not be read. Use creative design to make the layout more appealing, create a clear information hierarchy and use infographics to make facts, figures and stats much more eye-catching. Also, consider the format carefully and consider your key audience's online user habits. There are now so many creative ways to convey information, for example, developing a White Paper in the form of an animated video which is an excellent way to bring facts and figures to life.
Remember there is a great skill in how you distribute your content and don't forget that there is a very sophisticated online ecosystem for sharing content at your finger tips. To ensure you get maximum reach, always make sure you consider carefully all of the most appropriate channels and platforms.
If you would like to talk to one of the expert team at Westgate about helping you to develop and share regular, quality and creative content for a thought leadership programme, delivering great commercial impact for your business, please email info@westgatecomms.com. We would love to hear from you!