These slides were presented at the SEMrush webinar "5 Hours of Content Marketing | Thought Leadership and SEO: The 3 Key Elements and Search Ranking Strategies". Video replay and transcript are available at https://www.semrush.com/webinars/5-hours-of-content-marketing-or-thought-leadership-and-seo-the-3-key-elements-and-search-ranking-strategies/
2. @crestodina #SEMrushLive
“Free deliverables organizations or individuals
produce on a topic they know a lot about and feel
others can benefit from having their perspective on.
…does not include content primarily focused on
describing an organization’s products or services.”
source: Edelman, B2B Thought Leadership Impact Study
3. @crestodina #SEMrushLive
“An individual or firm that is recognized as an
authority in a specialized field and whose expertise
is sought and often rewarded.”
source: Wikipedia
12. @crestodina #SEMrushLive
What do you consider to be effective thought leadership content?
(practical / education)
n=481source: What is thought leadership marketing? Orbit Media
14. @crestodina #SEMrushLive
Publish Original Research
(60% of respondents said research reports
are effective thought leadership content)
Thought Leadership Strategy #1
17. Steve Rayson
Co-founder, Buzzsumo
...if you want to create content that achieves a high level of both
shares and links then you should concentrate on
opinion forming, authoritative content...
or well researched and evidenced content.
18. Steve Rayson
Co-founder, Buzzsumo
...if you want to create content that achieves a high level of both
shares and links then you should concentrate on
strong opinion
original research
50. @crestodina #SEMrushLive
What do you consider to be effective thought leadership content?
(strong opinion / perspective)
n=481source: What is thought leadership marketing? Orbit Media
52. @crestodina #SEMrushLive
Can purely educational/how-to content be thought leadership?
n=481source: What is thought leadership marketing? Orbit Media
54. Seth Godin
Best-selling author
Thought leadership always creates tension. It’s about
making assertions. You have to be willing to be wrong.
You can be certain that some people will disagree.
78. @crestodina #SEMrushLive
Contribute to other sites
(32% of respondents said quotes in the media
make effective thought leadership content)
Thought Leadership Strategy #3
90. @crestodina #SEMrushLive
1. Find the articles that need a little love
2. Track them on a list
…wait for an opportunity to contribute a quote
3. Provide a quote that references an article from the list
…wait for the article to go live
4. Check the link, thank the author!
5. Promote the article on social media
RECAP: Leverage a Personal Brand for Mentions and Links
94. @crestodina #SEMrushLive
To be a thought leader, you must...
clearly communicate challenging new
ideas, back them up with data and have
a strong point of view.
103. 15 Ways to Become a Visible Expert
1. Polish your LinkedIn profile to perfection
2. Ask for endorsements and recommendations
3. Google Yourself. Like what you see?
4. Publish deeper more comprehensive articles.
5. Conduct a study
6. Share more
7. Leverage social media video