Though the feeling is not universal, many entrepreneurs in the startup world believe it’s important to establish yourself or someone at your company as a thought leader on a relevant topic. It’s a key way to make yourself and your startup stand out. We’ve gathered insights from CEOs, Founders, and Directors, offering a range of strategies on how to establish thought leadership, from joining niche forums to empowering employees to share insights. These 16 expert takes start with the power of niche forums, suggest other avenues and even possible alternatives, and culminate in questioning the power of thought leadership.
- Join Niche Forums and Offer Advice
- Dedicate Time for Unique Ideation
- Create Comprehensive Industry Guides
- Leverage Content and Strategic Partnerships
- Engage on LinkedIn and Host a Podcast
- Embrace Video Content on Social Platforms
- Share Insights on Social Media
- Contribute Articles to Industry Publications
- Produce and Distribute Quality Content
- Implement an Inbound Strategy with SEO
- Contribute to Community and Industry Events
- Host Webinars to Share Expertise
- Demonstrate Empathy Through Authoritative Content
- Focus on Customer Experience Over Thought Leadership
- Question the Efficacy of Thought Leadership
- Empower Employees to Share Industry Insights
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Join Niche Forums and Offer Advice
Something I did early on when I started my company, instead of posting a ton on LinkedIn, was to join niche industry forums and offer advice and help to others who were asking questions related to my field.
Not only can this help you gain connections, but it also helps create a paper trail for anyone who searches for you and your company later on to see your involvement and thought leadership.
John Sammon, CEO and Founder, Sixth City Marketing
Dedicate Time for Unique Ideation
Thought leadership is extremely important for startups. Your unique positioning is what will make you stand out. It’s what makes someone remember you. If you follow what everyone else is doing, you’ll always fall behind.
To establish yourself as a thought leader, you have to do what no one else is doing. I always advise dedicating time throughout the week solely for ideating. What are you doing or creating that’s different? Is it your messaging, your approach to social media, your founding story—what is being highlighted as a core part of your brand? Is it memorable? How are you leading the way?
To reinforce your thought leadership, talk about it everywhere you can! Pitch yourself to podcast hosts, offer insight to your favorite publications, collaborate regularly on social media—use a variety of media outlets to amplify your voice. These outlets are always happy to share their megaphone; you just have to have a great story to tell.
Ally Case, Founder and CEO, Uppercase Media
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Create Comprehensive Industry Guides
From my perspective, thought leadership for startups is crucial for setting them apart from the competition by showcasing depth of knowledge and commitment to innovation.
Developing comprehensive guides and best practices for their industry and making them accessible through their website can serve as a key strategy.
This not only aids in building SEO but also helps establish the startup’s website as a hub for valuable resources, attracting continuous traffic and engagement from industry stakeholders.
Thomas Medlin, Co-Founder, JumpMD
Leverage Content and Strategic Partnerships
Thought leadership is vital for startups. It’s not just about visibility; it’s about establishing a foundation of trust and credibility, as I’ve discussed in my work with Rolling Stone and Forbes. Thought leadership is the strategic lever that differentiates successful startups from the rest.
Startups are inherently disruptive, aiming to challenge the status quo. However, with disruption comes skepticism. Thought leadership helps bridge this gap by demonstrating a startup’s expertise, vision, and commitment to its industry. When a startup consistently shares valuable insights and innovative ideas, it builds trust with its audience. This trust is crucial for attracting early adopters, investors, and top talent—elements essential for a startup’s growth and sustainability.
In a saturated market, standing out is imperative. Thought leadership allows startups to showcase their unique perspective and approach, making them more memorable and appealing to potential customers. In “The Power of Thought Leadership,” published in Rolling Stone, I highlighted how companies like Slack used thought leadership to establish themselves as pioneers in remote work solutions, creating a loyal user base and attracting significant investment.
One specific strategy to establish thought leadership is leveraging content marketing combined with strategic partnerships.
Startups should consistently produce high-quality, insightful content that addresses industry challenges, trends, and innovations. This content could include blog posts, white papers, case studies, and videos. However, producing content is not enough; distribution is equally important. Partnering with reputable industry publications and influencers can amplify the reach and impact of this content.
Here’s a practical example: A fintech startup could write an in-depth white paper on emerging trends in digital banking. The startup can tap into a larger, established audience by collaborating with a well-known financial publication to feature the white paper. Additionally, participating in industry conferences and webinars as speakers or panelists further solidifies the startup’s position as a thought leader and gives them social proof for customers and the market.
Thought leadership is essential for startups looking to grow. By sharing valuable knowledge and engaging with their industry, startups can build the trust, credibility, and visibility needed to thrive.
Rhett Power, CEO and Co-Founder, Accountability Inc.
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Engage on LinkedIn and Host a Podcast
Without a doubt, thought leadership is vital for startups. It builds credibility, distinguishes us from competitors, and promotes trust with our audience. By sharing our unique insights and experiences, we can truly connect with our community and demonstrate that we’re ahead of the curve.
I’m very active on LinkedIn, regularly creating content that addresses industry trends, shares insights, and offers solutions to common problems. Every week, I do a “Here’s a recap of everything I did last week in our business (and what I learned)” post.
Additionally, I host a podcast where I dive into these topics in depth. As a startup, I’m the face of our company, so thought leadership is crucial in establishing our presence and authority in the industry.
Andrew Barry, CEO, Curious Lion
Embrace Video Content on Social Platforms
Thought leadership is crucial for startups. Establishing thought leadership helped me build credibility, trust, and authority in my industry, which was particularly important since I was competing against more established players.
One specific strategy that has proven powerful for me is embracing video content and publishing videos on platforms like YouTube and LinkedIn. Creating and sharing insightful, relevant videos allowed me to demonstrate my expertise and connect with my audience on a personal level.
After watching videos, prospects often come to sales calls already feeling like they know me, which dramatically improves my closing rates. This approach showcases your knowledge and builds a sense of familiarity and trust, making it easier to convert prospects into clients.
By consistently producing video content, startups can establish themselves as thought leaders in their respective industries, driving growth and fostering strong relationships with their audience.
Don’t obsess over getting your videos perfect; just start, and you will improve over time.
John Reinesch, Founder, John Reinesch Consulting
Share Insights on Social Media
I believe thought leadership is crucial for SaaS startups. Establishing thought leadership helps build credibility, trust, and authority in a competitive market. By sharing valuable insights and industry expertise, a SaaS startup can attract and retain customers, differentiate itself from competitors, and help to create a loyal community around its brand.
An effective strategy for establishing thought leadership in the SaaS industry is using social media to share insights and engage with your audience. Regularly post valuable content like industry analysis, tips, and success stories on LinkedIn, Twitter, or industry forums to build your presence and authority.
Also, join discussions, answer questions, and give expert opinions on these platforms to show your expertise. Hosting live Q&A sessions or joining industry podcasts can also help you share your knowledge and connect with a wider audience.
Dhanvin Sriram, Founder, PromptVibes
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Contribute Articles to Industry Publications
I believe thought leadership is crucial for startups to help raise awareness and increase their credibility. One strategy for achieving this, which I use with all my startup clients, is by writing and contributing relevant media articles to reputable industry publications and mainstream media.
Crafting insightful and well-researched articles on trending topics showcases a startup’s knowledge and can position it as a forward-thinking leader in its field. Regular contributions to respected media outlets can significantly enhance a startup’s visibility and reputation.
Jane Griffin, Founder and Director, Positive Story PR consultancy
Produce and Distribute Quality Content
Thought leadership is an essential tool for startups. It gives startup owners an affordable means of building their employer brands and drawing in top talent. They can use thought leadership to establish their brand in their industry and give their business credibility.
This credibility can then serve as a magnet, drawing top talent seeking to work for highly respected and noteworthy companies. Furthermore, when a startup is renowned for its expertise and thought leadership, potential employees are more inclined to trust and feel confident about joining.
One good tactic to use if you’re a startup owner hoping to use thought leadership to draw in the best employees is to frequently and consistently produce and distribute top-notch content about your industry.
Create thought-provoking and viral social media and blog content, give out free webinars, and seize any chance to be a guest writer for media outlets within your niche. Creating and distributing a variety of content guarantees an extensive reach and offers top talent the opportunity to assess your true level of knowledge and expertise, which does wonders in bolstering your startup’s legitimacy.
Jon Brown, Founder and CEO, South Meadows Recovery
Implement an Inbound Strategy with SEO
I firmly believe that thought leadership is essential for startups. In the early stages of a business, gaining credibility can be a challenge. Thought leadership strategies help establish trust, not just with prospects but also with potential investors and partners.
From my experience at Businessmap, I would recommend implementing an inbound thought-leadership strategy, involving creating high-quality content that brings value to your audience, and leveraging SEO and digital marketing techniques to enhance visibility.
For instance, we regularly share industry insights, product developments, and actionable tips through our blog and social channels, which has significantly bolstered our brand presence and customer engagement. This strategy showcases your expertise, sparks meaningful discussions, and positions your startup as a leader in your industry.
Gabriel Lukov, Head of Inbound Growth, Businessmap
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Contribute to Community and Industry Events
Thought leadership is of high importance for startups, or for any business that wants to establish itself as an innovator within its industry. Being a thought leader means that you have established your authority and expertise in that area. These two things are absolutely critical if you want customers and clients to trust your work and utilize your services, especially if you’re doing something new or unique from your competition.
The top strategy I would recommend to establish yourself as a thought leader is to actively share knowledge with and contribute to the broader community for your industry. There are a variety of ways that you can do this. One great way is for leaders and employees of the organization to serve as panelists and presenters at conferences and similar industry events.
You can also build this authority online by posting valuable and insightful content on your company blog or social media pages, or by providing other online content like white papers, reports, and analyses, webinars, or courses and workshops. When other people learn something from you, they automatically start to see you as an expert and authority on that topic, and that’s the first step to becoming an established thought leader.
Rob Boyle, Marketing Operations Director, Airswift
Host Webinars to Share Expertise
Thought leadership is vital for startups as it helps build credibility and trust within the industry. From my time at RCDM Studio, one effective strategy we’ve employed for our clients is leveraging webinars to share expert knowledge.
For instance, working with clients like Scholastic and Pearson, we positioned their top executives to host webinars about educational technology trends. This not only showcased their expertise but also attracted a highly engaged audience. As a result, these webinars contributed to a 35% increase in qualified leads over a six-month period.
Startups can replicate this by identifying knowledgeable team members, choosing relevant industry topics, and promoting the webinars through social media and email marketing. This approach helps position the startup as a knowledgeable player and builds a network of loyal followers. The key is consistency and providing genuine value in each session.
Richard Carey, Founder, RCDM Studio
Demonstrate Empathy Through Authoritative Content
It’s a strategy that both established business executives and innovative startup founders use to carve out a niche and make their voices heard in the market. More critically, by offering guidance to a specific target audience and showcasing industry expertise, thought leadership can open up new business opportunities.
For startup founders and their marketing teams looking to implement a successful thought leadership strategy, it’s essential to approach it with purpose and dedication. Think of it as a mix of setting goals, brainstorming, analyzing the competition, and creating content aimed at measuring the results.
Our strategy for thought leadership typically revolves around demonstrating empathy. Authoritative content isn’t just effective for building trust; it’s also a way to express empathy. It presents an opportunity to show your prospects that you understand their problems and the complexities of the challenges they face. This, in turn, reassures them that your business is the ideal solution to their issues.
If you’re uncertain about which issues to address, social listening can be a great tool to discover trending topics within your niche. Demonstrating authentic empathy requires a very clear understanding of your target audience for each piece of thought leadership content you produce. This isn’t the time to aim for a broad audience, or your content may not resonate as intended.
Lucas Ochoa, Founder and CEO, Automat
Focus on Customer Experience Over Thought Leadership
I don’t believe thought leadership should be a top priority for a young startup. As a startup leader, you already have a million variables to juggle—product development, finding your market fit, and building a solid team. Frankly, spreading yourself too thin with thought leadership initiatives can take your focus away from the core fundamentals you need to nail down first.
Instead, prioritize giving your customers the best experience and let your business reviews do the talking for you. You want your existing customers to hold you in high regard because word-of-mouth marketing is equally as powerful as thought leadership, from what I’ve witnessed.
Go the extra mile with excellent customer service, gather testimonials, and showcase genuine customer success stories. This builds trust organically and positions you as a reliable solution. Moreover, the reviews that you gain on Google will also help your local SEO and boost your search engine rankings.
Mike Roberts, Co-Founder, City Creek Mortgage
Question the Efficacy of Thought Leadership
It’s probably an unpopular opinion, but I believe 99% of thought leadership is a waste of time; it’s often just selfish promotion without any proven results. It seems like many companies are churning out what they consider “thought leadership” content, but it often ends up being a self-serving attempt to elevate their profile, which typically doesn’t even achieve meaningful reach—in fact, it often has no reach at all. While some may view this as mere busywork, I see it as coming at a significant cost to both scale and revenue because it diverts attention from more impactful content.
Many companies post narcissistic and context-less content, such as ‘How we’re disrupting the industry,’ which can stifle organic growth and consume resources that could otherwise be allocated to lead generation, simply because these companies believe they need to do this or that this is what buyers want.
Perhaps the strongest argument against this practice is that virtually 99.999% of companies don’t actually reach their target audience. It’s like we’re just throwing posts into the ether, assuming platforms like LinkedIn and Google will magically connect us with the CxOs of major companies.
Erin Hendricks, President and Owner, Sammy’s Milk
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Empower Employees to Share Industry Insights
I don’t believe thought leadership is effective—at least, not when brands push that thought leadership is all about their leaders and initiatives, while they overlook the better part of what thought leadership really is: the ordinary people.
I believe thought leadership is a label that marketers apply far too liberally. They claim content labeled as “thought leadership” is rarely groundbreaking or original enough to deserve the title. I don’t believe that only those who have reached the top of their field can qualify as thought leaders; the truth is that such people are not often the ones who inspire the most trust among consumers. After all, not everyone earns their credentials through hard work and merit.
Ordinary employees, on the other hand, often become experts in the nuances of their industries, the tools they use, and the problems they solve every day. When these experienced employees are empowered to share their insights with the world, it can transform a company into a powerful thought-leadership content machine.
Arturo Gutierrez, Director of Merchandising, Todays Wholesale Closeout
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