Think about your industry. There are likely some big names that come to mind that often lead the conversation in innovation, new strategies, and growth.
In SEO and digital marketing, that might be Neil Patel or Search Engine Journal.
Becoming a thought leader is great for boosting your brand and getting your name out there, but it can also be huge for SEO. And it’s likewise hard to become a thought-leader without considering SEO in your online writing.
They both compliment each other, and focusing your energy on becoming a thought-leader via SEO practices can make a big difference in the growth of your business.
It is crucial for companies to define themselves as an experts in their field and build trust with consumers by educating them. Thought leaders get measurable SEO results, including more average shares per post, high conversion rates, and more authoritative backlinks than your competitors. When people trust you and your brand, you get higher SERP rankings and great brand exposure in return.
There are a number of other benefits to making your brand more well-known through thought leadership, including:
- Increased traffic to your site
- Larger audience for your content
- Increased leads or purchases
- Higher CTR on third-party sites.
So, how do you reach this elusive “thought-leader” position? Through creativity, hard-work, and consistency. This quote does a good job of explaining it:
Thought leadership is not something you can easily fake. This is not just a bunch of rehashed content said by someone else like what you did in your high school and college reports rewriting content of a book or online material. Rehashed content like this will only do good for the less knowledgeable audience. But if you want added respect and better reputation among your peers in the industry you play in, the information you share should give additional insights from the current information found online. If you are struggling how to do this, then you probably do not have the natural thought leader mentality yet. Maybe you are not even a real expert in your field.
Benj Arriola
Internet Marketing Inc. SEO Director
You can become a thought leader by consistently creating thoughtful, relevant, and original content that’s valuable to your niche group of readers. When it strikes a chord with an audience, they’ll be motivated to share it with their network on social media, email it to peers, or link it in their own blog.
Most markets are saturated these days, so if you want to climb the ranks, you need to discover an underserved niche in your industry where you are proficient. If you can’t think of a thought leader in your community, that’s the perfect opportunity for you to step in. Conduct keyword research to understand the needs of this customer base, and decide which platform you will promote your work on. We recommend using LinkedIn and Facebook, then linking to your own branded site.
So what should you write about? Google rewards content that is relevant, fresh, and presents a unique spin on a topic. Evergreen content strategically positions your web pages to acquire backlinks, develop page authority, and help your website rank organically for targeted keywords. Post regular blogs that are relevant and timely, and eventually cover your chosen topic from end to end.
Becoming a thought leader is no easy feat, but it can have tremendous return for your SEO and overall business growth. What topic will you become a thought leader in?