Originally Published May 4, 2021 | Updated September 10, 2026
Every industry has a few go-to people or companies when you need a straight answer or a respected, qualified opinion on something. Their feedback moves the conversation forward because they’ve earned the respect of their peers, the businesses that came before them, and those that aim to follow in their footsteps. That’s a thought leader. Getting to that spot isn’t luck. On the contrary, it takes a strategy they’ve most likely run on repeat soon after its inception.
If you’ve been wondering how you can put yourself on the same path, here’s the TLDR: Start with content marketing, specifically the kind built to reach people, not just sell them a product. If you do that well and long enough, you’ll start putting yourself in conversations you don’t even know about.
Why Thought Leadership Pays Off
If you’re not sold on putting in the effort to work toward being a thought leader, listen up. Thought leadership efforts pay off because trust is one of the most valuable aspects of B2B decision-making. Buyers aren’t waiting around for your sales pitch. They’re reading, comparing, and in the back of their minds deciding who sounds credible and deserving of their dollars. Decision-makers regularly point to expert content as a reason they reconsidered a new company.
Where Thought Leadership Fits Into Content Marketing
If thought leadership is the destination, content marketing is the vehicle to get you there. Every blog, newsletter, and social post you publish either moves you closer to trusted-expert territory or gets drowned out in the noise.
So, how do you separate yourself? The difference comes down to intent: Are you writing to inform, or just trying to fill your content calendar? Unbeknownst to you, your content is doing a lot of selling before a customer ever picks up the phone or places an order. Because every blog post, guide, or social update you make is helping them size up whether you actually know what you’re talking about and are trustworthy.
How to Become a Thought Leader: 7 Content Moves Worth Making
Consider this your playbook.
Newsletters
A lot of businesses turn to blogs to get their ideas out there. And while blogs are great, they’re no use if you don’t have an audience to read them. What we want to do first is carve out that audience and ensure a following. Newsletters are how to do just that. Some people might think newsletters are too old-school, and to them we ask how many times they’ve already checked their email today. Newsletters are a wonderful opportunity to build your blog audience, and thankfully, there are lots of economic resources (e.g., Mailchimp) that you can use to get started. So go ahead and sign up and get to sendin’!
Landing Pages
You wouldn’t walk right up to someone and start a conversation without introducing yourself first, would you? Your landing page is the handshake before the conversation starts. Make sure you keep the messaging focused on one call-to-action (CTA) so you don’t overwhelm or confuse your audience. That CTA could be signing up for the newsletter, downloading a resource, or submitting a form. Remember to make the value early and obvious.
Blogs
Once we have the bones in place, we can start producing compelling content. The key word here is compelling. What you’re writing about needs to be valuable to people. How do you make this happen? By breaking out of what may be your typical blogging mold. Offer value in your content that can help your readers. And remember to frame your content around helping them, rather than helping you.
When creating value in blog posts, start with the headline. This “hook,” if you will, serves as the key to getting clicks. To do this effectively, you’ll want to write your headline in a way that offers clear, concise value for the reader. That’s why titles with words like “tips, tricks, and ways” are so successful. People naturally lean into those kinds of words for help on a subject or for more information regarding an industry.
Get It in Front of People
Don’t let your website be where your blog content goes to die. Share it on socials: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, wherever your intended customers spend their time. You can even tag relevant industry voices to ask them what they think. Other people in your industry or around it appreciate being well thought of and valued enough to be asked their opinion. They may even return the courtesy next time.
Social Media
Social media is where you show up as not just a brand, but also a person. You can be a bit more candid and less polished and formal. Make others familiar with your brand by commenting on industry news, answering questions in your feed, and of course, posting your own valuable content. You want your content to get exposure; if it stays only on your website, it’s siloed from the views you want (and deserve).
Whitepapers and eBooks
When a topic is too meaty for a blog post, give it room to breathe: Whitepapers and eBooks let you go deep on research, data, or a complex process while collecting valuable contact info in exchange. Yes, they can be a slower build and require more effort and hours, but one that’s well-written can generate leads and value for years.
Podcasts
It may feel like everyone and their mother has a mic and something to say, but where some may say the podcast market is oversaturated, we say your customers want to hear from YOU. Turn your expertise into something they can listen to while commuting, exercising, cleaning, or anything else that keeps their hands occupied. Podcasts make your brand feel more like a familiar voice and less like a business that just wants their money.
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t need a huge production budget to start; just a consistent format and something worth saying. If your business corners a niche market, you’re in a prime position to build an audience that doesn’t have as many options when it comes to thought leadership.
Network with Your Readers
Leaders can have a reputation for liking to hear themselves talk, but leadership is a conversation, not a broadcast. Trust us, we understand that life as a business owner or marketing director gets busy. However, taking the time to reply to comments, answer emails, and treat your audience like people you want to build a relationship with does more to make them want to support you than talking about yourself and posting lots of promo.
Let Uptick Help You Get There
Becoming a credible thought leader takes real effort across newsletters, blogs, social, and—let’s face it—everything in between. Juggling it all while running a business is a lot to handle. That’s where Uptick Marketing comes in. We help businesses turn their expertise into content that actually builds authority, not just shouts into the internet void. Get in touch to talk about how we can make your business a trusted source your followers (and intended customers) go to.
