Maybe your business has been around for a while, and you feel poised to take it to the next level. Or perhaps your business is just getting off the ground, and you’d like to build some real momentum. Whether your business is a start-up or long-standing staple, you have a goal in mind: become a thought leader in your industry. But how do you get to that point? Not unlike any other goal—energy, expertise, and a whole heck of a lot of effort. Follow this guide to get things kicked off.
Becoming an Industry Thought Leader
You know your business, you know the industry you’re in, and you want others to see your work and envision your company as a forward-thinking thought leader. Getting there can be challenging, but well worth the effort in ROI. Here are some solid tips for helping you reach your goal.
Newsletters Are Your Best Friend
A lot of businesses turn to blogs to get their ideas out there. Blogs are great, but don’t do much without an audience. What we want to do first is carve out that audience and ensure a following. Newsletters are how to do just that.
Some might say newsletters are too old school, but they’re one of your best shots to build your audience. Thankfully, there are tons of reasonably priced resources (e.g. Mailchimp) that you can use. Sign on up. You’ll see how newsletters really come into play as we go on.
Set Up a Landing Page
Think of your landing page as the online gateway to your business’ brand. This page should, at its core, encourage a visitor to act. If your goal is to become a thought leader, the messaging should reflect that. For instance, if audience connection is the goal, the landing page should be urging visitors to get in touch and opt in to a newsletter sign-up, even if it’s done subtly or casually.
In short, landing pages pay off. Your average blog will have a mailing list conversion rate of between roughly 1-5%. A well laid out landing page has the potential to convert 25–50% of visitors into subscribers.
Blog Better
Once we have the bones in place, we can start pumping out compelling content. The key word here is compelling. You want people to find value in what you’re writing. How so? 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.
You want to provide direct value in your 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. It’s why titles with words like “tips, tricks, and ways” are so successful. People naturally clue into those kinds of words for help on a subject or for more information regarding an industry.
Another important thing to note: Post on platforms that will help your content gain traction. This means posting it to LinkedIn, Quora, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. You want your content to get exposure. If the content stays just on your site, it’s siloed off from the views you so covet. Another way to position yourself as an industry leader? Interact with other industry leaders online. Link back to their blogs and posts in your blog. This is the online equivalent of opening up a dialog with them. People appreciate it, and may even pay you back at a later date with a nod of your own.
Network With Your Readers
As we’ve mentioned before, blogs aren’t the be-all and end-all for becoming a thought leader in your industry. Newsletters and social networks are essential in establishing that connection as well. But don’t confuse the two. Social media isn’t where you peddle mailing list invites; being too pushy with your promotions can put people off. These networks, as their name suggests, are great ways to socialize!
Social networking is like an introduction. Newsletters are where you can get a little more detailed. Again, even in newsletters, you want the value to be reader oriented, rather than all about you. Craft subject lines that offer the same means of value as you do in your blog headlines. It’s how to get readers stuck on your content and craving more. As you continue to churn out compelling content, your eager readers will look to you as an industry thought leader.
How Uptick Can Help
If all of this seems like a lot of work, we hate to break it to you—it is. But we do have some good news for you.
Maybe social media isn’t your forte. Maybe your newsletters rarely, if ever, see the light of day (and you’re not even sure if they’re reaching others). Maybe you know all about your industry and your company’s strategic place in it, but words just don’t come easy.
No matter your skills or know-how when it comes to digital marketing, Uptick Marketing can help your company see success in an increasingly online world—and position your business as an industry thought leader. Contact us to start a no-hassle chat, and stay up to date with what’s working in marketing with our help.
