How can I be a thought leader on LinkedIn?
How do you position yourself as a thought leader? Here are 10 answers on how to be a thought leader on LinkedIn.
- Make Sure to Comment, Comment, Comment!
- Be Relatable and Authentic
- Listen and Learn
- Create Long-Form Video Content and Repurpose It
- Invite Discussion of Industry News and Trends
- Showcase Your Company’s Culture
- Network With Your Peers
- Do Your Part to Find a Solution
- Consider the Long Game
- Pair All Written Content With an Enticing Visual
Make Sure to Comment, Comment, Comment!
Thought leadership on LinkedIn should include not only posts and your own original content, but consistent comments and engagement as well. Oftentimes, folks think that creating their own posts is all there is to being a thought leader, but commenting and engaging with other users is vital.
Think of comments like mini-posts; this way, you can offer greater insights more frequently, all while connecting with other like-minded people. Though it seems simple, this is a great way to exhibit thought leadership on LinkedIn.
Michael Fischer, Founder, Elite Hat
Be Relatable and Authentic
People love a brand they can relate to, and whether you’re practicing thought leadership as an organization or personal brand, the best way to do it is to be as authentic as possible. It’s not enough to say you’re an expert at something. It’s important to show your audience concrete actions, solutions, and best practices that have worked for you and made your projects successful. This way, you are able to establish trust and a loyal following.
Educating yourself about your industry is key if you want to demonstrate authenticity. Understand the pulse of your audience by consistently reading industry blogs, staying up to date with industry trends, exploring different strategies or solutions for a problem, networking, and staying active on social media.
Anton Giuroiu, Founder, Homesthetics
Listen and Learn
In the era of endless content production and promotion, it also pays to stop and listen to others. No one knows it all, so yes, even as a thought leader, you too can always learn something new or deepen your expertise. It’s important to sometimes take a step back and admit what you don’t know, where your weaknesses are and how you want to go about shoring them up.
That’s why real thought leaders make an effort to listen, understand, and engage with other experts in the industry. You do have to be very selective about who you subscribe to and choose to follow. Like in anything, quality beats quantity, but once you select those worthy of your attention, give them a full opportunity to educate you (especially if you find yourself disagreeing with them).
Peter Bryla, ResumeLab
Create Long-Form Video Content and Repurpose It
The number one way to establish your expertise within your industry on LinkedIn is through long-form video content. With new trends and viral short-form video on the rise, there’s only so much impact to be made through posts and short-form video content. Long-form video content, 15-60 minute lives or pre-recorded videos, allows you to do several things: 1) answer frequently searched questions, 2) meet your audiences at different stages of awareness, and 3) give your audience a glimpse behind the scenes of your teaching style or proprietary methods.
Another bonus tip to leverage video is to interview current or past clients about their experience before, during, and after working with you. Segments from the long-form video content and client testimonials can be repurposed into short-form content and shared across multiple social media, boosting you across search engine platforms.
A. Margot Blair, Author, Educator, and Strategic Advisor, AMB Consulting & Co.
Invite Discussion of Industry News and Trends
You’ll want to share brand and industry news alongside your thoughts and opinions. This is a good way to spur discussion with your peer network, which is exactly the type of activity that exudes thought leadership. Be on the lookout for new and interesting things within your field or area of expertise.
When you post, pose a question. Saying something as simple as “What do you guys think of…”, can be enough to get a conversation going. The more opportunities you provide to open up discussion, the more chances you’ll have to share your own knowledge and guide conversation. These are key elements that you’ll need to build upon in order to take up the mantle of thought leadership.
Soji James, 1AND1 Life Expert Certified Personal Trainer, 1AND1 Life
Showcase Your Company’s Culture
If you work for a firm, you can use thought leadership on LinkedIn to feature the culture of your organization. Just be sincere! When sharing updates, keep in mind that what you say represents your own brand. You can demonstrate the culture and values of your business by providing corporate updates, exchanging advice about your industry, and communicating with other users.
You may contribute your knowledge and experience on LinkedIn by being an active participant, which will help your business establish a strong brand. Your company will be able to attract more people and spread brand awareness thanks to you. How you go about sharing the culture, values, and vision of your business is by routinely posting and participating in discussions. More customers will be drawn in, and sales will rise as a result.
Steve Pogson, Founder / E-commerce Strategy Lead, FirstPier
Network With Your Peers
One way to use thought leadership on LinkedIn is to network with like-minded people. Join relevant groups and start discussions, share articles and insights, and offer your own perspective on trending topics. Not only will you be able to connect with other professionals in your field, but you’ll also establish yourself as a thought leader in your field.
There’s a quote from Johann Wolfgang that goes “Tell me with whom you associate, and I will tell you who you are”. Try to reach out to people who work in the same industry as you and see if they’re interested in having a small talk or conversation about various topics, or perhaps you can start your own podcast and invite them to be a guest. You’ll quickly grow as a leader, getting both brand awareness and opportunities to leverage your network into other avenues.
Connor Ondriska, Co-founder & CEO, SpanishVIP
Do Your Part to Find a Solution
This, in my view, is the most effective approach to exude thought leadership on LinkedIn. Both business-to-business and business-to-consumer clients use the internet to find answers to their problems. Customers are more likely to return to you rather than scour the world wide web if the information you provide them directly relates to a problem they experience and provides a practical solution.
Writing in-depth blog posts for your website or contributing to industry journals are both effective means of drawing attention to problems and giving solutions. Avoid writing a generic “how to” piece and instead give the reader something more in-depth and useful. Then cross-post this on LinkedIn and invite engagement whether your solution helped or not.
Daniel Foley, Founder, Assertive Media
Consider the Long Game
Keeping long-term goals in mind is, in my opinion, the best way to be a thought leader on LinkedIn. When done well, thought leadership may increase a company’s marketing and reputation by showing potential clients that the company is a leader in its industry and can provide solutions to unique problems. I understand that building a reputation as an industry expert on LinkedIn can be a slow process, but I also know that it’s possible with perseverance, consistency, and careful planning keeping the long game always in mind.
Holly Cooper, Content Manager & Planner, Lucas Products & Services
Pair All Written Content With an Enticing Visual
One effective way to be a thought leader on LinkedIn is to write engaging content and pair it with a visual. For example, Chris Walker has become a thought leader in B2B marketing by posting easily understood and informational articles on updates and trends in the marketing sphere. He’s knowledgeable and exemplifies that with his real world examples.
To take it a step further, he created a podcast and began repurposing that content on LinkedIn. Not only did this establish him as a seasoned thought leader, but it combined two mediums that put his content on top. As always, content rules all so no matter what industry you want to be a thought leader in, if you create quality, helpful content you’ll get there.
Alexandra LeBlanc, SEO Strategist, Zen Media
Submit Your Answer
Would you like to submit an alternative answer to the question, “How can I be a thought leader on LinkedIn?” Submit your answer here.