FAQ

Why should I invest in thought leadership?

As organisations build up their online presence, they have discovered the value of showcasing their expertise alongside their products and services. Establishing yourself as an authority on issues relevant to your sector has become increasingly important. By demonstrating a mastery of those issues, you can attract your audience’s attention and retain their loyalty.

But execution is critical. Audiences have grown discerning, rightly steering clear of content produced for content’s sake. Most of the material promoted as thought leadership fits this category. Surveys have shown that much of it misses the mark, leaving its intended audience underwhelmed. At the same time, genuine thought leadership has consistently been recognised as the best way of making an impact. It is most effective where it is timely, relevant and original – bywords for good journalism. As a consultancy that draws upon journalistic expertise, we are well placed to deliver this.

How does thought leadership differ from other forms of marketing?

Thought leadership is a fresh addition to the marketing lexicon, within which it refers to a subset of content marketing. At OpEd, we use the term to refer to any content – be it a blog, podcast or video – that draws upon a client’s unique expertise to convey an important message in an interesting way.

Unlike advertising, thought leadership earns the right to be published or cited in the media because it communicates what a client knows rather than what they sell. At its best, it can embody some of the values of public service journalism – to inform, educate and entertain. However, it should always be treated as distinct from journalism. If it is funded from a marketing budget and serves a marketing objective, it is ultimately a form of marketing – albeit a relatively subliminal one. Its apparent resemblance to journalism is precisely why such content must be clearly signposted as distinct from journalism.

While the term is new, thought leadership as a concept is as old as the art of oratory. It is the latest variant in a history of persuasion that includes the essay, the political pamphlet – and of course, the newspaper op-ed.

How do you become a recognised thought leader? 

It’s all about sustained, notable thought leadership activity. If you produce good material on a regular basis, you will stand out among your peers, and sectoral and mainstream media will start taking an interest in your views. You begin your thought leadership journey by approaching media outlets – but as your reputation grows, they will start soliciting your opinions.

Do you have to be a subject-matter expert to be a thought leader?

No, you don’t. You need to be able to express a credible, original view and to be sure of your facts and line of argument. That’s the case for most thought leadership outputs, from podcasts to white papers. You might want us to help you with some research to underpin your views on a topic – but you certainly don’t need to be an unquestioned authority to express those views.

Leader writers on newspapers are often required to comment upon subjects of which they only have a vague understanding – yet they manage to produce trenchant, well-argued copy on deadline by conferring with colleagues and specialist correspondents. Of course, being an expert on a particular subject can give you a head start as a thought leader in that field. But it is not a prerequisite, because the act of consistently producing thought leadership is itself a way of gaining expertise.

What does thought leadership success look like and how is it achieved?

If you are in the private sector, it’s about getting coverage in media read by your customers, whether they are consumers or businesses, with the ultimate aim of generating sales leads. To be effective, however, outputs must not appear sales-ey. To earn media attention, they must contribute to ongoing debates or provide salient comment and analysis on current issues related to your market or industry. Such engagement fosters trust, which demonstrably influences purchasing decisions.

If you are in the public sector, the goal is likewise to feature in relevant media. The same methodology applies, but you will invariably be addressing wider, more mainstream audiences. Here, the challenge is to develop themes that transcend sectoral interests with a much broader appeal. The overarching goal remains brand awareness, but messages can be honed to elicit specific responses from audiences.

Is there a role for thought leadership in internal communications? 

Yes, there is. It works very well when you want to engage staff on issues related to your organisation’s practices, challenges or direction. Outputs can be used to generate internal debate and elicit feedback, as well as to motivate and to win trust.

Would we need to retain OpEd for a period of time or call in as and when?

We are pretty flexible. We would obviously prefer to work with you on a regular basis. That would enable us to familiarise ourselves with your business and communications objectives as well as provide us with the opportunity to develop staff skills, should that be required. But we are also open to being parachuted in to deliver projects as needed. If you are unsure whether thought leadership is right for your organisation, this might prove the optimal arrangement, enabling you to gain a better understanding of its scope and potential.

If our designated thought leaders have little time to spare, would you still be able to generate content? 

Yes. If availability is an issue, we are happy to produce the full range of thought leadership output ourselves. We would require a degree of cooperation and input – essentially to help shape and finesse the content we produce and ensure that it is aligned with your marketing objectives. Broadcast outputs, such as podcasts and video discussions, would require your thought leaders to be more directly involved. But all the preparatory work will have been done by us, minimising the amount of time they would need to commit to projects.

We think we should be producing thought leadership but need some help developing a strategy. Could OpEd assist?

Yes. We’d be happy to sit down and discuss your current content offering to identify how thought leadership could develop and enhance it. This would typically take the form of an initial content review and a briefing on your marketing objectives, followed by recommendations from us on how to proceed. There would be some back and forth before a formal plan was arrived at, after which you might choose to implement it in-house, commission OpEd to do so, or employ us in an advisory role. 

How does editorial mentoring work in practice?

It’s all about helping your designated thought leaders finesse their ideas and turn them into compelling content. Assistance can take a number of forms, from reviewing tone of voice, structuring outputs and providing feedback on drafts, to substantial editing and rewriting. OpEd can also provide bespoke workshop sessions that deal with a range of issues, such as the development of writing skills, editorial structure, argumentation and interviewing techniques for broadcast outputs. It all depends on your specific needs. Designated thought leaders may have little time for such training, but we can fit it around whatever availability they have.

We like the sound of editorial mentoring, but worry that it will take up too much time. 

It doesn’t have to. A big part of mentoring is simply the back-and-forth between you and us over a piece of work. For example, when one of your designated thought leaders authors a piece of content, they might choose to have us turn it into the finished article, as it were, or return it with suggested improvements and comments on style and substance. With the latter, you are entering into a mentoring arrangement where our role is not only to enhance the quality of the output but also develop the respective thought leader’s skill set. This process can take as long as you want it to. If time is at a premium, you can always ask us to complete the project. We believe that mentoring has a legacy value, as it enables your organisation to continue generating the sort of work we helped you produce, long after we’ve left the scene.

What’s the difference between a blog post and an op-ed?

Blog posts are typically little more than the development of one idea, perhaps commenting upon or analysing news affecting your sector or industry. Ideally, posts are concise, around 400-600 words long. The style tends to be informal, lively and engaging. The best blog posts are often the starting point for op-eds, which are more structured and nuanced, normally of the order of 700-900 words. If the subject matter is making headlines and the views expressed are compelling and original, then you will have strong material for an op-ed.  A draft will make a number of points and include supporting information and context, so getting the structure right is imperative. It must read seamlessly in order to be effective.

We’re not happy with our blog. Could OpEd work with us to improve it before we consider further thought leadership outputs? 

Yes, in fact it’s a good idea to get your blog right before you move onto more ambitious projects, because posts often provide the genesis for longer-form content, as suggested in the previous FAQ. Your blog’s editorial strategy will greatly influence the range and nature of your thought leadership outputs. It will determine the kinds of subjects you will write about, the line you want to take, and will also help to identify prospective thought leaders within your organisation. In many ways, your blog is both your thought leadership engine room and shop window: generating ideas and showcasing them once they’ve been translated into content.

Our business is quite technical. Would OpEd be able to handle complex subject matter? 

Our USP is our ability to draw on journalists with a wide range of specialist knowledge. Our consultants include national newspaper, business and trade journalists, enabling us to take on thought leadership projects for organisations in any number of fields. If your sector is outside our area of expertise, we are agile enough to find consultants with the required background and ability to produce thought leadership for your sectoral – and wider mainstream – audiences.

Can OpEd place thought leadership outputs in the media? 

We work with you to produce high-quality editorial that is timely, original and insightful. Outputs, therefore, should have traction in business and mainstream media. However, we are unable to guarantee coverage nor get involved in pitching and placing because the outcomes are beyond our control. We can however provide advice on how to make persuasive approaches to editors as well as generate optimal social media impact.