In 1994, Joel Kurtzman, former editor-in-chief for the magazine ‘Strategy and Business’, coined the term “thought leader”. He said “A thought leader is recognized by peers, customers and industry experts as someone who deeply understands the business they are in, the needs of their customers and the broader marketplace in which they operate. They have distinctively original ideas, unique points of view and new insights.”

Many business owners and marketers who want to build their brands are interested in the concept of "thought leadership." The same is true of content marketing, which is often lauded for its capacity to generate marketing-qualified leads at the top of the sales funnel.

However, a significant number of people are confused by the distinctions that exist between these two. Some people nowadays may read this and roll their eyes because they consider it to be nothing more than corporate jargon. Nevertheless, the distinction is beneficial to business leaders who want to position themselves ahead of the competition.

Thought Leadership vs. Content Marketing

Content marketing is an established method of attracting new customers by providing valuable information in response to common inquiries. You must provide content such as blog articles, social media blurbs, videos, and images to reach your target audience. Businesses employ content marketing intelligently to reach their target audience in the marketing funnel.

The purpose of thought leadership marketing is to establish your company as an authority in your field and win the trust of your ideal customers. Summarily, "thought leadership content" is any material your business produces that demonstrates your expertise and is designed to attract and engage customers. Although thought leadership marketing is usually more authoritative and imaginative than other forms of content, this material compels audiences to take action, whether contacting you directly, making a purchase online, or visiting your physical location.

To highlight the distinctions between thought leadership and content marketing more clearly, we have broken out a few essential aspects of each strategy below.

Content marketing is all-encompassing

A company's promotional materials are considered part of its "content marketing." Content marketing is the strategy behind everything a business puts out, from tangible promotional materials and billboards to email marketing campaigns, social media postings, and the text on its website. This tactic may be expanded to incorporate thought-provoking articles. Therefore, all of a company's marketing materials are considered part of the marketing mix.

Blog articles and videos are great examples of content marketing assets since they help both new and existing consumers discover solutions to common problems. However, they need encouragement and persuasion that your product or service is their best option. This is where careful planning of what, when, and how content is distributed becomes crucial.

Content marketing is a catch-all word for businesses’ many methods to promote themselves. Thought leadership is simply one strategy that may be used in this context. Thought leadership material, in contrast to other forms of content creation, tends to be more conversational and focused on providing a fresh viewpoint. As a result, these materials raise more questions than they solve, making the reader pause to consider their position on the subject.

Thought Leadership builds connections, while Content Marketing builds the funnel.

Businesses that sell to other companies and those that sell directly to consumers use content marketing to increase product sales and customer conversions. However, an effective content marketing plan will have a hierarchical structure. The purpose is to initiate contact with the intended audience to develop a lead in the future.

As a result, the content marketing strategy considers the complete marketing funnel and the customer's journey. This is because content may be created at any step of the user journey to convert consumers, and different personas need different types of content based on their demands. Therefore, when deciding what to include in the middle of the sales funnel, it's essential to consider where the customer is in their journey. Although thought leadership content has a place in this approach, the organization should consider additional high-level assets to ensure its message is effectively communicated.

Thought leadership allows the reader to feel like they are having a two-way discussion with the author, strengthening their bond with the product or service being promoted.

Quality is Top Priority in Thought Leadership

Thought leadership is more concerned with quality than quantity, but a successful content marketing plan requires a regular publication schedule and enough internal resources to generate fresh material constantly. Leadership articles that require more time and consideration from the author leave a more remarkable impression on the reader.

Companies should engage in thought leadership if they want to attract the attention of today's consumers, who are said to be exposed to between 4,000 and 10,000 advertisements daily. In addition, customers can identify the difference between original content and that which has been copied and pasted. Therefore, businesses need to take the time to craft their writing.

While thought leadership emphasizes credibility, content marketing emphasizes engagement.

In conclusion, the goals of content marketing are to generate interest, site visits, and sales. Thought leadership content isn't intended to promote a product or service but aims to improve an organization's reputation by presenting a fresh viewpoint.

Why Business Executives Need to Develop a Thought Leadership Approach

Edelman found that 64% of C-suite executives evaluate companies based on their thought leadership. In addition, nearly half of them said they had awarded the business due to exposure to thought leadership material.

Thought leadership material is an essential part of any successful content strategy. This is because many pieces of information are promotional and may be deemed poor quality by important decision-makers. Contrarily, thought leadership material is more valuable than other content assets because credibility cannot be purchased. It has to develop naturally over time.

Recent years have seen a rise in the significance of thought leadership as marketing and PR endeavors have expanded beyond their conventional roots. In addition, executives, marketers, and salespeople understand the value of identifying themselves as pioneers in their respective industries. Consequently, developing thought leadership may be a beneficial technique for building a name for oneself and a reputation for one's brand.

Not all material claiming to be thought leadership is created equal; however, possessing suitable resources is crucial. As a result of the epidemic-driven uptick in content production, thought leadership is flourishing in ways it never has before. Producing thought leadership content that motivates readers and draws attention to your company's strengths is essential for success in today's crowded marketplace.

If you want to position yourself as a thought leader in your industry, Limelight can help. Let’s talk!