Ever wondered why some entrepreneurs become the go-to experts everyone turns to for advice and inspiration while others languish on the sidelines?
How do they do it? Does becoming an industry thought leader just happen? Or are there deliberate strategies involved?
If you want to be that person – the one who sets trends and leads the conversation – this article is for you. Let's dive into the strategies that will help you become a thought leader in your industry.
Table of Contents
Why become a thought leader?
More people than ever are recognizing the value of becoming known as thought leaders in their field or industry. Entrepreneurs, founders, authors, business leaders, social leaders and scientists (to name a few) realize that being a thought leader will help them establish credibility and trust, attract opportunities, drive business growth and perhaps influence their industry's direction.
Other thought leaders want to share their knowledge and give back to their industry or community. They often offer mentorship or guidance to inspire the next generation of innovators and find it personally fulfilling to share their journey, challenges and successes with others.
You'll find many variations in the definition of thought leadership online but Steve Watt offers an interesting take in The Notorious Thought Leader
For me, thought leadership is map making. It's creating new journeys – either illuminating destinations that people have not seen before or illuminating entirely new ways to get to destinations that people have seen before...The thought leader is the one who is expressing and shining a light on new risks, new opportunities, new destinations, new roads that others have not yet traveled.
Steve Watt, Director of Market Insights, Seismic
How to develop a thought leadership strategy
Become knowledgeable about a field
Becoming a thought leader doesn't happen overnight. It often takes years of learning, experiences, failures and successes to develop that expertise. So, it goes without saying that you need a deep knowledge of your field.
Master the core concepts, then broaden your knowledge and understanding through:
- Your experience
- Networking with other industry experts
- Reading widely
- Learning and constantly evolving by taking courses, studying for degrees, participating in masterminds, researching, working with coaches and so on.
A subject matter expert (SME) is not a thought leader—yet. An SME will know stuff that is relevant, but a thought leader will not only be relevant, they'll be thorough, eloquent and unique. They're continually developing their thinking, so when you hear a thought leader present or read something they've written, you generally have a reaction of "I've never thought about that this way". Or "Finally! It makes sense to me now."
Gabrielle Dolan, What Is Thought Leadership
Choose a niche and stick to it
Most people have a go-to guru—someone they look up to, trust and turn to for advice, wisdom and knowledge in a specific niche or area.
For example, say you want to get rid of a bad habit and establish some better habits. Chances are that as soon as you start investigating habits, James Clear and his book Atomic Habits will pop up because James has spent years learning about and becoming known for his expertise in habit formation.
He's one of the go-to leaders of the habit niche and sends his 3-2-1 Newsletter out to 3 million readers every week.
However, you wouldn't consult James Clear if you wanted help scaling your SaaS startup, diversifying your portfolio or pivoting your business. In each of these cases, you'd seek out a thought leader in that niche.
Silicon Valley entrepreneur Mitchell Levy emphasizes the importance of getting niche right in his 2018 TEDx talk, 'BEing Seen & BEing Heard as a Thought Leader!'
A thought leader has to have the right content for the right audience. If you focus on that you have a much better chance of being known...(and) a much better chance of success because your prospects and clients do business with those they know, like and trust.
Consistency in your niche builds credibility and recognition over time.
Stay up-to-date with industry news and developments
Stay informed about the latest trends in your industry.
Are there new ideas, tools or strategies you should know about? Are there standard practices that need a rethink?
Here's where networking and keeping an eye on those who are already industry thought leaders and influencers comes in. Try out new ideas, tools and concepts when you can and adapt to and adopt changes in the industry when you believe they work better than the old ways.
At the same time, as a thought leader, if you see something you feel is out of kilter or won't work in your industry, you can share why you disagree with the latest great ideas and spark debate.
Keep an eye on trends in the wider world, too
Sometimes, staying informed about the goings-on in your industry demands that we look beyond our livelihoods toward larger nationwide, and even worldwide, trends.
William Craig, 'Thought Leadership: Why It's Essential to Stay Up-to-Date With Your Industry'
In his 2015 Forbes article, Craig points out that small trends can become essential global concerns that everyone needs to consider. He discusses sustainability as something that's become an "issue that will impact just about every industry on planet earth to one extent or another."
Today, we'd probably name Generative AI as another trend making such a spectacular leap into mainstream consciousness that you're in danger of being left behind if you don't at least know what AI's about, how to use it and the possibilities it opens up (or slams shut) in your niche and worldwide.
Develop original research or perspectives
Are you conducting research? Trying out new ideas? Experimenting with new products?
Publishing content about your research, experiments, methods, failures and successes is one part of becoming a thought leader. Try writing guest articles in industry publications, publishing a white paper, writing a case study, appearing on podcasts, speaking at conferences, or creating content on social media platforms.
Or perhaps your team is conducting research into trends or the state of your industry? Can you publish it as a helpful report for others? Take Michael Stelzner (Social Media Examiner) as an example. He's been at the forefront of social media marketing for years, publishing his 16th Social Media Marketing Industry Report in 2024. Over the years, this research has become a go-to for social media marketers wanting to learn the latest trends.
Thought leadership is not just about creating original ideas; it's about presenting concepts in a way that is eye-opening, paradigm-shifting, or improving upon existing ideas.
Robert Hargrove, Episode 567, Leveraging Thought Leadership podcast
Share your insights on various platforms
Very few thought leaders work from just one platform. Most people spread valuable content across several different media.
You might find thought leaders using LinkedIn and X as their social media platforms, hosting a podcast and accepting regular speaking engagements.
On the other hand, others might prefer appearing as podcast guests, writing books and posting on Substack.
Whichever platforms you choose, be consistent with what you say and how, when and where you say it.
“Thought leadership doesn’t come from saying something one time, or writing one viral social media post. It’s about taking a topic and saying it again and again in a slightly different way, a slightly different angle; just like when we’re in the gym, repetitions count!”
Monica M. Rivera, "You Wanna Do What?! podcast
Let's look at how to be a thought leader using these different platforms. I've highlighted the thought leaders below as being highly successful in creating high-quality content on the following platforms, but, of course, each of these people shares their expertise in multiple ways.
How to get started
- Create a compelling LinkedIn profile that oozes your personal brand. It should show who you are, what you offer, who you help and how.
- Connect with others. Start with people you know and work outwards. Ask to connect with others when you find their posts or thoughts helpful and interesting. Direct message when appropriate, comment on their posts and establish yourself as genuinely helpful.
- Follow other thought leaders in your niche, comment and offer insights or another viewpoint on their posts
- Share other thought leaders' ideas and add your ideas on top.
- Reach out when you feel you can help (without expecting anything in return)
- Post your own thoughts, ideas and helpful information
- Disagree respectfully
- Share personal stories when they illustrate a point or could be helpful to others, but save the cute kid/animal videos for Facebook and Instagram (unless they illustrate a point.)
LinkedIn thought leader - Justin Welsh
Solopreneur Justin Welsh has been active on LinkedIn since 2018, sharing thoughts and ideas about building one-person businesses and growing your personal brand on LinkedIn. He's amassed over 600,000 followers and ranked as the #1 Global LinkedIn Creator five times.
Justin uploads short, helpful posts once or twice a day. He shares about business mindset, entrepreneurial life, how to create meaningful content, grow on social media (LinkedIn and X) and build a successful one-person business online.
Each post links to a piece of content in his ecosystem and a relevant product. Want to see an example? Check out "How one piece of content becomes 16: The 1-3-5 method.
Podcast - as a guest
How to get started
- Craft your signature story (you'll end up telling versions of this every time you're interviewed.)
- Understand your key talking points and how they showcase your thought leadership
- Search for podcasts in your niche, then widen the search to find others that might align in other ways. (Use Rephonic to find suitable shows and get their contact info)
- List likely podcasts and research each one. That involves listening to episodes, finding listener numbers, learning about their audience (is it your target audience, too?), checking their social media presence and so on.
- Create a podcast one-sheet that showcases your thought leadership topics and demonstrates why you're a great podcast guest.
- Send out personalized pitches to podcasts you'd like to feature on (see our handy pitch guide.)
Thought leader - Nathan Barry
ConvertKit founder Nathan Barry is on a mission to help creators earn a living. Having built one of the most respected email content marketing platforms around, you can bet he knows a lot about growing a creator business from scratch.
Nathan has given dozens of podcast guest interviews related to creators, email, and the risks and rewards of growing a business and building an audience. A quick Rephonic' episode search' finds him on Business, Entrepreneurship, Investing, Careers and Marketing podcasts (and the occasional society and culture podcast like the Daily Dad.)
Alex Hormozi is another example of someone using podcast guesting as a thought leadership strategy. You'll find our analysis of his strategy here.
Host a podcast
Hosting a podcast is a huge opportunity to establish your expertise and build a compelling personal brand. There's nothing like podcasting for helping to build trust and rapport with your target audience over time.
Some thought leaders offer their insights in solo shows, but most seem to present interview-style podcasts where they talk to other big names in their industry.
X (Twitter)
How to get started
Building a reputation on Twitter/X or similar platforms like Threads or Substack Notes is similar to the process I outlined for LinkedIn. Optimize your profile, build a strong presence, follow other thought leaders in your niche, network through DMs, make authentic connections, answer questions and engage your audience with thoughtful posts.
This article goes into more detail on setting up an X thought leadership strategy.
Thought leader - Steph Smith
Steph Smith is a writer, marketer (she led Trends for The Hustle and HubSpot's Creator Program) and hosts two podcasts (a16z and Shit You Don't Learn in School.) I wrote about Steph's unconventional methods for growing a podcast a couple of years ago.
Many people use Twitter/X to share content they've created elsewhere. Others use it to sample opinions and keep an eye on trends. Steph Smith does all the above but also uses the platform to float ideas (like this) and gauge reactions from the comments before writing or podcasting about them.
Email newsletter
Newsletters are gold because you can send your ideas and wisdom directly to people who've asked to receive them. By sending regular emails and inviting replies, you can connect with and learn more about your audience (and prospective customers if you aim to sell products or services as a thought leader).
How to get started
- Be active and start to build an audience on other platforms like LinkedIn, Medium, YouTube or through podcasting. Think of all these as funnels into your email list. Consistently offer valuable content to attract an interested audience, then put out a call to sign up for your newsletter for more.
- Make sure signing up for your newsletter is a call to action on your posts. Have it front and center on your website and include it in tweets and guest articles. Mention your newsletter whenever an interviewer invites you to tell their audience where to connect with you online.
- Sign up with an email provider. Choose between full-on marketing providers like ConvertKit and MailerLite or newsletter platforms like Beehiv.
- Create compelling content! Include unique ideas and stories to illustrate a point. There are millions of email newsletters out there now, so you'll need a point of difference to make it stand out.
Thought leader - Jason Feifer
Some newsletters sit unopened in my inbox for days – but not One Thing Better! This one I open as soon as I see it because Jason Feifer has nailed the art of providing unique value.
Each week follows the same format, listing a common practice, idea or problem and providing an alternative and better way to tackle it. Every email is full of practical advice and lessons drawn from Jason's own stories and experiences and showcases his expertise and wisdom.
Alternatively, start a Substack
Entrepreneurs, authors and other thought leaders from all niches and industries offer valuable insights on Substack. It's a fast-growing newsletter platform designed to give writers a place to share and be paid for their work. You can choose to offer your wisdom entirely for free or create a freemium (free + paid premium content) version.
Although it started as a written medium, Substack now lets you include videos and audio content, recommend other Substack publications and offer your thoughts on its short-form platform called Notes.
Posts live on your Substack website and can be accessed online or through the Substack App. Each article is also emailed to your subscribers.
Conferences and speaking engagements
Public speaking is an excellent way to get in front of your peers. Conferences often offer many speaking possibilities, including delivering a keynote address, panel discussions, leading breakout groups and teaching workshops or seminars.
How to get started
- Consider starting small and local to build trust and experience. Speak to community groups and schools. Offer to give the commencement speech at your local high school. Attend industry meetups in your area.
- Network and build relationships by joining professional associations and attending industry events.
- Craft a unique message, identify your key topics and develop a signature talk that you could adapt to different occasions as needed.
- Create a speaker portfolio. Include a bio that highlights your expertise, message and the topics you speak about. Include testimonials and make a highlights reel of excerpts from your best speeches.
- Apply to be a podcast guest (You'll get more comfortable telling your story and extra practice at speaking into a microphone and answering questions.)
- Consider hiring a public speaking coach to help get you ready for the speaking circuit.
- Market yourself through the other media and platforms mentioned in this article.
- Keep an eye out for speaker opportunities at conferences and events. Submit proposals that align with the event's themes and audience.
Thought leader - Nick Graham-Higgs
As the founding director of a respected Australian environmental consulting firm, Nick Graham-Higgs uses public speaking to cement his thought leader profile in the sustainability sector and contribute his expertise to the renewable energy debate.
Some of Nick's public speaking activities include:
- Discussion panels,
- Business leader gatherings
- International travel and meetups with industry players
- Attending and speaking at relevant conferences (for example, the 2024 Townsville North Queensland Green Energy Futures Forum.)
Reddit is a community-based forum-style website full of groups and threads (called subreddits) discussing anything and everything. Whatever your niche, you're bound to find a passionate group discussing it on Reddit.
While Reddit isn't typically associated with traditional thought leadership, some subject matter experts answer questions and contribute to discussions on the platform. A few big names also offer AMAs (ask me anything) there.
How to get started
Read this excellent article by Kirsti Lang on Buffer on why and how marketers and creators can use Reddit. In a nutshell Kirsti suggests:
- Finding relevant subreddits
- Spending time reading and getting to know them before you jump in with your own posts
- Reading the subreddit rules
- Remembering that Reddit users don't like blatant self-promotion.
Create a consistently valuable blog
Seth Godin is an entrepreneur and marketing legend. He's written 20 best-sellers, appeared on countless podcasts and founded two companies.
But, if you ask many in the industry how they know Seth is a thought leader, odds are they'll talk about his blog and newsletter. He's written a blog post and issued a newsletter every day for a decade. Some posts are long, some are short, and sometimes they're just one-liners.
Put together, they're an impressive example of commitment, dedication and wisdom made available to everyone who cares to look.
Write guest posts
Another way to showcase your understanding of industry trends, gather followers and reach potential buyers is to write guest posts for influential magazines and websites or consider writing a regular column.
Airing the facts and your considered opinions in widely-read publications can showcase your expertise to a broader audience, but be prepared for the fact that not everyone will agree with you.
Thought leadership podcasts to help you on the journey
My Rephonic search revealed several podcasts on the topic, too. You might like to try:
- Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders (Each week, experienced entrepreneurs and innovators come to Stanford University to candidly share lessons they’ve learned while developing, launching and scaling disruptive ideas.)
- Everything Thought Leadership (Bob Buday, Founder of Bloom Group LLC, combines his 35 years of helping clients market superior expertise with the stories and insights of influential thought leaders.)
- You Wanna Do What? (Monica Rivera's weekly guide to building a powerful personal branding strategy that gets results.)
- Leveraging Thought Leadership (Where will thought leadership take you? Whether it’s professional keynote speaking, writing your own thought leadership book, investigating the niche expertise of specialized consultants, or crossing mental swords with distinguished academics, our guests collectively paint a vivid mosaic of thought leadership's multifaceted potential.)
- The Thought Leader's Voice Podcast (Listen to leading independent thought leaders discuss how they bring their ideas to life and at scale using actionable, research based insights.)
Final thoughts
“Thoughts become ideas, and effectively communicating those ideas has the potential to change the world.”
Monica M. Rivera
Thought leadership involves expertise, effort and time. It may happen almost accidentally to some, but if you have your sights set on becoming a thought leader it's a good idea to put some deliberate strategies in place.
You can have all the knowledge in the world, but you won't be a thought leader if you don't share it. So, choose the platform that best suits your industry and your personal brand or style and make a start.
