3 Reasons Why Thought Leadership Matters In Your Tech PR Strategy

When it comes to an industry like tech, there are plenty of visionaries and geniuses. To truly make yourself and your business stand out from the crowd, you must implement thought leadership in your tech PR strategy. Thought leadership will help you create a more established presence in the industry, provide a human element to your company, and act as a temperature gauge for those looking into your organization before pursuing a relationship. From a potential buyer’s perspective, thought leadership content can help convey a company’s culture, belief systems and ideas. These are all things that can help humanize your business and allow consumers to resonate with it on a more personal level.

You might be asking yourself, “What exactly is thought leadership?”

By definition, thought leadership is the expression of ideas by a person or group of people demonstrating expertise on a topic or field. Participating in thought leadership can be done through various methods, such as bylines, written commentary, interviews and speaking at industry events, just to name a few. If your company wants to start engaging in thought leadership, you must identify the potential thought leaders within your company whose voices you want to amplify. It is important to note that thought leaders do not have to be contained to the C-Suite; developers and other professionals can also have the makings to be thought leaders. As long as they are knowledgeable and passionate about what they are speaking about, then they have what it takes to be a thought leader for your company.

Throughout this article, we will explore why thought leadership is a must-have in your tech PR strategy.

#1 – Building Credibility And Trust

There are a multitude of benefits that can come from establishing yourself as a thought leader. Chief among them is building up your and your business’ credibility. By showing that you are knowledgeable in your chosen space, you are able to establish trust with current and future customers looking for credible companies to partner with.

As reported by Marketing Charts, “52% of buyers say they are more likely to buy from a vendor after reading its content.”

As an example of how effective thought leadership can be in establishing you and your brand as a leader and authority in your space, let’s take a look at IBM’s Phaedra Boinodiris. Boinodiris boasts a Bachelor of Science in mathematics, an MBA, and a Ph.D. in AI and Ethics and is IBM Consulting’s global leader for Trustworthy AI. That alone could have been enough for her to build her brand and succeed without engaging in any more thought leadership in her industry. However, because she has tried to expand her thought leadership beyond her own company, Phaedra Boinodiris’s name and brand have become a staple in her area of expertise. Through speaking engagements, articles, podcasts, and her book, “AI for the Rest of Us,” Boinodiris has not only established herself as a thought leader but as one of the thought leaders in her space that people seek out specifically for her expertise and guidance.

#2 – Establishing Authority And Expertise

Thought leaders are seen as industry experts and influencers in their respective industries. As an authority figure, you can set yourself and your company up as the go-to source for industry insights.

Potential buyers and customers value the credibility that thought leadership gives businesses, with 63% of consumers believing that thought leadership plays a crucial role in proving that a company or organization truly understands industry issues or challenges and can provide valuable answers to difficult questions.

In that same vein, 65% of potential buyers and customers believe that thought leadership can positively change the perception of a company. If you are not yet considered to be an expert in your field, continuing to produce content will improve your reputation among potential buyers.

#3 – Engaging With Audiences

Thought leadership allows business leaders to engage with diverse audiences through thought-provoking content.

Social media is a great resource for engaging with broader audiences and bringing your thought leadership pieces to new readers who may not have come across your content, specifically LinkedIn. LinkedIn can enable thought leaders to establish a brand, publish content, and communicate directly with their audience. The platform can also help to build status as an industry authority by allowing you to receive – and give – recommendations and endorsements.

Industry events are another great tool to spread your thought leadership prowess. Speaking and appearing at these events allows you to get in front of an audience you may not have had access to previously, as well as share your thought leadership ideas with other industry leaders and vendors. Events are a great way to get valuable face time with your audience, share ideas, and create relationships to help your perception as a leader in your space.

Strategies for Cultivating Thought Leaders

There are a few key factors that need to be considered before beginning a thought leadership program.

First, find the niche you want to become a thought leader in. If you want to create valuable and thought-provoking content, you must discover what you are passionate about exploring. It can be about the space you are currently in, a cutting-edge idea that you want to bring more attention to, or it can be a way for you to break into a new area. Knowing where you want to go and what you want to speak on is the first step in figuring out where to start with your thought leadership strategy.

Second, you’ll want to find avenues that will allow you to network with other thought leaders. Being able to engage with your audience is one thing, but ensuring you are also constantly learning from and engaging with other thought leaders from across the industry will help build your reputation. When building your thought leadership strategy, leave room to pursue thought leadership tools beyond free resources. For example, the Forbes Tech Council is a great place for aspiring thought leaders to publish their ideas alongside other established leaders.

Lastly, invest in your tech PR strategy. Suppose you want to bring thought leadership to the forefront of your business. In that case, creating space for thought leadership in your tech PR strategy can help you achieve your end goals by gaining meaningful coverage opportunities.

Conclusion

Overall, thought leadership is essential to your tech PR strategy because it will help you engage with your audience and build credibility and consumers’ trust in your business — all while establishing your authority and credibility within your respective space.

This isn’t an effort that you need to make alone. Tap in an expert like Touchdown PR for all your tech PR thought leadership needs.

Our team of experts will find ways to reshape your digital approach with thought leadership values and communicate your expertise effectively. Contact us today to build a meaningful, value-led presence for your business.