Why data and thought leadership go hand in hand (part one)

Thought leadership and data are both integral parts of any CMO’s content strategy. In fact, in our last blog, we talked about why CMOs should always consider thought leadership and data when navigating the changing content landscape.

At its core, thought leadership content is used to elevate a particular spokesperson, and therefore a business, into the spotlight by discussing issues that are pertinent to their industry , highlighting the solutions as well as the problems. This long-form content is a way to show why the business and the spokesperson is such an important part of the industry.

Thought leadership content is used to build trust and a solid reputation. It speaks directly to the reader about the issues concerning them; therefore enticing them to learn more about the solutions.

But what about data? We all know that data can be seen in every aspect of our lives – but where does it fit into a thought leadership content strategy? In part one of this blog series, we discover why data and thought leadership make the perfect partnership.

Data-driven thought leadership

Thought leadership content improves sales effectiveness, differentiates your brand and gives customers the engagement and insights they are looking for. By utilising the power of data, thought leadership can become a powerful weapon for any CMO.

So how can you create outstanding thought leadership, powered by the engine of data?

Business leaders still value fresh thinking in their thought leadership content, but it needs to be backed up by reliable data. At the beginning of the year, it was forecasted that there would be as much as 1.7 megabytes of data created every second for each person on the planet. But with so much data surrounding us, it’s imperative that we utilise the correct data in a meaningful way.

But why is there a demand for the importance of data?

Within the current content landscape, everyone continues to produce blogs, soundbites, whitepapers, reports, podcasts, and so much more. As companies around the world look to increase their content production, there has been an explosion in the use of data in content strategies. There is a growing need to utilise thought leadership and data together; in fact, research shows that robust data is the most sought-after quality in thought leadership.

Highlighting the importance of robust data as a key driver behind thought leadership strategies will ensure your content stands out and get the attention of your target audience. When thought leadership content delves deeper into your chosen topic, added with the insights from your subject matter expert, it becomes incredibly valuable to those you are trying to influence. This enables your brand to attract attention with real and concrete solutions that rise above the noise, forging an open dialogue with your target audience, rather than a one-way marketing monologue.

What is the winning formula for data-driven thought leadership? Here are our top tips:

• Establish a point of view that you wish your brand to reflect and ensure your content supports the go-to-market message.
• Provide your audience with valuable, accurate information on a consistent basis to earn credibility and rapport.
• Remember to use data storytelling. This brings the key elements of the data to life and offers a personal touch.
• Add a layer of personalisation so the content resonates on an individual basis and more importantly drives engagement and builds relationships.
• Make sure you share thought leadership content on relevant platforms and track performance against set metrics so that you can always make your thought leadership and data strategy the best it can be.

If you’re interested in improving your thought leadership strategy, why not have a go at implementing our recommendations and then let us know which tip you found the most useful? We would love to hear from you so please get in touch. Don’t forget to join us for part two of this blog series where we’ll discover how we can take thought leadership to the next level with the help of data.