Research Continues to Quantify Impact of Thought Leadership

Years ago, when content marketing, blogs, and social media became things, I remember warning people about the incoming avalanche of bad content and how difficult it would be to stand out.

Today, technology has exploded, buyer journeys have become more complex and individualized, and generative AI has turned everyone into self-professed “content creators.” Standing out hasn't gotten any easier.

Since the transformation of blogs from digital megaphones for anyone with a half-baked opinion and a keyboard to strategic marketing tools, I’ve been a firm believer in thought leadership.

Thought leadership – content that conveys insights, expertise, and unique perspectives to inform a specific audience and influence decisions – has always been valuable but difficult to quantify.

Fortunately, research like the annual Edelman-LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Impact Report is filled with data that validates the value of thought leadership in the B2B space. Here are highlights and my personal takeaways from the 2024 report.

Shaping Perceptions and Increasing Value

“73 percent of decision-makers say that an organization’s thought-leadership content is a more trustworthy basis for assessing its capabilities and competencies than its marketing materials and product sheets.”

“70 percent of decision-makers say they are very likely to think more positively about organizations that consistently produce high-quality thought leadership.”

Takeaway: Thought leadership focuses on what you know and what you believe. It goes deeper than a static page of your website or a tri-fold brochure. The goal is to inform, enlighten, and stimulate thought. You influence decision-making and win business by creating moments of human connection and conveying value, not selling.

Introducing Opportunities

“75 percent of decision-makers and C-suite executives say that a piece of thought leadership has led them to research a product or service they were not previously considering.”

Takeaway: Thought leadership can serve as a discovery tool for people who have a need or desire for your offerings but didn’t even know it.

Among the 75 percent of decision-makers and C-suite executives who researched offerings they hadn’t considered:

• “54 percent say that an organization that consistently produces high-quality thought-leadership content has prompted them to research the organization’s offers or capabilities.”
• “23 percent said they began buying from or working with that organization.”

Takeaway: Many people believe the sole purpose of thought leadership content is to educate and build trust. Those are indeed core functions, but the data shows thought leadership can drive action and revenue based on value, not sales gimmicks.

• “60 percent said that a piece of thought leadership had made them realize their organization was missing out on a significant business opportunity.”

Takeaway: Fear of missing out (FOMO) is motivation. If you understand your audience’s pain points, thought leadership can bring FOMO to the surface and highlight the consequences of inaction while presenting your organization as the solution.

• “60 percent said that good thought leadership makes them willing to pay a premium to work with that organization.”

Takeaway: Thought leadership is not only introducing people to new offerings, but it’s also convincing them that their offerings and organization are worth top dollar.

Getting Marketing Noticed

“Nine in 10 decision-makers and C-suite executives say they are moderately or very likely to be more receptive to sales or marketing outreach from a company that consistently produces high-quality thought leadership.”

“86 percent of decision-makers also say they would be moderately or very likely to invite them to participate in the RFP process.”

Takeaway: That’s a huge number. It proves that thought leadership elevates your brand and the perception of your sales and marketing efforts. You’ll gain opportunities (returned calls/emails, appointments, RFP requests, etc.) that you may not have received otherwise. Consistency shows you have the conviction and wealth of knowledge to generate fresh content, and the willingness to share those insights.

Creating Separation with Competitors

“70 percent of C-suite leaders say that a piece of thought leadership had at least occasionally led them to question whether they should continue working with an existing supplier.”

“54 percent say the piece of thought leadership got them to realize there were other suppliers they could work with that had a better understanding of the challenges their organization was facing.”

“51 percent say the piece of thought leadership got them to realize that other suppliers were smarter or more visionary.”

Takeaway: Thought leadership can establish meaningful competitive differentiation without saying “this is how we’re different.” It can shows you can relate. It can plant the seed that your organization is more desirable – not based on price, but based on knowledge, value, and the ability to solve problems.

The Bad News

48 percent of decision-makers rate the thought leadership they read as good. Just 15 percent say it’s very good or excellent.

In other words, they consume thought leadership. They value thought leadership. They respond to thought leadership and factor it into their decision-making and buying process.

But most thought leadership falls short of expectations.

Imagine what could be accomplished if organizations invested the time and resources required to produce quality thought leadership that actually moves people.

Attributes of Effective Thought Leadership

There are three key characteristics that stand out, according to study participants:

• References strong research and data (55 percent)
• Helps me understand challenges and opportunities (44 percent)
• Offers concrete guidance and case studies (43 percent)

If your thought leadership has at least one of these attributes or, ideally, all three, you increase the odds that your content will resonate with your audience.

The Impact of Thought Leadership

The most important job of any content is to provide clarity. Thought leadership, when done well, provides clarity on issues relevant to the audience, including those that may not have been considered. It creates urgency to move quickly. It challenges assumptions. It creates and reinforces competitive differentiators. And it shows you "get" their pain points.

Most importantly, from the thought leader’s perspective, this content positions the thought leader and/or organization as experts capable of helping the audience overcome challenges and achieve their goals.

Frankly, this is what all marketing should do. Thought leadership just does these things better. Just ask the 3,500 decision-makers and executives who contributed to this research.

My role as a content writer and interviewer is to pull the “thought” and “leadership” out of subject matter experts, tap into their knowledge and passion, capture their voice, and tell their story in a way that creates moments of human connection. If you’d like to discuss a thought leadership strategy for your organization, let’s talk.