Recently, it seems that content marketing and thought leadership have been competing for airspace in the marketing industry. These concepts may seem similar at face value but differ in their fundamental approach to content.
Instead of fuelling this competition, content marketing agency ELV Agency is showing how to use content marketing to one’s advantage in thought leadership content strategy.
But first, let’s look at what makes content marketing and thought leadership so different.
Content Marketing vs. Thought Leadership
Content marketing has been around since the boom of the information age, which took place in the early 2000s. Although it’s been around for so long, it’s only recently become more mainstream.
When people think of a content marketing strategy, they usually refer to the creation and distribution of valuable content that helps to drive business growth.
Thought leadership’s purpose is similar, but it goes beyond sales. Instead, this type of content focuses on sharing relevant content, knowledge, industry insights, and expertise with others. Sure, thought leadership can also promote a brand’s products or services, but its purpose differs from content creation.
The main differences can be seen in the following aspects:
1) Purpose
Content marketing communicates with potential and existing customers about new products or the brand’s strategy.
Thought leadership marketing strives to equip the target audience with relevant information that can help them solve problems in their business or the industry they are in, all while being backed by the brand’s ideals and goals.
2) Audience
Content marketing targets a specific audience with an established goal, such as promotional education or brand awareness.
A thought leader is a respected industry expert whose opinion is valued. Thus, the content driven by a thought leader can often attract a large following.
3) Format
Given its target of reaching people quickly and effectively, marketing content tends to be short and concise. The format ranges from blog posts to listicles to promotional videos.
Thought leadership content, on the other hand, is usually more extensive and longer, given that its objective is to inform, educate, and inspire. Examples include data storytelling, case studies, industry opinion, analysis, and interviews with top thought leaders.
4) Distribution
Content marketing is mostly about distribution, with special SEO and social media tools employed to ensure the maximum number of readers are reached.
For thought leadership, however, the target is specific to a certain audience and is distributed directly to that audience through newsletters, educational content, and high-profile websites.
Understand the differences for more success
When clients know how to use the differences between content marketing and thought leadership to their advantage, it will help them strategize better for their brand.
ELV Agency helps clients define or redefine their content strategy to make the best of both worlds. Read on to find out more.
Where the Two Concepts Intersect: Best Practices
Both content marketing and thought leadership have one main goal in common: effective content distribution.
Unique content marketing may enable clients to stand out from the competition. Well, so can thought leadership. And one aspect can drive traffic to the other.
For example, perhaps there’s a common problem facing a particular industry. Clients could have an industry expert or even the business owner as the business leader and write a blog about it, with advice on how to solve the problem.
This solution translates to brand helpfulness and brand trust, a key aspect of building an effective thought leadership strategy.
Once brand helpfulness has been established, the target audience will then look to the products or services mentioned to solve their issues because there is already a relationship of trust.
And the easiest way for them to find said products or services is through content marketing efforts.
Conclusion
As highlighted above, clients and business owners can create an effective thought leadership strategy by applying the best content marketing practices to their advantage.
Remember to set clear goals and specifically before brainstorming, executing, and distributing content. After that, see what competitors in similar businesses are doing and measure the results.
And this is where ELV Agency can help clients set up a variety of content to increase brand awareness.
Want More?
To learn about ELV Agency’s executive marketing offerings, contact www.elv.agency
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