4 ways to position yourself as a thought leader

It’s all about content, engagement and PR

Becoming a thought leader in a specific industry requires strategic actions to get your voice/contributions out into the public. Whether you want your connections on LinkedIn to turn to you for expertise or you want the industry at large to be wowed by your work, there are plenty of ways to position yourself as an industry thought leader.

1. Create content online.

Anyone can easily begin positioning themselves as a thought leader by creating digital content either on a blog or on a LinkedIn long-form post (if available). If you’re starting a blog, make sure you have a plan of action to build an audience and ensure you’re providing a steady stream of content to engage them. You’ll also want a plan of attack for pushing out the content via social media.

Engage online and offline.

Online, make sure you’re contributing to relevant industry conversations via Twitter and LinkedIn. Offline, make plans to attend networking opportunities regularly, and make the most of those opportunities by shaking a lot of hands and getting your name out there.

Contribute to articles.

Trade media often want to hear from the industry’s experts. PR professionals can help connect you with reporters for interviews on hot industry topics. They can also identify opportunities for you to submit guest articles or blog posts to important media.

Speak at conferences.

Conferences are a great way to demonstrate thought leadership. Think about key conferences in your industry and determine what you could present that would prove your expertise in the field.

From determining your social media strategy to creating your PR plan and submitting conference proposals, a public relations team can help put you on a path to becoming a thought leader. Want to know more? Download Axia Public Relations’ e-book Maximizing Your Public Relations Investment today.

Julie Miller is a marketing and communications professional, working for more than seven years in the industry. She primarily works in the technology and education sectors and specializes in digital marketing and communications. Julie has worked with Axia since November 2015. Connect with Axia on Twitter @axiapr or tell us what you think in the comments below.