Three Keys to Developing Earned-Worthy Thought Leadership

With what feels like a constant stream of breaking news every day and an overwhelming amount of content at our fingertips, thought leadership that breaks through to earned media is increasingly difficult to get right. What you’ve heard about the dynamic shifts in the media landscape is true — with shrinking newsrooms, more pressure on journalists, and ever-evolving ways to tell stories with data, it’s harder than ever to secure earned coverage or drive meaningful engagement on social. So, to make your thought leadership “earned-worthy” it is critical that you invest time on the front end — if it’s an afterthought, you won’t succeed.  

Here are three tactics that we at MikeWorldWide use when working with thought leadership content to increase the likelihood of landing a feature story in a top-tier outlet, growing engagement on social platforms, and building meaningful relationships with key stakeholders.  

1. Engage reporters early. It might seem obvious, but bringing journalists you want to work with into the process is a tried-and-true way to build earned-worthy thought leadership. Ask reporters what they are interested in hearing about on a given topic, or if there is data they feel is missing from their current reporting before you put pen to paper. Reporters are pitched hundreds of stories a day, and they likely have a clear idea of what they are looking for when it comes to new thought leadership or data. Build those key themes or questions into your survey design — it is likely to pay off, and it shows reporters that you value their opinion.  
2. Remember the three Ps. When developing thought leadership, ask yourself if it delivers on at least one of three Ps — is it predictive, provocative, or prescriptive? While the perfect piece of thought leadership might be all three, thinking through who your core audience is will help you understand which P to prioritize. Thought leadership that delivers on one or more of these points is more likely to both interest reporters or key stakeholders and grab readers’ attention. 
3. Understand that timing is everything. For thought leadership to be earned-worthy, it must be timely and offer a point of view on a subject (preferably one that delivers on at least one of the three Ps) that is relevant to all key stakeholders. Timing also matters when you are preparing for launch. Make sure you have the right spokesperson — they should be sufficiently available to speak to the media and well-trained for the type of media you are pursuing, be it digital, print or broadcast — and think strategically about the right moment in time to launch your content. Fresh data should not be sat on for months — even if that means adapting your launch strategy to meet the moment and capitalize on trending news of the day.  

While these strategies aren’t new, they are fundamental to creating earned-worthy thought leadership. Keep them front and center in your planning process, rather than an afterthought, and your thought leadership is much more likely to get your message out to the public.  

Contact Us: