Two months into the New Year and like many of you, I’m seeing various trend reports and insights flooding my inbox and Linkedin feed. One particular takeaway stood out: authentic communication coupled with thought leadership is key to converting customers. It’s not new or innovative - yet many startups and SMEs struggle with the art of engaging storytelling to cultivate a professional image.

Simply put, thought leadership is providing valuable insights gained from one's expertise in a particular field. Podcasts, for example, are a great tool that can transform a dry or heavy topic into a captivating, meaningful discussion.

According to the Edelman-LinkedIn 2024 B2B Thought Leadership Impact Report, thought leadership can educate and influence: 75% of decision-makers and C-suite executives say a piece of thought leadership has led them to research a product or service they were not previously considering. (Marketing Mag)

Linkedin on phone — Photo by Shantanu Kumar: https://www.pexels.com/photo/smartphone-with-linkedin-app-16564260/

A report from Later further identifies some interesting Linkedin trends that I’ll be taking note of on behalf of my clients.

Encourage employees to advocate your brand’s message across the platform
Don’t just tag colleagues into posts….encourage your team to engage and respond to comments on LinkedIn
Video posts are seeing 1.4x more engagement than other content on the platform

Do not rely on Chat GPT! Curating useful thought leadership copy takes planning, time and access to experts in your business. Whether it’s a long-form article, a white paper or pitched editorial content -thought leadership can help distinguish you from your competitors – building awareness and interest in your products and services.

So ask your team this: what thought-provoking content have you got bubbling away?