What are the best practices for creating thought leadership content that is accessible to all audiences?

You have to decide who is the “target” not just the audience. Just because someone can see it doesn’t mean it was written for them. Lowest common denominator rarely makes an impact. If you assume some basic knowledge, you have a better chance of offering an interesting POV not just “educate”

This is fundamental! How to go about it? A few thoughts: –Ask your sales people –Check your social media comments –Read customer feedback

Clarifying our audience is key. We cannot become everything to everyone. Only relevant people will listen to our message. At least that is for a start. Unless we are there, like Elon Musk. Still, not everybody wants to listen to Elon Musk. Then we go to where most of our audience is. In my case, I know LinkedIn is the platform for meeting with professionals, since I talk about leadership, in Malaysia. If I were to talk about entrepreneurship, Facebook would be a better platform.

Effectively conveying information involves ensuring clarity and relatability. Crafting a purposeful message with a clear outcome helps in maintaining focus for everyone involved. Visual aids such as diagrams, flows, and images often enhance better acceptance than textual information. Additionally, maintaining regular communication is crucial for the ongoing evolution of strategies, encouraging a consistent and connected understanding among stakeholders

Knowing your audience forms the bedrock of impactful thought leadership. It's like mastering the art of speaking their language, tailored to their preferences. Understanding demographics, interests, and pain points becomes your roadmap for content creation. By dodging jargon and opting for clarity, you ensure inclusivity, welcoming all on board. Diverse formats meet varied preferences, engaging a wider spectrum. Weaving relatable anecdotes into the narrative helps bridge the gap between intricate concepts and real-life scenarios. Embracing feedback completes the loop, shaping content that not only resonates but evolves with audience needs. This dynamic interplay between audience insights and content curation is core to thought leadership.

One thing that I realized to become a thought leader, having the ability to write is a prerequisite. It benefits us to gain clarity of thoughts. But not everyone loves to read. So we have to be creative in creating different kinds of formats, based on what our audience wants to consume. I have created blog posts, social media posts, and videos but so far I haven't created podcasts and shorts. These are all channels to positions. And I believe the best way to position ourselves as a thought leader is by publishing a book.

Definitely mix up the lengths of your content. It keeps readers engaged and always on the lookout for something new. Experiment with using different platforms as well (not just social media but also services like Medium).

I actually think it's fine to use some jargon or technical language if you're trying to reach an audience that would respond well to such language. In some cases, they may even expect you to use industry-specific terms.

Clear and simple language free of industry jargon and acronyms is the key to accessible thought leadership content. Many think it makes you sound smarter to use those specialized words. But the truth is, it’s not about you. Thought leadership content should help the reader gain something useful, such as a new perspective or a new idea or approach. If you want readers to find value in your content, make it as easy as possible for ALL readers to consume and digest without having to think too hard. Otherwise, they’ll simply stop reading and move on.

One of the differences between a thought leader and a professor is the language that we use. An academician can explain complex things and only a few will understand. But a thought leader makes it so simple that most people can understand. If you are a scientist and speak the scientific language, only other scientists will understand. But if you are a scientist and you speak to truck drivers using simple words, both scientists and truck drivers can understand. Making things simple is not easy, but it is something that we need to do as thought leaders. The more people can understand what we are saying, the more people can benefit from our thoughts and perspectives.

The best thought leaders inspire new ideas. There is always a takeaway that is validated that leads to innovation and sparks action. And most importantly, comes from a credible voice with authority and authenticity. Thought leadership content is so much more effective when it comes from a person's voice who has the credibility to back up the ideas and hypotheses!

Thought Leadership content is exactly that , Thought Leadership. The intention is to convey your thinking around your topic, not trying to sell or self promote but more to set your ideas and thinking. Your thoughts need to be insightful and thought provoking, making your audience reflect on the points raised or dicsussed

Yes, it should not be too salesy. But don't forget to mention your product or service! Even if it's in passing, you have to remind people 1) that you're an authority on this subject and 2) you can help solve their problems in this area.

Value is driven by the ability to concisely and accurately communicate complex topics into digestible content that can be immediately put into practice, start a conversation, or spark any other intended action.

Without the audience, we won't have followers. People will only carry us up as thought leaders when they like our thoughts and ideas. One of the prerequisites is we need to always engage with our audience so that they will want to listen more to our ideas. And most of the time, asking questions can create a better engagement, and not only that, it provides a new perspective of a person looking at certain things. That will broaden our perspective and make us even better thought leaders.

Surprisingly, the best practice for creating universally accessible thought leadership content is to embrace complexity. While conventional wisdom often leans towards simplifying messages for broader appeal, introducing nuanced and detailed insights can capture diverse audience segments. Strive for a delicate balance between depth and accessibility, challenging your audience to engage with richer content while providing supplementary materials for those seeking a more straightforward understanding. This approach sparks curiosity and caters to a broad spectrum of audiences, fostering a deeper connection with your brand.

A key best practice in creating thought leadership content is to embrace inclusivity and incorporate diverse perspectives. This involves understanding and addressing the needs and viewpoints of a wide range of audience demographics. Ensure your content reflects and respects cultural, gender, age, and professional diversity. This approach not only broadens your audience reach but also enriches your content with varied insights and experiences. By actively seeking and including diverse voices and topics, you demonstrate a commitment to a holistic understanding of your field, fostering a more inclusive and engaging thought leadership presence.

In my experience, it’s also about adding proof points - the synthesis of one’s research both primary (first hand conversations and discovery) and secondary (what else is already on the public domain that is relevant to the topic.) A thought leader takes all of this into account provides a perspective within that context that makes us think in new and hopefully smarter ways. If it’s simply one’s thoughts but doesn’t take into what else is being said, I see that as an (uninformed) opinion, not thought leadership.