Thought leadership doesn’t need a big budget; it needs consistency
The most influential thought-leadership campaigns aren’t built overnight.
New research from FT Longitude has shown that good thought-leadership needs to be consistent and long-term.
And while that might not sound surprising, their definition of longevity stretches far beyond a typical annual campaign. The average age of the most influential thought-leadership programme is 15 years.
The FT team analysed almost 300 thought-leadership campaigns and found that longevity leads to brand authority which, in turn, leads to greater success over time.
Joe Newman, senior campaign strategist for FT Longitude, said: “When brands stop treating thought leadership as one-off outputs and start designing them as long-term assets, they become increasingly hard to ignore. This shift in mindset creates something repeatable and recognisable.”
Take the Edelman Trust Barometer as an example. It has become “something clients, journalists, analysts and internal stakeholders anticipate, reference and use,” Joe says. “Repetition and familiarity are a big part of what creates impact.”
Whilst the methodology and theme should remain the same, the best campaigns evolve over time turning one-off pieces of research into what Joe describes as “full ecosystems”.
Beyond big-budget campaigns
he data is clear, and the results make sense. But what if you don’t have the resource and budget for a year-on-year industry-leading report?
When you think thought-leadership, you may think of the glossy reports backed by big budgets. But companies of any size can build their authority.
At its core, thought leadership is about demonstrating expertise consistently over time, helping you to become associated with a specific topic.
You should start by being clear on what you want to be known for. There might be multiple areas you’d like to focus on, perhaps different sectors you operate in, but take each in turn for the focus of your work.
Next you need to look to the best channels to share your expertise, which should be informed by the audience you want to engage. Contributing expert commentary to industry features, appearing on podcasts, publishing LinkedIn content, joining roundtables and webinars, and responding to relevant news stories can all play a role.
The key is consistency. While your content should centre on a key theme, it also needs to add a new perspective, example or lesson learned each time.
Over time, this creates recognition. People will begin to associate you and your business with the topic and trust your expertise. That recognition becomes a valuable business development asset.
Regularly sharing practical knowledge through the right channels can be just as effective. What matters most is showing up consistently and contributing meaningful insights to the conversations that matter to your audience.
Turning expertise into visibility
Our client, Nine Feet Tall, does this particularly well. The team came to us with a report they had produced to help charities with technology selection. The firm has extensive experience in the area and are well placed to offer valuable insights.
We shared the report with media titles, securing coverage in consulting sector titles and regional business media. But the work didn’t stop there. We also used the report as the basis for a podcast pitch to Third Sector, securing managing partner Tiggy McCool a guest appearance on one of the UK’s leading podcasts for the voluntary and non-profit sector. From this, a series of social media posts were created to continue the momentum.
The work has contributed to Nine Feet Tall’s brand presence within the third sector space and positive sentiment.
We also work closely with the team to identify opportunities to showcase their expertise in AI and technology, programme assurance, and workplace culture. By consistently contributing to these themes across multiple channels, Nine Feet Tall continues to strengthen its brand presence and credibility among key audiences.
Turning expertise into visibility
Thought leadership is often associated with large-scale research programmes and substantial budgets. Yet the principle behind the most successful campaigns is simple: choose the topics you want to be known for and contribute valuable insights consistently over time.
Whether through reports, media commentary, podcasts or LinkedIn content, authority is built through repetition, relevance and persistence.
Header photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash.
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