Content in which a company or person shares original expertise and a clear point of view on their field, to earn trust rather than to sell directly. It works when it says something useful others are not saying.
Example
A Pune B2B software firm publishes a monthly article by its founder on what really slows hiring in Maharashtra's factories, based on its own customer data. Buyers start quoting it in sales calls.
How you'll hear it
“Ten tips anyone could write is not thought leadership; where is our point of view?”
Don't confuse it with
- Gated content: thought leadership is often given away openly to build trust; gating limits reach.
- Content marketing: thought leadership is one kind of content marketing.
Related terms
Sources
- 2024 Edelman-LinkedIn B2B Thought Leadership Impact Report, Edelman and LinkedIn, 2024