The Content Equation

There’s a lot of bad “thought leadership” out there.

I’ve written recently about types of marketing that drive me crazy and it begs the question, what’s the right way to do this?

I think there are a few effective and interesting ways to approach it, but for the analytically minded folks, here’s a potential equation for better agency thought leadership:

Let me explain the variables. 

Client Obstacle

Client obstacles are content gold. These are the challenges that your target audience faces - and the reason your firm exists. Understanding what is preventing your customer from reaching their goal is the most important piece of research that can inform your content development. 

Almost all content that doesn’t touch on an obstacle is irrelevant or not interesting to a potential buyer. If you can directly address the thing that’s keeping our audience up at night, they will immediately begin to look at your firm as an expert partner, not simply a vendor. You don’t even need to solve their problem in your content, simply acknowledging the issue and providing some analysis makes them feel seen and heard in a way they’re not used to. 

Firm Differentiation

What can your agency be the best in the world at? 

For the well-positioned firm, there’s a clear answer to this question. Apply this deep expertise to your client’s obstacles and the content ideas will start to flow. If you truly are differentiated, you and your team will be able to produce content that doesn’t currently exist and is tailor-made for the audience you’re going after. 

Keep in mind, there will always be more client obstacles than firm differentiators. That’s a good thing. Your depth in a particular area should result in more content, not less. You can apply that depth of expertise to hyper-specific and niche topics, almost guaranteeing that you will own the space and the thought leadership clout that comes with it. 

Platform

Content generation and content amplification are two separate things, but equally important. A firm’s ability to launch a successful content marketing strategy relies heavily on their ability to amplify what they create. 

The platform or medium that you choose to publish with should be informed by your internal content capabilities. If you have trouble writing but can easily talk through interesting concepts, consider a podcast. If you don’t have any internal video capabilities, don’t lean into video. Whatever platform you choose, it should be amplified on social media (LinkedIn) and shared to a segmented audience via email. If you’ve thoughtfully approached the dividend portion (the top part) of this equation, your audience will engage and be thankful - but they need to see it in order to become interested. 

The Result 

The thought leadership we put out into the world is always the result of some equation. 

Leave out firm differentiation and you’ll end up with a too-on-the-nose article that’s been written hundreds of times before. Avoid client obstacles and the video you worked so hard to produce will feel too academic or out of touch. Neglect the right platform and a thoughtful amplification approach and your content will be left sitting in your own echo chamber.

Do the work but skip one of these variables at your own peril.