The document discusses new approaches to thought leadership in a digital world. Traditional thought leadership methods like long-form white papers are no longer effective due to time constraints. The document recommends content syndication across various platforms, supporting conferences through social media, building or renting online communities, and sponsoring independent blogs written by experts and customers. It emphasizes thinking like a publisher by creating engaging content and distributing it widely to expand reach. Social media is key for trend spotting, conducting studies, and keeping thought leaders informed of new developments.

1. Thought Leadership
in a
DIGITAL
W o r l d.

2. DIGITAL
Current thought leadership environment
Shrinking news holes:
• Dictate more direct strategies
• Means fewer outlets for
SMEs
White papers too dense for time starved
world
Young decision makers = new channels
Changing conference formats with
dwindling attention

3. DIGITAL
Traditional thought leadership won’t cut it

4. DIGITAL
Thought leadership approach
Content Syndication and
Aggregation
Conference Support
• Email w/link to highlight video
• Conference Twitter
- Speakers
- Intra-conference
• “Un-session/un-conference”
• Text reminders of sessions
• V-cast follow-up
Business Community
Build or Rent?
Branded:
• Facilitate peer conversation
• Capture voice of customer
Rent:
• Build long-tail
- LinkedIn (Dell)
- Facebook groups
•
•
•
•
•
Branded RSS feed
Blogs
Communities
Industry-specific portals
Premium subscription service
(Example: WestLaw)
SMEs
Editorially Independent Blog
• Sponsor or host independent blog of
expert contributors (Customers,
KOLs)
• Example: AppGap: Future of work,
sponsor: Intuit

5. DIGITAL
Lead Generation: Put down virtual roots
Lead generation is a social interaction
• Join groups on big social sites
• Explore niche social destinations
• Stimulate community formation with trade
groups
Talk to personas… not to prospects
Build significant networks
• Post provocative Qs
• Offer smart insights
• Build relationships through
conversation

6. DIGITAL
Lead generation: Put down virtual roots
Content
Social Network
Community
Social
Bookmarking

7. DIGITAL
Think like a publisher
Content that people want to consume
and share:
• Smart AND approachable: no need to be
dry
• Build content around your personas
• You are what you publish: what do you
want your buyer personas to think about
you?

8. DIGITAL
Think like a publisher
ILoveAGoodAudit.com
CPA Sings Happy Birthday to
Sarbanes Oxley

9. DIGITAL
Think like a publisher
Content Syndication and Distribution
Content Syndication and Distribution
Systems:
• Contextual advertising system that
matches ads to high-quality content
• On-demand content marketplace for
online publishers
Syndicators:
• Clear, high-quality content from media sites,
newspapers, news organizations and
prestigious websites
• Distribute to independent website owners and
online publishers
• Allow advertisers to self-select relevant
matching content to place their ads

10. DIGITAL
Think like a publisher:
Content Syndication and Distribution (continued)
Benefits of Content Syndication:
•
Content owners can expand their
exposure, reach and profitability
•
Online publishers can add high-quality
content to their sites, increasing their
value to their readers while profiting from
commissions on all the ads matched to
such content
•
Advertisers can enjoy highly targeted
placement of their ads and a powerful
distribution mechanism in which
independent publishers become active
marketing agents to very relevant and
targeted audiences

11. DIGITAL
Think like a publisher:
Content Aggregation
Tags and links spread the word: link
juice anyone?
Branded RSS Feeds
Branded Thought leader portals
Value-added repackaging of content:
potential to monetize

12. DIGITAL
Think Like a Publisher:
Webinars/Webcasts/Podcasts
Deliver deep messaging directly to targets
Great lead generation tool
Help in category creation
Variety of ways to merchandise

13. DIGITAL
Think like a publisher:
Independent Blogs
Sponsor or host
independent blog of expert
contributors (Customers,
KOLs)
Example AppGap: Future
of work, sponsored by Intuit

14. DIGITAL
Think like a publisher: eBooks are the new white paper
Highly engaging and colorful
Tell the story from the
personas perspective
Easy to consume; easy to
share

15. DIGITAL
Virtual experts
Conferences are shrinking: fewer
venues, fewer speaking slots, lower ROI
Dynamic conference formats: the age
of the “un-conference” and the “unsession”
Thought Leaders must understand
how to use social media before, during and
after conferences
Merchandise speaker slots to:
• Build awareness
• Maximize attendance

16. DIGITAL
Bring people together
Before , during and after the conference
Email with link to highlight video
Promote via conference page on
Facebook groups
• Announce conference on Twitter first
Conference Twitter
• Speakers
• Intra-conference
“Un-session/un-conference”
Text reminders of sessions
V-cast follow-up

17. DIGITAL
Communities: Feedback in action
Communities bring real time insights
into customers, trends, issues
Package community insights in new
ways (YouTube video, blog posts, etc.)
Use communities to recruit for surveys
and industry studies

18. DIGITAL
Community: Build, rent or buy
Branded:
• Facilitate peer conversation
• Capture voice of customer
Rent:
• Build long-tail
- LinkedIn
- Facebook groups
Buy:
• Acquire existing community and build
brand presence

19. DIGITAL
Keeping thought leaders ahead of the game
Research channels today are different:
Trend spotting: blogs and tweets
• Analysts, reporters,
organizations, government
bodies and academics
• Follow specific elite groups of
influencers and provide insights
• Use tweet streams to make
contact
Studies and surveys
• Use private messaging on social
networking and community sites

20. DIGITAL
Types of thought leadership social approaches
Awareness Preference
Insight &
Innovation
Relationship
Building
Leadership
Topic or
Positioning
Category
Creation
Lead
Generation
Referrals
& Pass
Along
Sales
Velocity
Sales
Volume
Community
Marketing
M
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
Viral
Foot Print
H
H
L
M
H
H
M
H
M
M
Branded
Portals & Feeds
H
H
L
L
M
M
M
M
L
L
Social
Networking
M
H
L
H
L
M
H
H
M
M
Webinars
Podcasts
M
H
L
H
H
M
H
M
H
H
Content
Distribution
Strategy
H
H
L
M
H
H
H
M
H
M
Influencer
Marketing
M
M
M
H
H
H
M
M
M
M
Conversation
Insights
L
L
H
M
H
M
L
L
L
L

21. DIGITAL
Questions?
For further information, contact:
Kathy Baughman
ComBlu
312-649-1687
kbaughman@comblu.com
J:PresentationsTL in a digital World