Connecting with reporters and analysts or landing a speaking opportunity at a top-level industry event are great ways to position your company as a thought leader. But there’s another key pillar in any thought-leadership strategy that is often forgotten: blogging. Establishing a successful, corporate blog has myriad advantages; here are three to consider:
It’s a built-in thought leadership platform that you control.
A blog is a simple way to deliver your company’s message, unrestrained by the judgments of journalists or the preordained topics that are part and parcel of industry events. The blog is an owned platform designed for optimal message delivery, with neither pitching nor speaker submissions required. In fact, prospects and other influencers who read your quote in an article might head over to your website to learn more. That is where a corporate blog comes in handy.
It’s a great impetus for message crafting.
Creating a corporate blog with regularly scheduled updates impels your team to constantly conceptualize new and better ways of refining your message. A strong blog includes original, thoughtful posts about issues critical to your company, while also taking advantage of trending and breaking news. When news breaks in your industry, quickly crafting a responsive blog is not only a great messaging exercise, it’s a way to build content that you can leverage later.
The content can be repurposed for other opportunities.
Every time you publish a new post, you have content and insight that can be pitched to media or posted on social platforms. The hard part, crafting the messaging just right, is already done. Quality blog content can pique the interest of reporters and even inspire them to cover the issues critical to your company. And when it’s time to get in front of media, you are already well prepared thanks to the workshopping that took place when the blog was crafted.
While earned coverage, analyst meetings and speaking engagements are traditionally thought to be the pillars of a solid thought-leadership strategy, it is important not to overlook the corporate blog as a great way to shore up your game plan. If you want to become a thought leader, a corporate blog is a strategic move for your company.
Ready to improve your thought leadership plan? We’re happy to help!
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RH Strategic is a Seattle and D.C.-based communications firm providing strategic public relations for innovators in the technology, public sector and healthcare markets.
