If you’re looking to make a difference at your association, thought leadership is crucial. A 2024 study conducted by Edelman and LinkedIn reported that 52% of decision-makers surveyed spend an average of one hour or more per week reading thought-leadership content. Well-researched and thoughtfully written content has the power to build association credibility, organization brand awareness, and even attract new members.
As an association leader, you already have a platform for industry transformation. But how can you take the next step to build yourself into a respected thought leader? Follow our guide to develop high-quality thought leadership content for your association, reaching both members and non-members within your industry.
The Benefits of Developing Thought Leadership Content
When you take steps to position yourself as an industry thought leader, you benefit your association in the following ways:
1. Build association credibility.
According to the Edelman and LinkedIn study, 73% of decision-makers surveyed stated that an organization’s thought-leadership content serves as a more trustworthy basis for assessing its capabilities and competencies than its marketing materials and product sheets.
When you develop quality content, you become a spokesperson for your association members, engaging them through relevant research, opinion articles, case studies, and industry analysis. As a result of your thought leadership efforts, you’ll see an increase in member engagement and retention. When members trust your industry knowledge, they’ll choose to stay connected in association conferences, networking events, and training opportunities.
2. Increase organizational awareness.
When you take the time to develop thought leadership content within your industry, your association will have the power to attract new members. According to the Momentive Software Association’s Trends Study, “information about the latest news, regulations, trends, and other issues affecting their industry” is in the top five considerations for members considering renewal.
When you invest in well-researched thought leadership content, your association will see a definite payoff. Thought leadership material allows you to begin a conversation with your unique industry insights. Your audience will digest the content and want more, inspiring them to connect with your association by attending conferences, professional development courses, and eventually electing to become a member.
3. Empower staff to be thought leaders.
Being an association thought leader can open the door for the entire staff to become thought leaders as well. Your staff interacts daily with members, often gaining precious insight into their experiences. Have ongoing conversations with staff about the member experience and how to effectively represent their voice in thought leadership content, ensuring materials are insightful, engaging, and authentic. Watch as this open conversation with staff transforms the culture at your organization.
As you seek to empower your staff as thought leaders, consider highlighting various staff perspectives on your social media or website to make your association feel more relatable and human. Hearing from a diverse group of voices can strengthen your brand’s credibility, making it attractive to both members and non-members alike.
How to implement thought leadership content at your association
As you strive to be a thought leader in your industry, it’s vital to develop quality content for your association. Do so by following these steps:
1. Develop insightful thought leadership content.
To generate well-researched and thoughtfully written content for your association, take the time to conduct your own research to give your thought leadership content unique insights. Consider surveying your members, non-members, or a sample of leaders in your industry to gain valuable qualitative and quantitative data.
After you receive your research results and begin to unpack the data, you’ll notice various narratives and will easily be able to present the data in different content pieces. To set your thought leadership content apart from that of other associations, use your research to back up your insights. Ensure you develop a variety of pieces for your association, like whitepapers, blogs, videos, podcasts, or webinars. Also, consider contributing to guest blogs in your industry.
As your association conducts various research studies, consider hosting an unveiling event to present the most important results. Doing so will create buzz about your organization and allow you to inform both members and non-members about the data.
2. Speak at events and conferences.
To further your reach as a thought leader, you’ll want to present key industry insights at meetings. Whether the conference is virtual or in-person, sharing quality thought leadership content will advance your association within the industry, solidifying organizational awareness and increasing association credibility.
3. Get active on social media.
To become a thought leader on social media, you’ll want to consider your voice on each platform. Next, you’ll need to commit to building your network and regularly engage with your followers. Join conversations with professionals in your industry and share your insights.
Additionally, if you come across eye-opening material posted by a colleague, ensure you amplify their voice by sharing the content across your social networks. Use your platform to share your expertise and thought leadership content, and soon, followers will look to you as an industry authority.
Expand your reach by being a thought leader in your association’s virtual community. Use Nimble Communities to connect with your members, share quality content, and begin the conversation.
