When it comes to thought leadership, content marketers love to talk about authenticity. However, other aspects of a thought leadership content strategy might be more relevant. Every leader working on their thought leadership content has heard the A word: authenticity.
The Oxford Dictionary defines authenticity as “of undisputed origin and not a copy; genuine,” and to me, that is a given when it comes to a thought leadership strategy — but it shouldn’t be the only thing that you focus on.
In fact, I’d say there are more important aspects to focus on if you want your thought leadership strategy to work in the long run for your personal brand.
In this article, I’ll define what an authentic thought leadership strategy is, explain why it’s not the only thing you should focus on, and tell you which alternative approach will give you optimal long-term results. Let’s start with the basics.
Related: Authenticity Is the Latest Business Buzzword — But Don’t Fall Into Its Trap. You Need to Balance It With This.
What is authentic thought leadership?
An authentic thought leadership strategy involves sharing genuine insights about your expert topic or industry.
It focuses on showcasing personal values along with action steps, showing a legitimate alignment between thoughts and actions. And as a strategy, it prioritizes original and honest interactions and communication, encouraging trust and accountability not only with their audience but also with their teams and stakeholders.
Isn’t that what every leader aims to be? That’s why there’s more to thought leadership than just authenticity.
Why not focus only on authenticity?
While sharing original content is one of the fundamental pillars of thought leadership, it’s not the only important aspect of it.
And here’s why: Scientific studies show that the average person needs to hear the same message around two to seven times to take action. This concept became known as the marketing rule of seven. As the American writer Zig Ziglar put it: “Repetition is the mother of learning, the father of action, which makes it the architect of accomplishment.”
This means that if you don’t repeat your message enough times, all that authentic thought leadership is lost in content limbo. And worse: it means that your content is unlikely to have a meaningful impact on your audience or stakeholders. People need to engage with your thought leadership messages multiple times for them to “sink in.”
All the effort (and money) you put into authentic content, and a thought leadership strategy is wasted. Alone, authenticity is not enough to make a lasting impact. Without consistency, you might as well throw those carefully crafted pieces of content to the wind.
Related: 5 Key Elements to Master Thought Leadership and Establish Your Credibility
Consistency is the new authenticity — here’s why
Personally, I think consistency is the undervalued side of most thought leadership content strategies. But it shouldn’t be.
Merriam-Webster defines consistency as “steadfast adherence to the same principles, course, form, etc.” Consistent leaders adhere to the same principles every day. It helps to define who they are and how they serve their community.
As studies show, messages need repetition if they’re to be effective. Having a consistent message, then, leads to a true, meaningful impact. And just as it would in any relationship, consistency builds a trustworthy foundation.
But that doesn’t mean you must repeat your message word-by-word or post the same content every week. Consistency is about evolution, not mindless repetition.
Instead of copying and pasting previous work, bring authenticity into each message, providing new insights and building on your previous content. This will help to ensure that your audience grows into long-term followers and helps you achieve the ultimate goal of a thought leadership strategy: becoming a trustworthy industry resource.
That consistency can show up in a thought leadership strategy in several ways, too. It’s not only about having an increasingly insightful content strategy that builds on your authentic message every week. Consistency is also about showing up for your audience, team and stakeholders genuinely, actively joining conversations, answering questions in a timely manner and offering feedback when necessary.
When you break down your thought leadership strategy into bite-size pieces, working on them consistently, your message builds up over time, and your results last much longer than a single (and accidental) viral post.
Without consistency, your authenticity might lose its purpose, as you might jump around ideas and projects. This will also make it more difficult to determine what parts of your thought leadership strategy work and where the successes and failures are.
Related: What Your Brand Needs to Unlock The Power of Thought Leadership
Establishing a consistent thought leadership strategy
Thought leadership is a marathon, not a sprint: It takes time and consistent effort. While the occasional viral post is a great motivator, it won’t guarantee long-term success and a reputation as a thought leader.
Nurture your audience consistently, and they will regularly return for your advice. Remain true to your values and principles, and your followers will know exactly where you stand and what insights they will find.
Consistency used to be the forgotten sibling of authenticity — but not anymore!
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