Becoming a thought leader takes more than expertise — it’s also about identifying opportunities to amplify your voice. Use this guide to learn simple strategies that can help you go from under-the-radar expert to recognized leader.

If you’ve ever wondered how some professionals seem to earn all the awards, speaking engagements, and industry accolades, you’re not alone. It can be frustrating when your own expertise feels ignored. Rest assured, you don’t need to make self promotion a second job to become a thought leader — but you do need to have a plan. Most professionals become thought leaders through a combination of public relations and content. Here’s what that looks like in practice:

Public Relations involves earning trust and credibility through third-party entities, such as the media and industry organizations. This strategy includes pitching story ideas to journalists, securing interviews on television and podcasts, applying for awards, and speaking at relevant conferences. The benefit of PR is a wide reach and the endorsement of industry peers. The challenge is that most people need to hire help to do it right.

Content Strategy engages your target audience directly with helpful articles, videos, white papers, podcasts, newsletters, and other materials that demonstrate industry expertise. One major benefit of content leadership is the opportunity to include a call-to-action and capture leads. Another is the ability to control your message. The downside is that creating and promoting content can be time-intensive, even with AI tools.

Here’s how you can put each of these strategies to work:

Public Relations for Beginners

Becoming a trusted media resource can be a powerful way to promote your expertise. Although developing journalist relationships can feel intimidating, remember that you have valuable insights to offer as an industry leader. Here are three ways to break through the noise and establish yourself as a trusted media resource:

Add expert insight to a trending story. Follow leading news stories, and look for angles that could be enhanced with your expert analysis. If you’re an international retailer, for example, journalists want to know how you’re reacting to tariffs. If you’re an insurance expert, your guidance following a major storm is valuable. To successfully connect with journalists, send an individual email (no mail merges), and start with bullet points of your credentials. Quickly get to the point, and indicate why your expertise is a particularly good fit for the publication. Verify that your insights are original and unpublished.

Crunch your own numbers. Conducting original research, such as a consumer survey, is another way to become a trusted resource for journalists. This survey conducted by Lending Tree, which found that 25% of US consumers are financing groceries on credit, is a great example. Retail journalists who report on consumer trends look for this kind of data, so it’s not surprising that multiple outlets picked up the story, including Fortune, NBC, and The New York Post. Identifying consumer behaviors within your own industry can help you generate similar media interest. However, it’s worth nothing that this strategy works best for company exposure, rather than personal exposure. You can improve your chances of a personal mention by including a pull quote with your name, title, and a headshot.

Be camera ready. If print died 20 years ago, stagnant media may be the next medium to go. By some estimates, video will account for about 90% of web traffic by the end of 2025. Even podcasts are increasingly visual, according to Business Insider. Thought leaders who feel comfortable on camera greatly broaden their opportunities for exposure.

Additional PR dos and dont’s:

Do:

Read a reporter’s previous work before pitching a new idea
Check that your story angle is new
Keep your pitch simple: bullet point your credentials and get right to the point
Include a secure link to photos, charts, and other supporting materials
Use AI for subject line suggestions and to polish your email draft
Proof read & fact check every detail
Follow journalists on social media, but respect boundaries (don’t try to follow private accounts)
Share articles you enjoy on LinkedIn and other platforms, tagging the author’s name and publication

Don’t:

Spam reporters with story ideas that fall outside their beat
Follow up without new information
Use large attachments to share supporting material (Use a secure link instead)
Overuse AI
Ask reporters to update their stories with complicated titles, boilerplate info, or hyperlinks
Make journalists dig for important details — put them front and center
Confuse PR with advertising. If you want guaranteed placement and message control, it’s time to place an ad

Need PR help? We’re here for you with flexible, affordable support. Get in touch at team@barkerswan.com.

Content Strategy Guide

The road to thought leadership for most professionals starts with content. Since quality content can be time-intensive, even in the age of AI, here’s how to make sure you see a return on your efforts:

Use a keyword planner. Keyword planners and social listening tools help you identify topics based on search volume, rather than intuition, so you can focus on topics you know will resonate with your audience.
Get picky about platforms. You don’t need to be everywhere — you just need to be where your clients are. Targeting Gen Z? Start with TikTok. Seeing most of your revenue from Baby Boomers? Focus on a newsletter, and be mindful that some clients may still use an older browser.
Always be testing. Use your platform analytics to evaluate views and click-through rates so you can iterate on your best-performing content.
Use AI wisely. Use AI tools like ChatGPT to develop content outlines, generate first drafts, and identify topics to check against keyword tools — but don’t use it to embellish your knowledge. Remember, you’re using content to demonstrate your own expertise. Anytime you use AI tools, be mindful of accuracy and thoroughly fact-check.
Delegate. Here’s a secret about successful thought leaders: they don’t do it alone! You don’t need to be an expert on social media, email marketing, or copywriting. With the right support, you can focus on what you do best while your online presence grows.

No time for content? We have a proven track record of creating content that elevates industry leaders and generates leads. Reach out at team@barkerswan.com.

What types of content can I create?

The best content for you will depend on your specific industry and audience. This cheat sheet details the advantages of different content types:

Blog Posts: Long-form blog posts can help you drive organic traffic to your website. Add a call-to-action and contact box to generate leads.

Newsletters: Use newsletters to keep your expertise top-of-mind with an engaged audience. You can include special offers, test new services, and repurpose your blog posts.

Short-Form Video: Ideal for TikTok, Instagram, and even LinkedIn, short-form videos allow you to offer bite-sized advice in a way that reveals your personality. Just make sure you’re offering genuine value.

Long-Form Video: Long-form videos allow you to address complex topics that can animate your written content. Keep in mind that YouTube is the second largest search engine after Google, so having a library of reference content can give you an advantage over competitors.

White Paper / eBook: Offering an eBook or PDF that addresses common questions in exchange for an email address can help you generate leads. This tried-and-true approach has been around for more than a decade for a reason: it works.

Podcast: An estimated 158 million Americans listen to podcasts (eMarketer), making this medium ripe for opportunity - for thought leaders who can commit the resources. Before investing in this strategy, consider whether you can stick to a consistent schedule for at least a year.

Guest Article: Submit your work to other respected websites. Most industries allow experts to submit thought leadership pieces for the benefit of readers. Be sure to read the editorial guidelines before submitting, and remain open to paid opportunities, which may also come with analytics.

How do I make sure people see my content?

There’s no greater frustration than creating a thoughtful piece of content that no one sees. Here’s how to guarantee an audience:

Boost your post on social. Most thought leaders need ads to boost their best content. We recommend using Google ads to promote content that answers a specific question, and targeted social ads to boost content that appeals to a specific interest.

Tap your network. Don’t be shy about asking colleagues, industry friends, and others in your network to share your work, particularly if your insights benefit their audience as well.

Connect with influencers. Collaborating with social influencers in your industry can help you generate an audience for your content and even build your own social following. Influencers typically require payment to post sponsored content (don’t take it personally), but keep in mind that follower count isn’t everything. Smaller influencers can produce big results.

Leverage sponsored content. Niche publications offer big opportunities to show off your expertise and introduce yourself to potential clients. Running a sponsored article in an industry newsletter, for example, ensures that your content lands directly in the inbox of your target audience, who may in turn sign up for your own newsletter.

Invest (wisely) in SEO. In the glory days of Google, optimizing content for its bots could mean a fast track to winning organic traffic. As AI results become the norm, traditional SEO has become less effective. Writing with user intent in mind, keeping a conversational tone, and structuring content to optimize for Featured Snippets can help give you a better chance of landing in AI-generated results.

Bonus: Awards Strategy

There’s nothing quite like adding “award-winning” to your bio to cement your status as an industry thought leader. Use these tips to give yourself the best chance of landing the recognition you deserve:

Be selective. Although awards offer great returns, applications can be extensive and time-consuming. Research your options well in advance and prioritize awards that best align with your existing projects and expertise.

Plan ahead. Many awards assess a particular project or strength. Reviewing applications well in advance can give you a chance to plan ahead and build a portfolio before applying.

Have a strong digital presence. Awards applications often ask for links to your social profiles. Regularly updating LinkedIn, X, BlueSky, or other industry platforms with insights can help position you as a leader.

Keep regulatory records clean and up-to-date. This is particularly important if you work in finance, law, healthcare, or other regulated industries.

Build a case with numbers. Quantifying your achievements with concrete data will give you an advantage over applicants with fuzzier credentials. Wherever you can, include specific figures that demonstrate your value, whether it’s dollars earned, units sold, or clients served.

Feel overwhelmed by awards research and applications? Get in touch at team@barkerswan.com.

We help with every step of the process.

A Simple Guide to Thought Leadership