#ContentWritingChat Recap: Community and Thought Leadership on Social Media with Gene Petrov
Are you hoping to one day become a thought leader in your own industry?
Well, you just might want to read this #ContentWritingChat recap first!
In this week’s chat, we talked all about the importance of community and establishing yourself as a thought leader. What do you need to know to truly stand out online?
We have the answers!
#ContentWritingChat Recap: Community and Thought Leadership on Social Media with Gene Petrov
Welcome to #ContentWritingChat! ?? We’re so excited to have you all with us today!
For this week’s chat, we’ll be talking all about community and thought leadership with @GenePetrovLMC.
Make sure you give Gene a warm welcome to kick off the chat! ?? pic.twitter.com/eCvI6NOSYF
— Express Writers (@ExpWriters) April 24, 2018
Our guest host this week was Gene Petrov. Gene is a regular here at #ContentWritingChat. He’s a leadership and management consultant and he had tons of great information to share with us. Let’s dive into the recap to see what he had to say about thought leadership!
Q1: What are your first thoughts when you see or hear the words “thought leader”?
To kick off the chat, we asked everyone to share what comes to mind when the term “thought leader” comes up. What do they think of? What does that mean to them? Here are a few responses we received:
A1a. Thought leadership does not exist in a vacuum. Rather, there is a critical connection between the thought leader and their community. #ContentWritingChat
— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Marketing Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) April 24, 2018
A1b. Many use the phrase, but few understand the full meaning of it. Let’s not confer the title on anyone. The thought leader should earn the title, and regard it as a privilege and a responsibility. #ContentWritingChat
— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Marketing Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) April 24, 2018
Gene knows there’s an important connection between a thought leader and their community. He also said the title needs to be earned.
A1: A thought leader is someone who has established a unique, industry impacting perspective that inspires people within it to adopt a new direction or see the future in a way no one else has before. #contentwritingchat
— Bill Skowronski (@BillSkowronski) April 24, 2018
For Bill, it’s all about having a unique, industry-impacting perspective.
A1: How are they shaping industry conversations? Do they have an influence with their client base/target audience? Those a couple of questions that come to mind. #contentwritingchat
— Javier Sanabria (@SanabriaJav) April 24, 2018
Thought leaders are truly shaping the conversations in their industry and influencing the community they’ve built.
A1: I think of someone who’s innovative in their thinking within their field/industry. Someone leading the way into new areas with new ideas.#ContentWritingChat https://t.co/yQkcuPZa7R
— ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) April 24, 2018
Sarah views thought leadership as being innovative in your thinking within your field.
A1. Somebody who is well respected within their industry, someone who offers their followers and audience lots of value. It’s the audience and community that decides whether their thoughts are of leadership status #ContentWritingChat
— Ben Hardicre (@BenHardicre) April 24, 2018
Thought leaders are typically well-respected and provide a lot of value to their community.
A1: Whenever I see this term, I automatically think that that person is essentially leading the charge on a specific topic. They’re well-versed and knowledgable and are sharing what they know with their community. #ContentWritingChat
— Maria Marchewka (@_MariaMarchewka) April 24, 2018
Maria feels a thought leader is leading the charge on a specific topic and is knowledgeable in that area.
A1 Someone who is an expert in a subject and brings new ideas to the table. They make you want to learn more because of the insight they can provide. #ContentWritingChat
— Carolina (@YoursTrulyCaro) April 24, 2018
It’s also about being an expert on a topic and brining new ideas to the table.
Q2: How do you define a thought leader?
How would our chat participants describe what a thought leader is? Here are a few of their answers. Are any what you had in mind?
A2a. First of all a thought leader is an expert in their field. They have spent years studying and teaching. They have shown mastery over a subject and can speak or talk about it with confidence. They don’t skim the surface but they dive deep into the subject. #ContentWritingChat
— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Marketing Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) April 24, 2018
A2b. They have built trust over time. When they speak or write, people pay attention. The audience is glad to share the message because they have confidence in its value. #ContentWritingChat
— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Marketing Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) April 24, 2018
A2c. The thought leader identifies trends when they are in their infancy. They use data and research to bring attention to a new way of thinking. #ContentWritingChat
— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Marketing Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) April 24, 2018
Gene knows it’s largely about the experience someone has, as well as the trust they’ve built with their community. Many thought leaders identify trends early on, which is something to always be on the lookout for.
A2: A thought leader is someone who’s “been there, done that” in their field; they can think outside the box and forge new paths. They do so with confidence in their ability.#ContentWritingChat https://t.co/P1OQbxqDDo
— ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) April 24, 2018
One key aspect that Sarah brought up was confidence. Thought leadership requires you to be confident in your skills and your thoughts.
A2) A thought leader is someone from whom I anticipate hearing: Articles, blogs, videos, podcasts, etc. I highly value their opinion as I believe they are an authority on their particular subject matter. #ContentWritingChat
— Kyle Murray (@TheKyleMurray) April 24, 2018
Since thought leaders have established themselves as an authority, their audience typically looks forward to the content they produce.
A2) A thought leader is curious, experimental, and willing to explore new territory. They’re more likely to write – rather than read – best practice articles #contentwritingchat pic.twitter.com/T2UQ2djEs1
— Gordon D (@gordondym) April 24, 2018
Curious, experimental, and willing to explore new territory are all great characteristics.
Q3: Who are some examples of thought leaders in your field?
These are great examples who you can certainly learn a lot from:
A3. @ThisIsSethsBlog@simonsinek@briansolis@markwschaefer#ContentWritingChat
— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Marketing Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) April 24, 2018
Simon Sinek and Mark Schaefer are just a couple thought leaders that Gene follows.
A3
I look up to…@JoePulizzi@HennekeD@jonmorrow@iSocialFanz @brianclark @randfish
…to name a few #thoughtleaders#ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy | Author, Educator, CEO (@JuliaEMcCoy) April 24, 2018
Julia looks up to a number of people, including Joe Pulizzi and Brian Fanzo.
A3: @michaelport @ducttape @ThisIsSethsBlog @GuyKawasaki
Al Ries and Jack Trout. (I’m sure I’m missing many, but those come to mind.) They’ve certainly been seen as thought leaders in the business and marketing industry.#contentwritingchat https://t.co/JnkFeCMnw3— Ray Sidney-Smith (@w3consulting) April 24, 2018
Ray enjoys content from Michael Port, Guy Kawasaki, and others.
A3. @MadalynSklar @iSocialFanz @garyvee @SteveBartlettSC @larrykim #ContentWritingChat
— Ben Hardicre (@BenHardicre) April 24, 2018
Some of Ben’s go-to thought leaders are Madalyn Sklar, Brian Fans, and Gary Vaynerchuk.
A3: Judging by people’s answers to the first two questions, I get the sense @garyvee qualifies as a thought leader. #contentwritingchat
— Zachary Fenell (@zacharyfenell) April 24, 2018
Zachary also suggested Gary Vaynerchuk as being a thought leader in his field.
Q4: What common connections might you see between these thought leaders?
Do the thought leaders in your industry share any similarities? There’s a good chance they have a few traits that are the same if you look close enough! Here are things many thought leaders have in common:
A4a. High intellect, emotional intelligence, hard work, perseverance/overcoming obstacles, dedication to their craft, put their time in, an element of inspiration and positivity, #ContentWritingChat
— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Marketing Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) April 24, 2018
A4b. Courageous and open sharing of ideas (even if every idea is not a winner), a sense of service, value relationships and community building, givers not takers, inquisitive, idealistic #ContentWritingChat
— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Marketing Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) April 24, 2018
Gene shared many similarities of those in a thought leadership position. They include high intellect, emotional intelligence, a sense of service, and dedication to their craft.
A4: Risk taking and courage! They are all willing to share their thoughts and willing to take them back and change them after additional research, etc. #ContentWritingChat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) April 24, 2018
Lexie knows that risk taking and courage are two important characteristics!
A4: Intelligence. Analytical minds. Not afraid to fail or be wrong (or at least put forth that vibe ;). They know it’s okay to stumble a bit — as long as you fix what didn’t work and keep trying.#ContentWritingChat https://t.co/u5FYP2BNXm
— ThinkSEM (@ThinkSEM) April 24, 2018
Sarah mentioned that they can’t be afraid to fail or to be wrong. If you mess up, you have to pick yourself back up, fix it, and move on.
A4: They all have three irrefutable features in common:
1. Keen understanding
2. Adept communications
3. And a passion for the subject that makes you seek professional help you gots to have it so bad. #ContentWritingChat #amirite pic.twitter.com/cAD8mDTG1H— Shawn Paul Wood (@ShawnPaulWood) April 24, 2018
For Shawn, it’s all about understanding, communication skills, and passion.
A4
Thought leaders are:
– Generous.
– Risk takers/up for every challenge.
– Trailblazers, often the first to do/try something.
– Courageous. #ContentWritingChat— Julia McCoy | Author, Educator, CEO (@JuliaEMcCoy) April 24, 2018
Julia shared a few great characteristics that are all important!
A4: Fresh ideas, interresting perspectives and sometimes, just saying what everyone else is thinking #ContentWritingChat
— Warwick Brown (@warwickabrown) April 24, 2018
Fresh ideas and interesting perspectives go a long way in helping you stand out from the crowd. Warwick also said that sometimes thought leaders are the ones to say what everyone else is thinking, but are too afraid to speak up on themselves.
A4: Thought leaders in all fields are excellent marketers. They know how to reach their target audience using different channels#ContentWritingChat
— Danielle Bullen Love (@daniellewriter) April 24, 2018
Excellent marketing skills certainly come in handy as a thought leader!
A4: The fact that they care. They care how their ideas and message make an impact. People respond to people who genuinely care. #ContentWritingChat
— Terry Schilling (@tschill86) April 24, 2018
Terry knows that caring is one important quality thought leaders should have.
Q5: Why is community so vital to the thought leader?
We all know that community is hugely important when building your presence online. But why is it so important for a thought leader to have an engaged community? This is what you need to know:
A5a. It is possible for a thought leader to emerge without a loyal & vociferous community. It’s not probable. There’s too much noise online, on social and in real life. You can’t yell loud enough, often enough, or in enough places. It’s bad math. #ContentWritingChat
— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Marketing Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) April 24, 2018
A5b. How valuable is an insight if there is no one to share it with? Will anyone ever read or hear it? (Tree falls in the woods theory). #ContentWritingChat
— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Marketing Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) April 24, 2018
As Gene said, how value is an insight if you don’t have anyone to share it with?
A5
Without a community, a thought leader is an empty voice inside a vaccum.
Community is EVERYTHING to being heard, seen, and spread. #ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy | Author, Educator, CEO (@JuliaEMcCoy) April 24, 2018
Community is everything if you want to be seen and heard online.
A5: You need to get the word out. If a tree falls in the forest and there’s no one there to hear it, does it make a sound? #ContentWritingChat pic.twitter.com/lvuiWW7PX7
— Warwick Brown (@warwickabrown) April 24, 2018
Warwick makes a great point. After all, your community will help you get the word out.
A5: Thoughts need sharing. And sharing happens when there’s a community that wants to learn from an insight.
Though leaders and communities motivate each other. There’s no one without the other.#ContentWritingChat
— Narmadhaa (@s_narmadhaa) April 24, 2018
Thoughts need to be shared and your community can help you with that.
A5 I believe community is the platform where thoughts amplify, get better and resonate with the audience.
Sequentially, the thought travels too.#ContentWritingChat
— Krishna Rg? (@krishnarg22) April 24, 2018
They can help amplify your thoughts and allow you to better resonate with your audience.
A5 If no one is listening, are you a thought leader or expert? #ContentWritingChat
— Jade Alberts Consulting (@Jade_A_Consult) April 24, 2018
Are you even a thought leader if no one is listening?
Q6: What are the benefits of having that community in place?
What good can a community do for you? These responses from Tuesday’s chat are spot on:
A6a. The community provides amplification and support for the thought leader. They can provide feedback to help confirm a concept. #ContentWritingChat
— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Marketing Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) April 24, 2018
A6b. The community may be able to help develop an idea or to offer alternatives. The thought leader may have never considered a certain angle or perspective. This may help the thought leader to not waste time developing an idea with obvious holes. #ContentWritingChat
— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Marketing Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) April 24, 2018
Gene feels a community provides amplification and support. You can also get feedback from your community, which can be very beneficial.
A6: Exposure. If you have a community that is singing your praises, it is much easier to grow and share what you know. #ContentWritingChat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) April 24, 2018
Your community is going to be essential in helping you gain exposure online.
A6
Organic community built through your content > ads
People invest, follow, share because of TRUST today. 615 million people block ads. That goes up 30% year-over-year.
A loyal community is worth a TON of value. ?#ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy | Author, Educator, CEO (@JuliaEMcCoy) April 24, 2018
Julia knows just how powerful an organic community can be.
A6: Community offers
• support group
• brainstorming sessions
• varied perspectives
• loyal following
• constructive criticism#ContentWritingChat— Narmadhaa (@s_narmadhaa) April 24, 2018
With community, you have support, can receive constructive criticism, and so much more.
A6: a community provides a place for people to learn from each other. People can get better at what they do (or want to do) by associating with others who are highly skilled. The highly skilled can benefit by bouncing their ideas around. #ContentWritingChat
— MichelleAnna (@MichelleAnna13) April 24, 2018
You can also learn a lot from the people in your own community, which can shape the content you create.
Q7: How do thought leaders cut through the noise to communicate their ideas?
It’s a busy, noisy world in the online space… So, how is a thought leader supposed to stand out from the crowd? This advice can help you communicate ideas with your audience:
A7a. Thought leaders tap into their community to help spread their message. The thought leader has spent the time building relationships and building a community. They play an active role in communicating with and serving value to their community. #ContentWritingChat
— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Marketing Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) April 24, 2018
A7b. Only then can the thought leader make a withdrawal from that emotional account. They have spent time making deposits. The community is looking for opportunities to help the thought leader. #ContentWritingChat
— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Marketing Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) April 24, 2018
Thought leaders will tap into their community to help spread their message. And as Gene said, they need to play an active role in engaging with that community and serving them by providing value.
A7a: People notice passion/purpose, persistence, and progress. And, that becomes its own gravitational force. It’s the stone tossed in the pond…the ripple effect. #contentwritingchat
— Ray Sidney-Smith (@w3consulting) April 24, 2018
Passion, persistence, and progress are sure-fire ways to help people recognize you.
A7: Sharing valuable information that resonates with your audience or followers! Once you share quality information, people are more likely to come back to you as a source in the future. #ContentWritingChat
— Netvantage Marketing (@netvantage) April 24, 2018
Make sure you’re sharing valuable information that resonates with your target audience.
A7: With help from the community, of course.
As long as they offer original ideas with a sincere intent to help and improve other people’s lives, people will spread the word for them. #ContentWritingChat
— Narmadhaa (@s_narmadhaa) April 24, 2018
When you have valuable content, your audience will help spread the word!
A7: Meet their audience on the audience’s terms, not theirs. Repurpose #content for different channels. I’ve learned from thought leaders via webinars, email newsletters, #Twitter chats & more.#ContentWritingChat
— Danielle Bullen Love (@daniellewriter) April 24, 2018
You can also get smart and repurpose your content to expand your reach even more.
Q8: How can one become a thought leader?
To become a thought leader, what action do you need to take? Is there anything that can actually be done to establish yourself? Here’s what you need to know:
A8a. First, most people who become thought leaders don’t pursue the title. They are pursuing something bigger (their why) such as creating real change in the world. It all starts with forming relationships and connecting people together around core ideals. #ContentWritingChat
— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Marketing Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) April 24, 2018
Remember that thought leaders aren’t out there pursuing the title. As Gene pointed out, they’re chasing something much bigger than that.
A8b. Pour into that community. Serve the people of that community. Share your best ideas without reservation. Help others who might be struggling. Be a teacher and mentor. #ContentWritingChat
— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Marketing Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) April 24, 2018
A8c. Build credibility & trust over a long period of time. Have patience in the process. Let people become aware of you & what you stand for. Don’t take shortcuts. Do the hard work. Spend time honing your craft. Opportunities will come. Be prepared. #ContentWritingChat
— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Marketing Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) April 24, 2018
A8d. Seize the opportunity. Polish your message (sanding the rough edges). Present it with confidence and clarity. Then ask for support from your community. If you have done it right, the community will rally around you. #ContentWritingChat
— Gene Petrov // Leadership & Marketing Consulting (@GenePetrovLMC) April 24, 2018
To establish yourself as a thought leader, you really need to focus on serving your community. Provide value and engage with them. You’ll also need to make building a level of trust one of your top priorities. Then, continue working on how you present your message to your audience. It’s going to take time and practice. It won’t happen overnight.
A8 IMO it happens b/c you are posting information that is valuable to the people that are reading it. Nobody is a perfect expert and you always need to be learning. #contentwritingchat
— Jade Alberts Consulting (@Jade_A_Consult) April 24, 2018
Jade says it’s all about posting valuable information and constantly learning.
A8 ? How to become a thought leader?
Spend 5+ years in your industry becoming an expert first. Be unafraid to take risks. Try new things. Be in it for the long haul.
Thought leadership is a nice idea, but in reality very TOUGH. Be ready for the challenge!#ContentWritingChat
— Julia McCoy | Author, Educator, CEO (@JuliaEMcCoy) April 24, 2018
Gain experience, take risks, try new things, and be in it for the long haul.
Q8. Express your thoughts and opinions in your field, back it up with action and results, be consistent, interact and you’ll build a community…if you know your stuff then it will come eventually #ContentWritingChat
— Ben Hardicre (@BenHardicre) April 24, 2018
Don’t be afraid to express your thoughts and opinions. Then, back that up with action and results. It’ll come to you in time, as Ben said.
Ready to join us for the next #ContentWritingChat? We’re on Twitter every Tuesday at 10 AM Central. Come join us by following @ExpWriters and @writingchat!
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