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7 Actionable Tips to Become a Business Thought Leader on Social Media

Social media is an excellent way for entrepreneurs to establish authority and niche influence. It allows you to showcase your expertise, engage with your audience, establish trust, and potentially attract business opportunities.

And how do you stand out from other thought leaders? By sharing candid opinions and unique perspectives. It lets you differentiate yourself from competitors and amplify your reach to a wider audience. 

But becoming a trusted voice requires more than just writing a few posts. You need to be consistent and authentic and have a well-thought-out strategy. In fact, 47.6% of thought leadership content gets you leads and sales, while 64.9% see an uptick in followers and engagement.

That’s why we’re sharing simple tips to help you become a thought leader on social media, build meaningful connections, and leave a lasting impression.

Seven ways to become a thought leader on social media

 

1. Share unique insights and advice based on your experiences

What differentiates thought leadership from regular content? Authenticity. 

That’s why there’s no better way to establish it than by sharing insights from your experiences. Whether you’ve scaled an ecommerce startup or pivoted during a tricky market downturn, share quick tips for your audience so they have actionable takeaways.

Instead of rehashing generic advice, dig into your personal successes and failures. For instance, if you’ve successfully increased customer retention for an online store, break down the strategies that worked for you.

Did implementing a loyalty program result in a 30% growth in repeat purchases? Share the story and the steps you took. Transparency about challenges and the solutions you discover will resonate deeply with your audience.

For example, Maya Kyler is publicly building GetWaitlist and often shares simple tips on X to grow her audience.

Myer Kyler on X

Source

Your audience craves actionable insights, so be specific and detailed in your advice. Share what you learned and how others can apply it. Don’t forget to keep your content crisp to cater to dwindling attention spans.

2. Engage in meaningful conversations within your niche or industry

Becoming a thought leader isn’t just about broadcasting your ideas. You will need to start a dialogue. Engaging in meaningful conversations within your niche shows you’re approachable and collaborative.

How to do this? Identify the online spaces where these conversations happen. LinkedIn groups, Twitter chats, or niche forums like subreddits can be excellent places to engage. 

For instance, if you’re in the SaaS space, join discussions about emerging trends and customer experiences or ask a question to get the conversation going like below-

LinkedIn Groups

Source

Here’s how to engage meaningfully:

  • Comment thoughtfully on trending posts or industry news and offer unique insights instead of generic praise
  • Ask open-ended questions to spark dialogue and show curiosity
  • Share quick advice or resources like a relevant article,talk about a tool that worked for you, or share a custom QR code linking to your freebies

A consistent presence can inculcate a feeling of community and build your reputation as an industry expert.

Plus, you boost startup visibility and position yourself as a go-to resource. Over time, these conversations evolve into connections and open doors to collaborations and new opportunities.

Holger Sindbaek, a solopreneur and the founder of the brain training platform Online Solitaire, says, “As a solopreneur building in the gaming industry, meaningful conversations within my niche became a cornerstone of growth.

I started by participating in LinkedIn groups and forums, where developers and designers discussed challenges such as optimizing user experiences and balancing monetization strategies.

One discussion on non-intrusive ads led to an exchange of ideas that directly improved my approach to ad placements on my platform. By sharing my insights and learning from others, I built connections that offered fresh perspectives and positioned me as a trusted voice in the space.

These conversations didn’t just drive collaborations—they helped refine my approach as a builder and opened doors to opportunities I wouldn’t have found otherwise.”

3. Create and share high-quality, original content consistently

A non-negotiable in establishing yourself as a thought leader? Sharing high-quality, original content. People follow you for insights they can’t find elsewhere, and consistently delivering valuable content helps here.

Focus on content formats that resonate with your audience, such as long-form LinkedIn posts, crisp tweets, Instagram reels, or YouTube podcasts. The key is to provide actionable advice, share unique perspectives, and back your claims with examples or data. 

For example, if you’ve figured out how to run a successful t-shirt business, create a detailed case study or video explaining your strategies, from design inspiration to digital marketing tactics. 

Here are a few tips to keep your content marketing strategy for social media engaging:

  • Solve specific problems your audience faces
  • Stay consistent to remain top-of-the-mind, but don’t post fluff simply to fill up your calendar
  • Add visuals for your content to pop and to make complex ideas digestible

Content marketing strategy

Source

4. Collaborate with other thought leaders to amplify your reach

Partnering with other thought leaders lets you tap into their expertise, networks, and audiences and create a mutually beneficial exchange.

So, look for influencers and experts in your niche or complementary industries. For example, Joe Pulizzi of Content Entrepreneur Expo got writer and actor B.J. Novak of The Office fame to give the closing keynote speech at his event.

Joe Pulizzi

He also co-hosts a podcast called This Old Marketing with Robert Rose that has garnered millions of downloads and a global audience.

This Old Marketing with Robert Rose

Try these collaboration strategies:

  • Look for individuals who align with your brand values and have an engaged audience
  • Co-create content by writing guest blogs, recording podcast episodes, or hosting joint webinars for lead generation
  • Share and comment on each other’s posts to foster mutual engagement
  • Participate in panels or events

The beauty of collaborations is that it lets you flaunt your expertise in new contexts while building relationships with established voices in your field. So, network with the right people and create content to draw a larger audience.

5. Stay updated on trends and offer your perspective on them

Thought leaders often consider emerging trends to help others understand the implications and opportunities. That’s why you must stay informed on the latest industry developments. It lets you share timely insights and positions you as a go-to resource for worthwhile commentary.

How can you do this? Follow reputable industry publications, attend webinars, and engage in forums to stay ahead of the curve. When a new trend emerges, don’t just report it. Instead, add your perspective. 

For example, the rise of multivendor marketplaces is currently transforming ecommerce. Share your take on what businesses could consider when adopting this model. Highlight opportunities like diversified revenue streams and challenges like vendor management so you don’t appear biased.

Try these best practices:

  • Break down complex topics
  • Predict future impacts (and back it up with your reasoning and data)
  • Share actionable steps

Look at this post from Jordan Schwarzenberger as an example- 

A post by Jordan Schwarzenberger

6. Use storytelling to connect with your audience authentically

Stories are powerful. They resonate on a human level and make your message memorable and relatable. 

As a thought leader, adding a coherent storyline to your content lets you connect with your audience on a deeper, emotional level while displaying your expertise in a way that feels original and accessible.

Did you overcome a major hurdle in your business journey? Did you launch a product that initially failed, but you turned it into a success by listening to customer feedback? The honesty and vulnerability in such narratives can inspire your audience while reinforcing your credibility.

When you use storytelling, focus on authenticity. Share your victories and lessons learned from failures. Stories of perseverance, innovation, or the impact of your work typically resonate deeply with people and leave a lasting impression on them.

Better yet? Quantify these experiences when possible. Here’s a great example courtesy of Nathan Berry

Share your victories and lessons

 

7. Build trust by being transparent and approachable in your interactions


Trust is the foundation of any thought leadership content. 

To establish and maintain it, focus on two key pillars: transparency and approachability. People who view you as a genuine creator are likelier to engage with you, trust your advice, and advocate for your ideas.

Being transparent requires showing the real, unpolished journey behind your success. Sharing the lessons you’ve learned, even from difficult moments, makes your voice more relatable and trustworthy. 

Launched a product that failed in the past? Misjudged market demand? Had excess inventory? Talk about how you caught the misstep and adapted your strategy to avoid it in the future. Give your audience the full picture to show you truly understand their struggles and build a deeper customer connection.

Approachability is equally important. 

  • Engage with other social media content. 
  • Respond to comments on your posts.
  • Be willing to answer questions, even if they challenge your perspectives.

Take a look at Joel Gascoigne’s recent post about reaching $19 million ARR twice. He wrote a long post about the journey while owning up to his shortcomings.

A CEO's post about his short comings

To add to it, he shares a chart to back it up.

Back up what you say on social media with graphs and charts

What’s more, he even thoughtfully replies to the comments he receives despite having an almost 20,000-following following.

Be open and responsive to questions you may receive from followers.

When you’re transparent, you humanize your brand. It facilitates deeper relationships and meaningful dialogue and solidifies your position as a thought leader.

Conclusion

Content marketing should be pivotal to your growth strategy to maximize your sales funnel, and the best way to do this is through founder-led content. 

When you share authentic stories, map out data-driven insights and what to do with them, and engage with others in the community, you develop lasting connections and open the door to new opportunities. The key here is consistency and a willingness to offer genuine value through unique content, trend analysis, or collaboration.

Ready to generate more leads and expand your network? Try Fundz today!

Topics: Digital marketing

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