Thought leadership takes center stage

Executives believe the quality of thought leadership has improved – and are consuming more than they did last year

Thought leadership is better – and more influential – than ever

Over the past 12 months, the perceived relevance and utility of thought leadership have improved, according to 86% of leaders.

The majority of executives attribute this to improved credibility (55% put this in their top three reasons), actionable advice (53%), and original, new thinking (41%). No wonder 68% of leaders say they consume more than they did previously.

Additionally, its influence in the buying process has strengthened; 99% of the senior executives surveyed now view thought leadership as critical or important when evaluating potential advisors, a notable increase from 87% in 2023. “Your thought leadership should carry your unique voice, and that’s important to attracting customers. They want to work with companies they admire and trust,” says Karen Quinn, Senior Director, Corporate Communications and Analyst Relations at Finastra.

Q. You said that the relevance and usefulness of thought leadership has improved over the last 12 months, why is this? (Select 3)

Q. How important is thought leadership when assessing the suitability of a new provider of major consulting and technology solutions? (Select 1)

Thought leadership can mitigate risks and drive strategic decisions

In today's complex and high-stakes business environment, 68% of B2B executives report that the risks of poor decision-making have increased, our Client Buying Index study revealed.

It's no wonder 75% of senior executives say they need thought leadership to provide actionable solutions to their complex challenges, and 49% say they turn to thought leadership primarily to reduce the risk of making a poor decision (i.e. by giving them an evidence-based point of view).

Many executives (44%) use thought leadership to better understand their clients’ needs and challenges, and for help in making strategic decisions (42%). “This shows how important personalization has become,” says Laura Klysz, Global Head of Marketing & Communications at Simmons & Simmons. “Customizing data by sector, by job role, can help executives benchmark against their peers, for example.”

Today, effective thought leadership is more than just educational – it's essential for success.

Q. What purpose does thought leadership primarily serve? (Select 3)

Execs shift their focus from trends to actionable advice

Executives have consistently relied on thought leadership to address the critical “so-what?” questions. Since the inception of our survey in 2016, actionability – providing recommendations for informed decision-making – and originality – offering new perspectives on key issues – have remained among the top five most valued attributes.

However, a significant shift has occurred; the appeal of forward-thinking content has notably diminished. In our 2023 survey, “forward-thinking” ranked as the second most valuable trait, but it has since fallen to sixth place in our latest findings.

Q. Which qualities do you find most valuable in thought leadership? (Select 5)

Thought leadership has a short shelf-life

This trend away from future-oriented, trend-forecasting content is also evident elsewhere in our data. Currently, only 26% of executives seek thought leadership to stay abreast of emerging trends, while a significant 63% are searching for advice applicable within the next three to twelve months.

Just 10% are looking for guidance over a medium- to long-term span (two to five years). These statistics underline a profound transformation in enterprise buying and decision-making, emphasizing a greater focus on immediate, actionable insights over long-term “blue sky thinking.”

Q. When consuming thought leadership, which time period are you most looking for help with? (Select 1)

Execs desire original points of view – but are often left wanting

Executives notably value originality – exploring issues from fresh perspectives – in thought leadership, and 74% say they want thought leadership to be more provocative and challenging.

Despite this appetite for innovative content, there is a notable lack of differentiation in the market. Three in five executives believe they have encountered almost identical content from different providers, with 57% unable to distinguish between the thought leadership offerings of competing firms.

Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements regarding the thought leadership you receive and consume from providers? (Agree or strongly agree)

Laura Klysz from Simmons & Simmons suggests the proliferation of generative AI is partly to blame. Indeed, our 2024 Thought Leadership Benchmark Report revealed 72% of senior marketers fear that generative AI will make all thought leadership the same.

Aggie Anthimidou, Senior Marketing Lead, Global Industry Marketing, LinkedIn, suggests that a product-focused thought leadership strategy can result in homogenized content that adds to the noise. “To stand out, marketers must spark meaningful conversations with fresh, forward-thinking insights and industry trends that build trust and establish authority, instead of simply pitching their products,” she says.

72%

of senior marketers say generative AI will make all thought leadership the same

Executives are not
brand loyalists

David Gentle, Global Head of Corporate Content at Fujitsu, advises: “Getting a clear consensus on the purpose of your thought leadership should come before you think about how you will stand out.” Many marketers are pressured to produce thought leadership that garners maximum social media engagement (likes and shares). But this could lead to thought leadership content that is too trend-based and not laser-focused. The consequences of not meeting your customers' needs are clear: 71% of executives would look at your competitors' thought leadership if yours is not relevant.

But while executives may struggle to tell the difference between provider content, 86% still believe the overall quality of thought leadership has improved. Providers, then, are on the right track.

Q. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statement regarding the thought leadership you receive and consume from providers? (Agree or strongly agree)

Executives gravitate toward interactivity

Meeting executives’ hunger for originality and provocative stances is a significant challenge. Karen Quinn at Finastra explains: “Finding a new way to overhaul or radicalize your content every time you publish something is tough. It's better to create strong foundational content that you can build upon and not have to regenerate time after time.”

Laura Klysz at Simmons & Simmons emphasizes “the power of creativity in making thought leadership stand out.” Supporting this, 73% of respondents in our survey agree that they’re more likely to pick out attractive and well-designed content.

Interactivity plays a huge role in making content attractive to readers. Three-quarters of executives say that comment boxes, polls, and animations increase their likelihood of engaging, as does the ability to tailor the data/content by sector/role/region.

Q. What do you find most valuable in how thought leadership is presented/delivered? (Select 3)

Execs' preferences reflect a changing of the guard

Cindy Anderson, Global Executive for Thought Leadership Engagement & Eminence at IBM, notes that the shift towards more dynamic and visually appealing content might be influenced by the increasing prevalence of digital natives in leadership roles, suggesting a generational transition in content consumption preferences. “Baby boomers are retiring, and millennials are taking their place. They naturally expect to engage with content in different ways.”

Executives also increasingly seek flexibility in thought leadership content, desiring a mix of formats including long- and short-form, videos, and text – all available across multiple platforms.

Millennials expect to engage with content in different ways.”

Cindy Anderson, Global Executive for Thought Leadership Engagement & Eminence, IBM

Book a session with our subject matter experts so you can tailor our survey findings by sector, job title, region, and more.

Marketers must encourage creative collaboration

Despite its recognized value, “good design” is frequently overlooked. A senior marketer we interviewed described his creative process as a “car production line,” where teams operate in isolation, merely passing work along without genuine collaboration. “Design sits separately and thinks on its own. We’re rarely asked to give input on anything other than an image or two. There’s not enough cross-pollination between our teams,” he lamented.

Anna Bernasek, Head of Insights at State Street, champions a more integrated approach to thought leadership creation. “The distinguishing feature of the best thought leadership teams is that design collaborates closely with editorial to understand the narrative, the role of visuals, and to design each chart to tell a story.” This collaborative approach ensures that each element of content is purposeful and enhances the overall message.