The proof that thought leadership is essential reading for decision makers
Still finding it hard to prove thought leadership is worth the investment? IBM’s Institute for Business Value research, discussed here in a Content Marketing Institute workshop, puts a concrete and compelling figure on the value of thought leadership that’s hard to ignore!
Based on input from more than 4,000 C-suite executives across 26 countries and 16 industries, IBM found that executives spend around five hours a week consuming thought leadership. But that’s not all – a staggering 87% have made a purchase decision in the previous 90 days as a direct result of the thought leadership they’ve read. IBM estimates this roughly translates to $265 billion in annual global spending influenced by thought leadership!
Far from being peripheral to the buying process, thought leadership is undeniably essential reading for decision-maker
Not all thought leadership is created equal – the high 5 that moves the C-suite needle
Critically, the IBM research identifies thought leadership capable of moving the C-suite needle has five key characteristics: quality, uniqueness, reach, independence, and trust.
So, how do you get it right in PR content? Read on for our top four tips on how to create thought leadership with lasting impact:
Most companies still approach thought leadership like a promotional tactic. They publish a few LinkedIn posts, commission a sponsored article, or launch a short-lived content campaign around an industry trend. For a moment, it creates visibility. But after this blip, the momentum disappears.
Audiences can see right through, or might not even have seen you at all! It’s the classic case of noise over substance.
In the B2B world especially, audiences are increasingly selective about who they trust. Decision-makers aren’t looking for more commentary, they seek out credible perspectives backed by expertise, evidence, and consistency.
1. Time to let thought leadership build trust
Trust is built through repetition, consistency, and depth – not isolated moments of visibility. This approach enables organizations to refine their point of view over time, deepen audience trust, and create a recognizable and credible voice within their sector.
Too often, organizations approach thought leadership in bursts – tied to product launches or events. While these one-off campaigns may generate temporary engagement, they rarely create sustained authority in the market.
But treating thought leadership as an operating system that can be refined and expanded upon over time changes this dynamic. Instead of asking, “What content should we publish this quarter?” PR and marketing pros can begin asking bigger questions:
- What market conversations do we want to shape?
- What unique perspective should we stand for?
- What insights can we bring to the industry?
This shift matters because trust is built through repetition, consistency, and depth – not isolated moments of visibility. This approach enables organizations to refine their point of view over time, deepen audience trust, and create a recognizable and credible voice within their sector.
2. Ditch marketing speak for content that stands on its own two feet
True thought leadership goes beyond content production. It’s a system for continually generating and distributing knowledge that challenges assumptions, provides clarity, and moves conversations forward.
Importantly, effective thought leadership doesn’t read like marketing or AI copy.
While it can support commercial goals, the content itself should focus on insight and impact rather than selling. Audiences engage more deeply when they feel they are learning something valuable, not being pushed toward a product or service.
The role of thought leadership is to create the intellectual foundation – think content that focuses on emerging industry shifts, key market challenges, or customer expectations. Marketing can then build from those insights to support demand generation, sales enablement, and brand positioning.
3. Add substance with original research
Original research is what transforms thought leadership from opinion into authority.
In an environment saturated with recycled perspectives and AI-generated content, primary data gives organizations something increasingly valuable: credibility that competitors cannot easily replicate. Research-led thought leadership allows organizations to own a conversation rather than simply participate in one.
The research doesn’t always need to be large-scale, it can include industry surveys, customer insight studies, and market trend analysis. What matters is that the insights are distinctive, relevant, and genuinely useful to the audience.
One of the biggest advantages of original research is its longevity. A single industry report can become the foundation for an entire ecosystem of content, including articles, webinars, social media posts, comments, and employee advocacy initiatives. This atomized approach extends the lifespan of the content, while ensuring messaging remains consistent across channels.
4. Don’t treat thought leadership as a side project
Thought leadership doesn’t succeed through occasional effort. It requires structure, ownership, and long-term consistency.
Many organizations struggle because thought leadership is treated as an informal side project rather than an operational discipline. Without clear processes, even strong ideas lose momentum.
The key to building a sustainable thought leadership platform requires alignment across multiple areas of the business – think corporate leadership, lead generation, marketing communications, the company’s teams of knowledgeable subject matter experts, and sales execs. That structure should include clear editorial themes, research, and measurement frameworks tied not to egos but to clear business goals.
5. Leave a lasting impression
So, the team is on message. Finally, consistency is key. Authority is never built on a single report or campaign. It develops over time through repeated visibility across all channels of communications: marketing comms, blogs, exec LinkedIn posts, press releases, corporate social media posts, and whitepapers – alongside sustained participation in industry conversations. The cumulative effect brings stronger credibility, greater market recognition, increased media relevance, and more meaningful and respected engagement with buyers.
At IBA we say, the same message from more than one source is more readily believed!
Hannah Watson is PR Lead – Analytics at IBA International.
