In an ever-changing world, where AI overviews rule the top of SERPs, and everyone is still trying to discern between GEO, AIO, etc, it can be difficult to see how good old-fashioned organic marketing and SEO can continue to provide answers to audiences’ burning questions.
However, while AI-created and curated content may look new and shiny, it still makes mistakes (the amount of which is debatable, but present nonetheless). But do you know who doesn’t make mistakes? Two words: thought leadership. And to add two more words, ‘thought leadership-led content’.
Okay, that might be a bit hyperbolic; people will make mistakes. After all, it’s what makes us human. But it’s what makes us human that makes our expertise relatable, applicable, and useful.
Suffice to say, there’s more than just four words to say about this topic, so with that in mind, let’s take a (rather comprehensive) look at thought leadership-led content, why it’s worth considering, and how to get the ball rolling on creating it.
What do you mean by ‘thought leadership’?
‘Thought leadership’ comes in many different forms, across many different levels of people’s professional careers. To be less vague and more helpful, thought leadership is generally considered to mean when someone’s opinion about a topic in their field is worth considering, whether it’s agreeing with outright or challenging the status quo due to having some noteworthy validity.
That is to say, a doctor who proposes a new method of treating a disease with a treatment used for similar diseases is worth considering and exploring by the medical community. Another doctor who proposes that they consult their magic 8-ball, not so much. This means that thought leadership can be seen on a spectrum, as professionals working in their industries at all levels will have insights worth sharing.
For example, the CEO of a coffee company who hasn’t made their own macchiato for years may not have as useful an insight as, say, a barista when discussing the best blend to choose for your coffee. However, the CEO will have insights about how the business side of the coffee industry works. Each individual could contribute their thoughts to separate areas of the industry (whether it’s an article about the nuances of specific bean blends or speaking at a conference about high-end supply management), and be considered a noteworthy voice within those areas, and thus would both be viewed as a thought leader.
When it comes to creating content online, thought leadership is usually something considered in the world of SEO. And anyone who’s had their finger on the pulse in the world of SEO over the last few years knows about EEAT. Platforms like Google have continued to refine their algorithms to prioritise only the best, most helpful content from search results, and EEAT is one of the benchmarks with which content is consistently ranked.
What is ‘EEAT’ again?
EEAT stands for expertise, experience, authority, and trust. Now, these words may seem like synonyms, but each is distinct and important in its own special way.
In fact, as of early 2026, an EEAT 2.0 of sorts has been making waves on the algorithm, which focuses on the expertise being provably human. That is to say, you can put a name (and a career history) to a face, and other factors that prove you’re getting information from someone who knows what they’re talking about, rather than just an AI’s approximation of what you’re talking about.
Let’s make it simple to understand by comparing it to coffee (again). There are thousands of coffee shops out there, each eager to make you everything from a dark Americano to a colourful frappuccino with everything on top. But how do you determine which coffee is best? How do the baristas running their shops convince you to place an order? That’s where EEAT comes into play:
- Experience: How long has the barista been making coffee?
- Expertise: Has the barista undergone any specialist coffee-related training?
- Authority: Do you trust the barista’s positive reputation in the coffee shop?
- Trust: Would you trust that the barista’s opinion is honest and accurate (when they advise you to order a frappuccino on a hot day)?
Now, it’s important to understand that EEAT mostly covers organic traffic. With Google shaking SERPs up regularly, it can be hard to distinguish which results are sponsored, which are AI-led, and which ones can truly make a good cup of coffee.
That’s not to say these non-organic results don’t hold value. After all, with sponsored results, the hypothetical barista has paid to say that their coffee is worth your business. This strategy has worked wonders for Costa and Starbucks, so there’s an argument to be made there.
However, it’s the ever-encroaching tide of AI results that go to the organic pages in order to understand how humans like their coffee. While ChatGPT might not be able to truly discern the difference in taste between a latte and a flat white yet, they’re still working from an organic barista’s menu.
So, ‘thought leadership’ is determined by EEAT?
EEAT is incredibly useful for signposting which name, brand, or company has a good standing, and can be considered an industry voice; thus being valid as a port of call for thought leadership.
Experts in their field will inevitably be found on sources backed up by EEAT. No longer is it simply word-of-mouth or having your name on the spine of a book that determines who’s who in their field. Nowadays, the most trusted and established voices in their industry will be backed up by a rich online presence, ranging from contributions to esteemed outlets like newspapers to collaborating on high DR/DA sites (bonus points if they run or operate either of these).
As is often the case, even in the shifting sands of the SEO landscape, the tried-and-true method of trusting experts who have dedicated their careers to their craft and trade will, more often than not, yield trustworthy insights about said craft and trade.
When you say ‘experts’, who do you mean?
While it can be simple to split hairs and consider ‘experts’ a synonym of ‘masters’ (those who have dedicated over 10,000 hours to a skill or practice), it’s simpler to consider an expert an individual who can be trusted to provide unique or high-level insights about their chosen field.
For the sake of ‘thought leadership’, though, there are two distinct camps that experts can fall under, each offering their own boons and buffs: internal and external experts.
1. Internal experts
As the name suggests, this is working with the talent you have. Whether they’re a client of yours or your own company, the people you have working under the same roof (proverbial or not) will inevitably have a wealth of experience to share. They’ve been hired to join a team of fellow industry professionals, so they’d know their business better than anyone. Why not make good use of the talent you have, all whilst promoting them and your company at the same time!
Better yet, by putting a name and a face (and, ideally, a link to their LinkedIn) to the copy in a blog or the advice in a service page (one that likely already has that information on an employee’s lanyard next to your company logo), you can solidify not only their expertise on the topic, but also your company’s.
2. External experts
No less impressive (and arguably to some, more trustworthy and unbiased) are experts who have no clear allegiances to a company or a brand. These ‘external’ experts can be trusted fonts of knowledge in the industry, whether they’re brand names behind brand names (such as executives for a high-profile company) or they simply know their industry down to a science (such as esteemed university professors and well-versed authors).
By working with and presenting a platform for these unaffiliated experts, you can augment your content with facts and opinions that carry the weight of another’s experience.
Why should I create content with experts?
While ‘creating content with influencers’ might be the first thing that springs to mind when reading the above section title, rest assured, there are plenty of types of content that benefit from expertise. These include, but are by no means limited to, Editorial Content (from providing supporting quotes for articles to writing entire blog posts), Digital PR (supporting press releases with industry-led insights or serving as the voice of a campaign), and Multimedia Content (contributing to a series of promotional videos or reinforcing information provided across a brand’s channels).
Regardless of what type of content you’re creating, chances are good that you can augment and enhance it with expertise.
What do I need to consider when choosing experts?
Just like trying to find the best coffee shop for your morning fix, there’s plenty to consider when you’re looking for trustworthy experts to collaborate with.
However, this goes beyond simply picking the most famous name on the list or checking how many followers someone has on their socials. Like any good project, you should lay out the groundworks first and know what you’re hoping to achieve when working with others.
1. Know your audience (and the intention of your project)
There’s a time and a place for every kind of expert. Some clients, campaigns, or projects might be reaching out to more casual readers or B2C audiences. Or, the messaging driving the project is more light-hearted, and the campaign is more PR-focused.
These are when the likes of influencers, content creators, and even authors are better fits. Think more creative types for creative campaigns; those whose passion for the industry or the topic at hand will shine through authentically.
Then there are the more technical projects. Your clients may only want to speak to the bottom of their funnel, or have little room for frivolity with their business. That’s when you need to bring in those who are hard-baked into their fields. Think academics, company reps, and those running startups, the type that would be more focused on their LinkedIn, rather than their Instagram.
Generally speaking, if your project needs an expert whose insights will be more story-driven, anecdotal, or opinionated, you’re better off going for a more creative-oriented voice. However, if your project is data-led, factual, or informative, you’d be wise to choose a trusted expert with a wealth of knowledge on your subject of choice. It all depends on what you want to convey to your audience.
2. Know what level you’re reaching out to
It’s hard to argue that the CEO of an internationally recognised, industry-leading company isn’t an expert in their field. However, it’s also hard to picture them taking the time to answer your questions, and the most you’ll likely receive is a polite decline from their assistant.
That’s generally a good rule of thumb; if someone is high-ranking enough to justify having an assistant, they’ll likely not have the time for your expert roundup.
Unless your client is a major player in the industry and you’re working on a massive campaign, you shouldn’t spend time hunting down their contact info or expending energy trying to reach out to them.
It’s much better to reach out to voices in the industry who are eager to share their knowledge, whether they’re an academic in the field or they have a relevant project to promote.
3. Know the scope of your project
As is the case when working on any project, you need to know how far you’re stretching when it comes to sourcing experts. You’ll need to consider how much budget you have, how much time you have to speak with potential experts, and what results you’re hoping to achieve.
After all, you could compile a list of over 100 industry experts, all eager to weigh in and provide their individual insights on the topic of your project, but that kind of talent pool would be a bit overkill if you’re only looking to add a few quotes into an article or two.
This is when you’d need to dust off your Project Manager hat and really scrutinise what your project requires.
4. Know how to best utilise the expert
While not strictly an ‘essential’ part of this proverbial checklist, it’s always important to consider the best way to make the most of any opportunity you secure to collaborate with an industry expert.
Remember, you’ll be in a unique position to employ a wealth of high-quality experience, the likes of which may supersede simply getting their input on one article or press release.
After all, imagine you had the chance to meet your favourite musician; you wouldn’t just ask them about their latest album. You’d have the chance to talk about their personal life, to ask about their entire discography. Hell, you could even ask to collaborate with them on their next album!
That might sound slightly hyperbolic (and in that literal example, it truly would be), but the point remains: you’ve taken the time to reach out to someone whose opinion you trust, they’ve agreed to work with you, you’ve compared calendars, and finally landed on a time and date that works for you both.
It would be a shame to simply leave it at one interview… Unless you picked your questions well enough, which we’ll explore in Part 2!
