Most of us do thought leadership wrong: We use the wrong metrics, answer the wrong questions and distribute to the wrong people. Here’s how we can do better.
I just spent the day at the Thought Leadership for Tomorrow event, hosted by iResearch Services. It brought together a sharp group of senior marketers to talk about what it really takes to create thought leadership content that moves the needle.
The takeaway? Yesterday’s answers don’t apply to today’s challenges.
The measurement problem
We’ve spent years chasing “vanity” metrics — likes, shares, downloads — but these are just proxies. We should instead be measuring what actually matters: results. One of the clearest frameworks shared for pursuing this was the “3 R’s”: Revenue, Reputation and Real-World Impact.
The best thought leadership doesn’t just spike in one of these areas. It performs across all three.
But getting there is tough. It requires a content strategy tied to real business outcomes — not just engagement rates. This means:
- Understanding your audience deeply
- Aligning content with marketing and business goals
- Offering objective, original insights that actually help people think differently
The AI balancing act
Not surprisingly, AI came up in every session. We’re all wrestling with the same questions: When should we use it? How much is too much? Can we trust the output?
The best formulation I heard was the idea of the “Goldilocks AI zone” — use AI strategically, but don’t outsource your thinking to an answer engine. Because writing is an extension of thinking, you need to put the words down yourself so they genuinely reflect your original ideas.
Here’s a hypothetical Goldilocks zone workflow:
- Start with your own ideas
- Use AI to pressure test them — conduct deep research, comparisons, counterpoints
- Write the actual content yourself
- Use AI again to help refine and tighten
- Then hand it to a real editor to bring the human voice back in
The acid test
One of the most provocative questions about thought leadership writing came from a panelist who asked: “Is this problem [that you’re writing about] bigger than your product set?”
That’s the acid test. If your content only reinforces what you’re selling, it’s not thought leadership — it’s marketing dressed up as an article.
Real thought leadership tackles broad issues — challenges that your brand alone can’t fully solve. Make sure your thought leadership reflects your corporate purpose and demonstrates your unique ability to engage with the problem, not just sell a solution.
Distribution is the new frontier
Creating great content is no longer enough for thought leadership to be successful. You need to put it in front of the right people.
The problem is, organic search is declining, social traffic is fragmented, zero-click results could soon be the new norm and the open web is collapsing — which is all pushing brands further away from their audiences.
The solution isn’t just better SEO. It’s a mindset shift: Build direct relationships.
How? Start by asking “Who do we matter to?”
Then focus on building first-party data, email lists, communities and owned channels.
Distribution has to be intentional and relationship-led. Make sure you include distribution as part of your upfront strategic process.
The consistency challenge
Another common thread: Real thought leadership isn’t a one-and-done thing.
It’s not a short-term campaign. It’s a long game that should have a distinct content strategy and measurement plan. The most effective programs aren’t built around one new piece of research. They’re sustained efforts that revisit core themes over time, from different angles and across multiple formats. That consistency builds authority and internal alignment.
In fact, the best programs discussed weren’t even labeled “thought leadership.” They were just what the company did, day in and day out.
What’s next
The Thought Leadership for Tomorrow event provided a healthy affirmation that DDM Content Solutions is asking — and answering — the right questions.
But the answers aren’t just about better headlines or distribution hacks. They’re about rethinking how content fits into a business strategy — how it builds trust, delivers value and drives measurable outcomes.
Done right, content isn’t just a marketing tool. It’s a business asset.
And real thought leadership? That’s what happens when we stop chasing clicks and start focusing on what actually matters.
Author Bio
Robin Riddle is the Chief Strategy Officer at DDM Content Solutions. He works across B2B as well as B2C and specializes in financial services, insurance and healthcare. Prior to his time here, he led content marketing businesses at both The Economist and The Wall Street Journal. A passionate advocate for the value of content marketing, Riddle is also heavily involved in industry issues and speaks at many events on the intersections of content marketing, native advertising and AI.