There are a lot of people operating in the retail space who position themselves as thought leaders – and they all have different levels of influence. 

Some are more reputable than others. Some have obvious agendas. Some really do successfully bring value by making you think differently or providing useful insights about this wonderful industry in which we all participate. There’s a plethora of opinions and reports out there – meaning it’s vital to adopt a considered content marketing approach.

Content you’re putting into the world needs to stand out and cut through the noise, and it needs to have substance. 

Long-form B2B marketing content can play a key role in positioning yourself as a thought leader. It gives you a chance to delve deep into and associate yourselves with the most important industry subjects – and this can be done in many ways.

We’ve picked out five tactics to use when producing long-form B2B marketing. 

Tactic 1: Collect multiple expert viewpoints

A balance of viewpoints and observations is vital for any B2B long-form content. Not only does this show that the piece is well researched, but it also provides an opportunity to pepper your content with pull quotes and profile quotes that can capture the essence of the report and attract readership. 

Tactic 2: Give your audience something new

Whether it’s newly generated commentary from those who know the industry or topic, or unique data points derived from fresh research, your long-form B2B content should always offer something that can’t be accessed elsewhere. Avoid regurgitation of content that can be found elsewhere – you need to bring your own value. 

Tactic 3: Think journalistically

Tactics one and two are content approaches associated with journalism. When producing B2B content creation, it’s a good idea to think like a journalist or work with someone trained that way. Gather unique insight but also think about the narrative – have a clear beginning, middle and end – and think about your audience at every opportunity to ensure you’re not including superfluous information or missing key parts of the story.   

Tactic 4: Consider the power of design

There are tools and templates available today that can enhance your content, no matter how good the words and research are. Like any consumer magazine article or website, B2B content needs to look good as much as it reads well, to get people interested in the first place. Video, graphics and graphs can play a major role here, too.  

Tactic 5: Insert your own voice

If you’ve done all of the above, that leaves a perfect space for you to insert your own opinions on the matter or to tell your story in relation to what you’ve covered. Your voice holds more weight when it’s combined with those of other experts and unique data points and visuals.

You should never really call yourself a thought leader – that’s for other people to decide. 

But by adopting some of these strategies and crafting unique long-form content, you and your organisation stand a good chance of being considered one.