5 Ways to Establish Thought Leadership in Education

In the age of technology, there are more content and opinion pieces than ever before. So what does thought leadership look like now? In the realm of education, students view their educators as thought leaders – but an institution’s influence can extend far beyond what takes place inside the classroom.

Worldcom partner Schneider Associates works with clients in education to establish themselves as credible thought leaders. In their recent blog post, they explain that the most effective way education institutions can position themselves and grow thought leadership authority by leading by example. Schneider Associates recommends five ways to accomplish this:

1) Offer Sharp and Differing Opinions

If you want to be seen as a thought leader, you have to offer something of value. What makes your ideas fresh, new, different, controversial or exciting? To answer this, you must first have an understanding of what has already been discussed on the topic area. Then, identify what questions remain or perspectives that have not been previously considered – this is the “white space” for coverage. Offer insightful commentary or push the conversation towards a different direction.

In addition to gaining a good grasp of existing coverage on a specific topic, you should also stay on top of relevant news and trends. Staying up-to-date with current commentary on topics like public policy, scientific discoveries, curriculum design and others will ensure your content is relevant. Then, determine how to provide meaningful and innovative information that connects to the conversation.

2) Become the Media

All communications professionals know – securing media coverage is difficult.  One way to address this challenge is to establish your own channels for thought leaderhship promotion. Education institutions can self-publish through blogging for other media sites or on social media platforms. Schneider Associates has secured coverage for their education clients on sites like the Huffington Post and gained significant traction.

To maximize these efforts, you need to think like a journalist. Identify what topics you can comment on that are relevant in the news but also highlight your expertise. Next, plan your strategy by creating an editorial calendar that outlines topics and channels for distribution

Interested in learning additional ways to help your clients establish themselves as thought leaders? Get the remaining three thought leadership tips on the Schneider Associates blog.

Schneider Associates is one of the leading Boston PR firms and integrated marketing agencies successfully launching and accelerating visibility and growth for new products, services, companies, institutions and communities through a mix of traditional public relations and marketing programs, digital marketing and social media strategies, influencer and experiential campaigns. Schneider Associates also specializes in public affairs, reputation management and crisis communications programs. Schneider Associates is certified by SOMWBA as a woman-owned business.