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Transform technical content into campaigns that connect

Marketing teams often have a library of assets, including product sheets, solution briefs, and technical guides, that describe what a solution does in detail. These materials are valuable, but they don’t always show why the solution matters to a buyer.

Turning that content into a campaign starts with understanding people. It involves taking technical information and shaping it into a story that reflects buyer priorities and decision-making.

The process begins by finding the insight already within your materials and building a structured narrative that informs, connects, and encourages action.

Step 1: Understand the person behind the persona

Before developing campaign assets, focus on the individual who will receive the message. Personas outline demographics and job titles, but they rarely capture real motivations.

Behind every persona is a person with targets to meet, challenges to overcome, and decisions to justify. They are searching for solutions that build confidence and reduce uncertainty.

To reach them effectively, ask:

- Who is this content really for?

- What problem are they trying to solve?

- What language will earn their attention?

- Where are they in their buying journey?

The answers guide every creative decision: tone, structure, visuals, and calls to action. Campaigns built from this perspective feel personal and relevant.

Step 2: Uncover the story inside the content

Most product sheets are structured to inform. Campaigns need to connect.

To find the story within a technical asset, read beyond the features. Look for the tension and resolution—the challenge your buyer faces and the outcome they want to achieve.

Ask yourself:

- What’s changing in the customer’s environment that makes this solution timely?

- Which use cases reflect the most urgent or relatable problems?

- What does success look like for this buyer, and how does your solution make it possible?

Mapping these answers reveals the narrative thread: a clear beginning (the problem), middle (the challenge and solution), and end (the business outcome). That thread becomes the spine of your campaign.

Step 3: Build the campaign around the narrative

Once the story is clear, structure the campaign so every asset supports it. Each piece should serve a defined role in the buyer journey from awareness to engagement to conversion.

A complete campaign might include:

- An awareness asset such as a blog or video introducing the challenge and why it matters now

- A mid-funnel piece like a refreshed one-pager or infographic that connects proof points to benefits

- A decision-stage asset such as a landing page that ties messaging, evidence, and CTA together

- Internal enablement materials that help sellers and partners carry the message consistently

When every element reinforces the same story, the campaign feels cohesive, not fragmented. Each piece becomes a touchpoint in a larger narrative that leads buyers forward.

Step 4: Activate with purpose

A strong campaign only drives results if it’s shared and used effectively. Activation turns a strategy into a living, working program.

Ensure every stakeholder—marketers, sellers, and partners—knows how to use the assets and why they work.

That includes:

- Clear internal communication outlining how and when to deploy campaign elements

- Pre-written copy and visuals for email, social, and seller channels

- Guidance on how to connect the campaign to co-sell or marketplace opportunities

- Metrics for tracking engagement and optimizing performance over time

Effective activation ensures the story reaches its audience in a consistent and coordinated way—across teams, platforms, and regions.

Finding campaign potential in everyday assets

The most effective campaigns often begin with something small: a datasheet, a presentation, or a short technical summary. Within those materials are the ideas, proof points, and insights that can evolve into a complete campaign.

Creating impact starts with intention. When technical content is framed through the lens of audience understanding and strategic storytelling, it becomes more than information. It becomes a message that teaches, connects, and drives action.

Turning expertise into influence: A guide to thought leadership marketing

Information has never been more accessible—or more overwhelming. In every corner of the digital world, audiences are surrounded by articles, videos, and AI-generated posts that compete for their attention. Amid that volume, what people value most is clear thinking. They look for guidance that helps them understand trends, interpret complexity, and make confident business decisions.

Thought leadership marketing provides that clarity. It connects expertise with education, allowing organizations to share knowledge that informs and influences their audience. When done well, it turns ideas into teaching moments and builds trust that lasts beyond any single campaign.

Why thought leadership matters

Thought leadership helps organizations show what they know in ways that build credibility and spark meaningful conversations. It turns professional insight into material that supports long-term visibility and customer confidence.

Strong thought leadership can:

- Build familiarity with prospective buyers
- Establish credibility within specific industries or regions
- Highlight expert voices and executive perspectives
- Create opportunities for speaking, media, and partnerships
- Support business development by aligning content with customer priorities

Over time, this kind of consistent, expert-led communication shapes how a company is perceived, both by customers and peers.

The difference between content and thought leadership

All content communicates something. Thought leadership goes a step further by teaching something valuable. It explains an issue, adds context, and offers an informed point of view.

A company blog might summarize a new regulation. A thought leadership article explains its implications for business strategy. One delivers information; the other builds understanding.

The most effective thought leadership has a clear editorial direction. It aligns audience interests with business goals and draws on credible expertise. Each piece contributes to a broader narrative about how the organization sees its industry and its role within it.

What a thought leadership marketing services delivers

Developing thought leadership consistently takes structure and intention. Marketing services focused on this discipline bring strategy, organization, and storytelling expertise to every stage of the process.

Typical components include:

Strategic positioning and message development: define what the brand stands for, the perspectives it supports, and the conversations it wants to lead.
Executive ghostwriting: translate leadership insight into clear, accessible writing that educates and informs readers across platforms.
Editorial planning: coordinate calendars that connect content to business milestones, launches, and key industry events.
Trend research and content development: identify important developments, interpret their meaning for audiences, and create content that adds useful perspective.
Multi-format execution: deliver core ideas in multiple formats—articles, podcasts, videos, newsletters—so audiences can engage in different ways.
AI-supported workflows: use generative AI tools to streamline research, structure information, and adapt tone for various audiences, while maintaining human oversight and judgment.

These services ensure every message reflects both subject matter expertise and a consistent brand story.

GenAI’s role in thought leadership marketing

GenAI is reshaping how thought leadership content is planned, created, and refined. It doesn’t replace expertise—it enhances how that expertise is expressed and distributed.

GenAI tools can support teams throughout the content process:

Research and insight development

AI can scan large volumes of data, reports, and market updates in minutes, helping teams surface emerging themes or new perspectives worth exploring. For example, a marketing strategist might use an AI research assistant to identify patterns in customer sentiment across regions or products, then turn that data into a meaningful narrative about market change.

Idea generation and structure

GenAI helps translate complex technical ideas into outlines or plain-language explanations. This supports faster collaboration between subject matter experts and content creators, ensuring accuracy while improving clarity.

Content adaptation

Once a core article or insight exists, GenAI can assist in tailoring it for different formats or audiences—transforming a white paper into a LinkedIn post, webinar script, or newsletter summary—while preserving the original message.

Quality and optimization

AI-based editing tools can review drafts for readability, tone consistency, and keyword alignment, helping ensure that each piece maintains a professional and coherent voice.

Performance analysis

AI analytics platforms can identify which topics, formats, or headlines drive engagement, offering valuable feedback that informs future editorial decisions.

These capabilities make AI a powerful support system for thought leadership programs. The technology accelerates research, improves accessibility, and helps maintain rhythm across multiple communication channels.

However, the responsibility for insight remains with people. The perspectives, opinions, and conclusions that shape thought leadership must come from experts who understand the context behind the data. AI provides the information; humans give it meaning.

A long-term approach to visibility and influence

Thought leadership grows stronger through consistency. Publishing regularly, maintaining a defined point of view, and staying close to audience interests creates a steady presence in the market.

Companies that commit to this approach see benefits that compound over time:

Broader visibility across industry discussions

Increased engagement with relevant audiences

Stronger reputation for expertise and reliability

Each article, post, or presentation contributes to a foundation of trust. Over time, that foundation becomes one of the most valuable assets a brand can build.

Ready to develop your leadership voice?

Mercer-MacKay helps organizations turn knowledge into influence through thought leadership and storytelling. We work with technology brands that want to educate their audience, share informed perspectives, and take an active role in shaping their industry’s conversations.

Let’s create a thought leadership program that reflects your expertise and strengthens your voice in the market. Reach out.

Modern storytelling: Why the hero’s journey still matters in the age of AI

Storytelling is one of the oldest forms of communication. Long before we had marketing departments, digital channels, or algorithms, people shared stories to educate, influence, and connect. We still respond to stories because they help us make sense of the world.

That hasn’t changed. What has changed is how we tell stories.

With generative AI transforming how content is created, marketers are asking: Is storytelling still relevant? The short answer: absolutely. In fact, it’s more essential than ever. At the heart of great storytelling is a framework that continues to resonate—the hero’s journey.

The hero’s journey: A framework that works

The hero’s journey follows a familiar arc: a character starts in their everyday world, faces a challenge, gets support, overcomes obstacles, and returns transformed.

Marketers might not be writing novels, but the pattern applies. Your customer is the hero. They’re navigating complexity, change, or disruption. Your role? You’re the guide. You offer insight, support, and solutions.

When brands adopt this mindset, everything shifts. Product pages become proof points. Case studies evolve into character-driven narratives. Campaigns stop being noisy and start to connect.

And most importantly, your audience starts to see themselves in your content.

The role of AI in modern storytelling

Generative AI is quickly becoming a valuable partner for content teams. It can help you scale production, refine messaging, and adapt to different audiences. But can AI tell a compelling story?

It can assist, but it can’t lead.

AI brings real advantages when it comes to the mechanics of storytelling:

Journey mapping

AI can identify where customers are in their journey and what they need next—using data to uncover pain points, behaviors, and content gaps.

Audience adaptation

A single story can be reshaped to speak to different industries or roles. AI helps adjust tone, language, and examples without losing the core message.

Testing and optimization

Want to know which subject line performs best? Or which call-to-action leads to more engagement? AI can analyze and optimize at scale, quickly.

Ideation support

From headline variations to metaphor suggestions, AI can spark new angles—cutting down brainstorming time and helping teams get unstuck.

Storytelling still needs a human heart

Where AI stops is where humans shine: nuance, empathy, context, and emotion.

AI doesn’t know your customer’s frustrations, ambitions, or unspoken hesitations. It can’t sense when a story needs a little more warmth or when a message needs to shift tone. That’s where human judgment makes the difference.

The best content today comes from a blend of both: human strategy and insight, powered by AI’s ability to support, not replace.

We see this as a collaboration. AI helps us work smarter and faster, but it’s the human lens that makes the content resonate.

Bringing the hero’s Journey into your marketing

If you want to build stronger customer connections, start by using their experience as the narrative foundation:

- Who’s the hero? Understand their goals.

- What’s the challenge? Define the barrier.

- What’s the turning point? Highlight the shift—new knowledge, a new approach, or a solution.

- Where do you fit in? Position your brand as the guide, not the star.

- What changes? Show the outcome. What’s now possible?

You don’t need to follow this formula rigidly. But having a clear structure will help you create content that moves people—not just through a funnel, but emotionally.

Stories still matter

In a world full of platforms, data, and content, a well-told story still stands out. It informs. It builds trust. It drives action.

And as AI continues to evolve, the brands that will stand out aren’t the ones replacing humans—but the ones elevating human insight with the right tools.

Technology can scale your message. But it’s storytelling that makes it stick.

Best practices for winning a Microsoft Partner of the Year award

Writing a Microsoft award submission is not like any other form of corporate writing. It’s not a white paper. It’s not a case study. It’s a competition—and one where judges are actively looking for reasons to disqualify your submission during the first read-through. The bar is high, the attention spans are short, and the competition is fierce.

Eight best practices to stand out in a sea of submissions

If you want to stand out, here’s what it takes:

1. Tell a story that captures the imagination

At its core, your submission needs to tell a compelling story—one that puts you and your customer at the center and showcases your unique value as a partner. What problem did you solve? What made it complex? Why was your approach exceptional? What are the things that would never make it in a Win Wire or a Case Study but really show that you know your stuff and can overcome hurdles. Microsoft wants to see transformation, not just implementation.

2. Treat it like a strategy, not a form

Before you start writing, get crystal clear on why you’re submitting and what you want to achieve:

- How can you win in the category you are going after?
- Is your entry less about winning and more about positioning with Microsoft?
- Should you consider a joint strategy with another partner?

Every submission needs a positioning strategy. Be intentional about the categories you choose and how your story supports that category’s specific goals.

3. Start messy—and don’t despair

The process always begins in the messy middle. Start by gathering your best stories—and be prepared for surprises. Often, the stories you think are the strongest won’t be the ones that make the cut. Talk to your sales and delivery teams. Get the story behind the story—the moments of innovation, impact, and resilience that often go undocumented.

Once you’ve collected your stories, map them to Microsoft’s award categories. With 5,000+ submissions across just 45 categories, repurposing stories into multiple submissions is smart strategy. And remember: the first few drafts will be rough. That’s part of the process. You’re shaping and refining, over and over, until the narrative is tight and aligned with Microsoft’s criteria.

4. Answer every question—clearly and completely

Each award category includes specific criteria—and every one of them matters. If you skip a question, dodge the point, or bury your answer in jargon, you risk being tossed aside immediately. Make it easy for the judges to see that you’ve hit every required point, clearly and confidently.

5. Back up every claim with proof

This is where many submissions fall short. You can’t just say you drove impact—you need to prove it:

- Include numbers (revenue, time saved, users impacted, % improvement, etc.) If your actual numbers aren’t the best, consider percentages. Trying to compete just on numbers is the wrong strategy – there will always be a partner with a better number than you – you need a mix and a spin.
- Add testimonials from customers, Microsoft reps, other partners, analysts – tell your story through the eyes of others whenever you can.
- Share architectures, screenshots, or visuals that demonstrate innovation – you only have about 1,200 words and a lot of questions to answer. Your architectures can demonstrate your complexity – where possibly, point out where you did something amazing or unusual – for example, found a product release bug and worked with MSFT engineering to resolve. Accelerated a feature on your product roadmap to facilitate a customer roll-out.
- Provide measurable outcomes tied to business value. Most partners say they don’t really know the value yet, too new to measure, customer is reluctant to get behind a number. That won’t win you the award, you need to find a way to show the value. Understanding how to measure value and then demonstrate that it was achieved is a critical point.

If it’s not provable, it’s just words on paper.

6. Write for a mixed audience

Your judges will include technical architects, marketers, partner managers, and even interns. Many are not technical. Write at a high enough level that anyone at Microsoft can understand the significance of your work and the business impact you delivered—without getting lost in acronyms or complexity.

7. Keep the review team small (and sharp)

Too many reviewers spoil the story. Awards submissions are unlike anything else you’ve written. You will include information that will never ever be used publicly. The entire team needs to be on board. You need a tight, experienced team—ideally 2–3 people—who understand Microsoft, the partner ecosystem, and how to evaluate a strong narrative. Awards writing is a team sport. Partners know their solutions and the award writers know how to tell a story that pops. This is the team that can come together and refine a strong message.

As part of the review process:

- Use accessible, plainspoken language. If your sentence sounds like it came from your website or a press release, rewrite it. Clarity beats polish.
- Consider using humor or a conversational tone—just enough to make the story memorable. The best submissions feel human.
- Make sure the headlines tell the story. Judges will skim before they dive—your headings should give them a reason to keep reading.
- Read it out loud. If it doesn’t sound like something a person would say, go back and simplify. Try to make the judges FEEL something – make them laugh, make them cry, make them remember you.

Remember, the goal to connect. Make your message easy to understand and hard to ignore. There will be about 300 submissions in each category. The first read through by the judges is to THROW OUT the worst submissions – they are barely read at all. You want to make it to the top 10-20 where the submissions are seriously considered and vetted.

8. Refine, map, repeat

Award submissions are an iterative, collaborative process. Each draft should bring the story into tighter focus and map more clearly to the award criteria. Keep asking: “Is this easy to read? Does it show impact? Have we made our proof points impossible to ignore?”

Final thoughts

Microsoft award submissions are judged by people. They are impacted by story and by how you have taken a unique position to drive transformation that will ultimately show up on their score card and pay check.

Judges don’t have time to dig for your value. Be bold. Be strategic. Be specific. And above all, tell a story that no one else can tell.

Additional Microsoft Partner of the Year award resources

A leader’s guide to the LinkedIn algorithm—what the data says

LinkedIn’s algorithm has changed—and executives who still rely on old tactics are seeing their reach disappear. Based on new data from the Algorithm Insights Report 2025 by Richard van der Blom, this guide breaks down what’s working now. From content formats and engagement strategies to timing, mobile optimization, and post-publication behavior, here’s how to stay visible, build influence, and lead meaningful conversations on LinkedIn this year.

If you’re wondering why your once-reliable LinkedIn posts no longer get the traction they used to, you’re not imagining things. LinkedIn’s algorithm has shifted over the past year.

The Algorithm Insights Report 2025, a comprehensive analysis of over 1.8 million posts by Richard van der Blom and Just Connecting™, lays it out clearly: organic reach has plummeted by nearly 50%, but the potential for meaningful engagement is stronger than ever.

Each year, we review the data and share updates and guidance on how leaders can refine their strategies to reap the rewards of the LinkedIn algorithm. All the data and corresponding recommendations shared below is from the Algorithm Insights report. You can get your copy here.

1. From reach to relevance

In the past, it was possible to “game” LinkedIn with frequent posting or lightweight engagement tactics. That era is over.

LinkedIn has shifted toward an interest-driven, conversation-focused feed. The algorithm now favors content that aligns with a user’s demonstrated interests and encourages interaction—not passive consumption.

What to do: Be intentional. Fewer, better posts will outperform a high-volume, low-substance approach.

2. Visibility is earned through engagement

Executives often overlook one of LinkedIn’s most powerful mechanisms: reciprocal engagement. The algorithm weighs how you interact with others just as heavily as what you post.

Here’s what the data shows:

Comment once on a creator’s post = 80% chance you’ll see their next one.
Visit their profile = 60% boost in their visibility to you.
Send a DM = 90% chance they’ll appear in your feed again.

And it goes both ways. If others are engaging with your posts, you’ll continue showing up in their feed as well.

What to do: Comment on relevant industry posts, respond to comments on your content, and keep conversations going in DMs—not just in the comments section.

3. Comments drive content discovery

LinkedIn’s algorithm now recognizes comments as more than just engagement—they’re indicators of quality. Posts that generate discussion are pushed to more people and seen over a longer period.

What triggers comments? Clarity, specificity, and a strong call to engagement. It’s not enough to post your perspective—you need to invite others in.

What to do: End every post with a genuine question. Think:

“What’s one strategy you’ve used to overcome this challenge?”
“Agree or disagree?”
“Seen this happen in your industry?”

4. Save-worthy content performs best

Another underused feature: saves. When someone saves your post, LinkedIn treats that action as a high-value signal. It means your content is worth revisiting—and the algorithm rewards that with greater visibility for future posts.

Saves are especially common for:

Lists
Step-by-step guides
Infographics
Frameworks

What to do: Think utility. Offer a clear takeaway or insight your audience can apply to their work.

5. Content formats that drive engagement

Not all posts are created equal. The format you choose has a significant impact on how your content performs. Here’s what the data shows:

Text + Image

Most used and most stable format (58% of all content).
Optimal caption length: 700–900 characters.
Posts with images of people (especially yourself) perform better—up to 50% more engagement.

Use this format when sharing lessons from events, key takeaways, or personal wins.

Video

Up 69% year-over-year.
Vertical mobile-first videos (under 60 seconds) performed best in 2024.
Note: LinkedIn removed the dedicated video feed in early 2025, but short-form video still outperforms other formats in engagement.

Use this format when sharing product insights, perspectives, or quick thought leadership riffs.

Polls

Still underused (only 1.4% of content), but highly effective when done well.
Polls with three answer options perform best.
7-day polls receive significantly more engagement than 1-day or 3-day polls.

Use this format when you want quick, high-engagement insights and plan to follow up with your reflections.

Documents (PDF carousels)

Once dominant, but now declining due to algorithm penalties for low completion rates.
Best-performing documents have 8–10 slides and strong visual storytelling.
First slide must be eye-catching and relevant—image + teaser text works best.

Use this format when you want to showcase frameworks, guides, or high-value evergreen content.

6. Text-only posts are losing traction

Text-only posts, once the backbone of executive presence on LinkedIn, are seeing significant decline in both reach and engagement.

Text-only content dropped by 41% in usage year-over-year.
Engagement for text-only posts is down nearly 18%.
On company pages, they perform so poorly (multiplier of 0.28) that they’re now considered a “no-go” format.

Why? They don’t visually interrupt the feed, they lack shareable elements, and they struggle to hold attention—especially on mobile.

What to do:

If you have a great insight, turn it into a text + image post.
Use a photo, chart, or graphic to increase visual stopping power.
Reserve pure text posts for well-structured thought leadership with high emotional or educational impact—and only occasionally.

7. External links: remains an underperformer, but has improved slightly

LinkedIn has long discouraged posts that direct users off-platform. In past years, external links were effectively reach killers. But in 2025, the algorithm has softened—just slightly.

Recent data shows that:

Posts with links now see a modest 5% gain in reach, reversing a multi-year decline.
Shorter, value-first captions (under 300 words) paired with links perform better than long-form link posts.
Posts that embed the link at the end of the caption, rather than up top, experience less engagement drop-off.
Multiple links perform better with posts using 3o or more links seeing a 20% improvement over posts with one link.

This doesn’t mean external links are suddenly equal to native content—but LinkedIn seems to be recognizing that off-platform value can still support user intent.

What to do:

Share links with intention. Don’t bury the lead—start with insight, end with the link.
Use clean formatting: bold takeaway > short explanation > link.
Forgo adding links to the comments. This hack no longer works.
Consider multilink posts to signal greater content depth.
Always use UTM tags or analytics to track actual engagement beyond impressions.

In short: you don’t have to avoid links altogether. But they work best when they’re used sparingly, framed thoughtfully, and backed by content that delivers value before the click.

8. Timing and frequency still matter

LinkedIn remains a platform where early engagement makes or breaks a post.

The first 90 minutes is still the critical window.
But successful posts now enjoy a longer tail—up to 5 days of visibility if they maintain momentum.
Avoid back-to-back posts in the same format, especially text-only—this can suppress performance by up to 20%.

What to do: Post 2–3 times per week. Mix your formats. Monitor engagement patterns to identify your optimal posting time.

9. Posting isn’t the strategy—engagement is

A common pattern we see with executives on LinkedIn: two polished posts a week, then… silence. No replies. No comments on others’ content. No conversations. Just broadcasting into the void.

That’s not a visibility strategy. That’s digital absenteeism.

The data is clear: engagement after publishing is just as important as the post itself.

Comments are currency

Posts that spark dialogue get extended reach and longer feed life. But you have to participate.

What to do:

Respond to every meaningful comment within the first 90 minutes.
Acknowledge perspectives, answer questions, and tag people in replies.
Use names—it encourages future engagement and builds rapport.

Engage beyond your own posts

Showing up consistently in other people’s comment sections signals that you’re active, present, and interested.

What to do:

After publishing, spend 15 minutes commenting on 3–5 relevant posts.
Focus on your peers, customers, or thought leaders in your niche.

Turn comments into conversations

The best posts live beyond their original form. Use your comment section to gather insights and spark new posts or deeper discussions.

What to do:

Highlight strong comments in a follow-up post.
Move good conversations to DMs when appropriate.
Use what you learn to shape future content.

10. Mobile-first content wins

With 72% of engagement happening on mobile, content must be optimized for scrolling.

Vertical images and videos perform 10–40% better than horizontal.
Clean formatting (short paragraphs, lists, white space) increases dwell time.
Over-designed graphics or dense PDFs are penalized.

What to do: Think mobile first in every post. Avoid clutter. Make each post easy to consume at a glance.

11. Dwell time: The silent multiplier

LinkedIn now tracks how long users spend reading your content—even if they don’t interact. That’s called dwell time, and it’s a powerful signal.

The best-performing posts:

Have 300–400 words.
Use 20+ sentences.
Are formatted for easy scanning (bullets, breaks, bold takeaways).

What to do: Tell a story. Deliver a lesson. Give your readers a reason to slow their scroll.

Quick recap: What leaders should focus on in 2025

Engagement is visibility. Commenting, messaging, and responding drives reach more than posting alone.
Mix your formats. Text + image, video, and polls outperform text-only posts significantly.
Avoid posting and ghosting. Stay present in your comments and on others’ content after publishing.
Design for mobile. Use vertical visuals, clean spacing, and structured storytelling.
External links are okay—if framed right. Keep captions short and save links for the end of the post.
Watch your dwell time. Posts that hold attention (300–400 words, formatted for scanning) get rewarded.

Showing up with intent

If you’re leading a team, building influence in your industry, or guiding strategic decisions—your visibility matters. But being visible today doesn’t mean being everywhere. It means being thoughtful, consistent, and relevant.

Post with purpose. Comment with intention. Build relationships in the open. The individuals who create conversation—not just content—are the ones who get seen, heard, and remembered.

These learnings we apply to our own approach and practices. Find out about the Digital Executive Program.

How to approach thought leadership in the age of AI

As AI-generated content becomes more common, many organizations are asking how to stand out with messaging that still feels authentic and strategic. In this blog, Gail Mercer-MacKay shares six essential practices for building meaningful thought leadership in the age of AI — from elevating executive voices to using data with purpose and choosing the right content formats to drive influence.

A customer recently told me, “The reason we brought you in as an extension of our team is because you really understand how to message to different audiences—and how to drive deeper thought leadership into our materials, so we can reach the people we want to reach with value. We sound different with your solutions.”

That feedback stayed with me because it speaks directly to the heart of what we do at Mercer-MacKay: we help organizations articulate their value with greater clarity, confidence, and purpose. We help them sound like themselves—but stronger.

And in a world where AI is now generating content at scale, standing out has never been more important. There’s a growing risk that brands will rely too heavily on AI tools, producing content that lacks direction, depth, or originality.

Thought leadership isn’t about volume. It’s about vision. It’s about having something meaningful to say—and saying it in a way that reflects real experience and real expertise.

Here are six ways we help our clients approach thought leadership in today’s AI-driven landscape:

1. Quality over volume

We’re seeing a shift in strategy. Rather than filling channels with high-frequency content, leading brands are opting to publish fewer pieces that go deeper—content that is original, research-backed, and informed by experience.

These pieces reflect strong points of view and present ideas in a new light or challenge conventional wisdom in a smart, strategic way.

Example: Instead of publishing “5 Benefits of AI,” shift the conversation to something more insightful, such as “Why 90% of AI Initiatives Fail—And How to Beat the Odds.” This reframes the discussion to offer value, spark curiosity, and showcase expertise.

2. Executive-led thought leadership

Audiences want to hear from the people behind the brand—especially those in leadership roles. Content authored by executives, practitioners, and domain experts feels more authentic and carries more weight, particularly in B2B sectors such as technology, healthcare, and professional services.

One of our anchor offerings is the Digital Executive (DEx) Program—a strategy, playbook, and communications guide designed to help executive teams develop and share their unique points of view. We work closely with leadership to ensure their voice aligns with corporate objectives, while still feeling personal and credible.

3. Data-driven authority

Compelling thought leadership is increasingly backed by data. This might include:

- proprietary surveys

- benchmarking reports

- internal metrics

- anonymized customer insights

We often build programs that both share and gather insight. For example, through content syndication or research-driven campaigns, we help clients position themselves as authoritative sources—not just observers in the market. Webinars featuring subject matter experts and aligned to industry trends add further weight and relevance.

4. Strategic use of AI

AI can accelerate parts of the content creation process—from topic ideation to outlining or drafting. But readers can quickly detect AI generated content, as it often feels generic or lacks insight.

It’s best to use generative AI to support speed and structure, especially in SEO-driven content. But when it comes to positioning, layering in human storytelling, executive insight, and strong opinions is key. This ensures the final product reflects the expertise and authenticity of the brand behind it. We’ve found a good blend within our programs that mix AI-written content for SEO metrics with true thought leadership content for positioning as original thinkers.

5. Expanding formats

Thought leadership isn’t confined to blogs and whitepapers anymore. Modern audiences expect a mix of formats—ones that match how they consume information in their daily lives.

We encourage clients to think about:

- LinkedIn posts

- short-form videos

- podcasts

- expert interviews

- infographics

- live AMA (Ask Me Anything) sessions

Offering content in multiple formats helps you meet your audience where they are and engage them more effectively.

6. A call for boldness

Content that plays it safe rarely leaves an impression. Today’s most effective thought leaders are embracing bold predictions, challenging outdated norms, and offering a strong point of view—as long as it’s supported by evidence.

We often work with clients to refine and express their position with courage and clarity. Being original and authentic sometimes means being vulnerable, and many organizations hesitate there. But that’s often where the deepest connections happen—when your audience sees that you’re willing to lead with conviction.

Next steps for leaders

As AI continues to evolve, so must our approach to leadership and influence. The organizations that succeed will be the ones who use AI to support speed—but lean on lived expertise and human insight to shape their message.

If you’re ready to elevate your voice and refine your leadership strategy, we’d love to show you how we can help.