If you ask a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT or Google Gemini to solve your customers' pain points, it will give you an answer based on the easiest-to-verify information. That often includes published articles, consistent founder commentaries, structured product pages and other third-party references. If those answers do not include your brand, these learning models default to featuring your competitors.
Executives who have been in their industries for decades will likely remember the days of long-form think pieces in prestigious publications. Those media mentions were the gold standard for showcasing thought leadership and building brand awareness.
In today's hyper-competitive marketplace, thought leadership has evolved from a marketing buzzword into a strategic business imperative. It's no longer enough to merely join the conversation - lasting advantage belongs to those who shape it.