Byline articles, often called thought leadership content, are a valuable part of any company’s communications strategy. In marketing communications and PR services, strong bylines can be used to establish spokesperson and/or company credibility on a certain topic, increase media exposure, promote brand visibility within an industry, and enhance SEO presence by drawing readers to the company’s website. The following are important elements to consider in order to produce a captivating byline article.
Clearly Define the Purpose
The first step in writing a compelling byline is identifying its purpose. Start by asking yourself the following questions:
- Does your byline demonstrate your expertise and deepen readers’ understanding of a specific subject?
- Are you leveraging your byline as a strategic marketing asset to elevate your brand?
- Are you seeking to influence public opinion or reshape perceptions on key industry issues?
- Does improving your SEO ranking play a crucial role in your content strategy?
Know Your Audience
Before you begin writing your byline, consider who your intended audience is. The byline’s content should be valuable to its readers, and the key is making sure the content is accessible and concise. When identifying your audience, consider the following readership categories:
- General audience: Keep it simple— Avoid complex concepts and using technical jargon. Accessibility is key to casting a wide net when engaging a broad audience.
- Potential clients/customers: Offer unique insights and solutions readers cannot find elsewhere. Potential customers want to see you as a leader in the space who can help them achieve their goals and solve problems.
- Stakeholders: Be a knowledge partner—Demonstrate your expertise, reassuring stakeholders that they are working with knowledgeable and trusted individuals and organizations.
- Industry professionals: Highlighting your expertise establishes credibility, authority, and enhances visibility within your industry. This positions you as a go-to expert in your field, enabling you to shape discussions, identify and interpret trends, and assess the direction an industry is taking.
Crafting Your Byline
After determining the purpose of your byline and identifying its intended audience, the next step is content creation. Establishing a list of “Do’s” and “Don’ts” can help you craft a strong and compelling byline article.
DO:
- Provide value: Offer expert insights, advice, present new ideas or solutions to educate your readers based on your unique knowledge or experience, positioning yourself as a trusted authority on the subject.
- Be authentic: Authenticity is key when it comes to writing as a thought leader. Honesty and transparency in conveying your message not only reflect your true voice but also foster trust with your audience, thereby enhancing your credibility.
- Make it relevant: Relevancy is key in thought leadership writing. Focusing on trending topics will capture the attention of your audience, encouraging them to read and engage with your timely content. Additionally, demonstrating that you keep up to date on industry developments reinforces your expertise. Creating relevant content not only engages your audience but also establishes your authority, provides valuable insights, fosters connections with readers, and boosts your visibility in search engines through SEO and social media platforms such as LinkedIn.
- Be consistent: Regularly contribute bylined articles on a variety of subject matters to demonstrate your expertise in a field. This can be accomplished by building a relationship with a target publication and regularly producing articles on specific topics and placing them in relevant industry-specific outlets. Creating a content calendar can help you stay on track and organized with your contributions.
- Promote your article: Share your piece across your network! Utilize social media platforms such as LinkedIn to drive traffic to the article’s landing page. Sharing your work on LinkedIn is a great way to increase visibility within your sector and opens opportunities for connections and interactions that could lead to new client relationships.
DON’T
- Self-promote: Your byline should not serve as a company advertisement or sales pitch. Prioritize sharing your expertise, keeping key messaging in mind that reflects the values and benefits of your brand or company from an unbiased lens.
- Reinvent the wheel: Your writing should offer a fresh perspective to stand out in an oversaturated and crowded market that hooks the attention of readers and keeps them engaged. Offering a forward-thinking, unique viewpoint builds credibility, sparks discussions, and reinforces your position as an industry expert.
- Over explain: Remember to always keep your target audience in mind. Unless you are communicating with industry experts, keep your content brief and non-technical. As a thought leader, keeping articles concise and to the point allows you to effectively communicate your thoughts and insights, enhance readability, and maintain strong overall reader engagement.
Byline articles play a key role in establishing trust and credibility, increasing media exposure, promoting brand visibility, and improving SEO. By clearly identifying the purpose of your byline, knowing your intended audience, and adhering to best practices in writing content, you can craft compelling byline articles that position you and your company as influential industry thought leaders.