09/09/2025
Don't skip this exclusive quickfire Q&A with a top PR expert❗️
Toni Rajamäki, Director, PR & Media Relations, at San Francisco Agency, shares his insights on how to build thought leadership for your brand and for your experts 👇
☑️ Where should you start if you don’t have a thought leadership strategy?
You don’t need a full-blown company-wide strategy to begin with, especially if you’re focusing on building expert status for just your CEO, for example. Start with a light individual plan that aligns with your brand’s key messages and your CEO’s personal brand.
Begin by defining what your brand wants to say and how your CEO’s perspective supports that. What makes your CEO stand out in their field? What’s their niche? Once the broader themes are clear, create a topic pool, a content plan, and a content calendar.
☑️ What are the main channels for thought leadership?
It depends on who you are, your industry, and your goals. But some channels are obvious.
LinkedIn is often the go-to platform: it’s accessible, efficient, and delivers quick results. That said, traditional media still plays a vital role in building credibility. Few things signal authority like being featured in media, whether through interviews or op-eds.
Don’t overlook PR. It’s often the most challenging part, but also the most valuable. You should also explore short-form videos tailored to the tone of each platform, and seek out speaking opportunities at relevant events.
☑️ Can we ghostwrite our CEO’s social media posts?
Absolutely – and you should. Most C-level executives don’t have the time (or, frankly, the writing skills) to handle this themselves. That’s what communication professionals are for. As long as the ideas and opinions are genuinely theirs, it doesn’t matter who puts the words together. Everyone wins.
☑️ Who are some of the best thought leaders to benchmark against?
Start with Simon Sinek, Reid Hoffman, and Azeem Azhar.
