No matter whether you’re an electrician, plumber, dentist, or lawyer, odds are good that you deal with vigorous local competition in your area every day. However, even if you are the newcomer to your field, you can use a strong online presence to build advantages over your rivals.

If your market competition still relies on traditional media methods such as the phone directory to attract customers, you have an amazing opportunity to leverage online branding and level the playing field.

Even if your competitors have a major advantage in “word of mouth” and repeat business, you still have the opportunity to be the most visible option out there when it comes to new customers who haven’t had a chance to use services like yours yet.

Regardless of your budget or how long your business has been around, the key to doing it all is thought leadership.

Thought Leadership Is The Persuasive Lever That Moves People To Choose You

The more time and energy you invest in thought leadership, the more you will outpace local companies that don’t prioritize the process of communicating with customers.

Thought leadership means becoming aware of the needs of your customer base and using your online platform to create focused, insightful, knowledgeable answers that connect with them.

You demonstrate thought leadership by evaluating what your customers are searching for and then creating content that meets a specific need at the exact moment online viewers have it.

Content can come in the form of:

— Video content on platforms like YouTube where you discuss important issues.
— Written articles your customers can review to get answers to common questions.
— Social media conversations that help direct customers to the resources they need.
— Interactive content, such as online seminars, that create a sense of community.

Many “established” businesses fail to demonstrate thought leadership because they feel like they are “giving things away.” However, it’s important to understand that customers come from an outside perspective: They don’t know the ins and outs of your industry, and if they don’t have evidence that you can help them, they won’t feel confident in working with you.

Thought leadership is crucial to building your brand online and motivating your potential customers to trust you. At Net Advantage Media, our SEO company has helped hundreds of New York City clients revitalize their brand image online, and we can do the same for you. To learn the details, call or email us today for a free consultation and local competition analysis.