Rethinking thought leadership for an AI world

Hello, 

Let’s be honest, AI’s made it easier than ever to guild the lily. It’s left the internet full of perfect-sounding takes with nothing underneath. With so much noise, we’re all craving something real, something that actually makes us think.

Quality thought leadership should satisfy that gap. And it’s been front of mind for us after a run of industry events, from GITEX to AdTech London and Fintech talents this week, where every stage was filled with bold predictions and big ideas. But the moments that stuck weren’t just the ones under the spotlight; they were also the honest, unpolished conversations that followed, often over coffee or LinkedIn.

Shaped by those experiences and our client work, this month’s newsletter is your thought-leadership field guide: how to build credibility through authenticity and use your platform to turn ideas into real influence.

Step 1: Credibility through authenticity

Too often, thought leadership becomes a string of slogans or soundbites. Now, as a strategic communications agency, we do love a juicy soundbite – but it can’t be the foundation of a quality content plan. True thought leadership begins with a view you can stand behind, even a platform you can own. Then you need to prove your position not just by sharing opinions, but by sharing the lessons, evidence, and intent that shape your perspective.

That kind of openness earns trust, which is more crucial than ever in the age of AI. As the Financial Times notes, AI can produce convincing words without conviction. That means your audience’s trust and your credibility now depend on transparency. Demonstrated brilliantly by Kevin Bett’s ‘Trust Funnel’ on TikTok.

Step 2: Thought leadership isn’t a side hustle

A single blog or reactive LinkedIn update might spark attention for a moment, but a flash in the pan will never build long-term credibility. We often have leaders come to With in need of a strategy after realising their piecemeal approach isn’t moving the needle. As Rhea Wessel notes in her Forbes article ‘Random Acts of Thought Leadership,’ without a clear strategy, these moments don’t add up, and they scatter instead of shaping how the market sees you.

True influence comes from purpose, from treating thought leadership as a connected system designed to shift behaviours. The leaders and brands that move perception are the ones whose every post, panel, and article ladder up to a clear narrative and a meaningful goal. 

Step 3: The art (and ROI) of being seen where it matters

For leaders, Tier 1 media remains the ultimate credibility driver, a fact even more important as language models are trained to prioritise these trusted sources. At With, we’re experts in landing our clients’ ideas in these high-trust environments, from The Telegraph to Financial Times’ The Banker. 

Most teams fall at the final hurdle. They secure great coverage, then drop a lone link on LinkedIn, job done. But whether you love it or hate it, LinkedIn is another crucial arena. As the single biggest driver of social-media traffic to corporate websites, accounting for 64 per cent, it’s unmatched for building visibility and credibility where it counts.

The platform’s algorithm increasingly rewards what audiences actually value: editorial-style posts, short videos and smart graphics that deliver real insight. It’s not about ticking the multi-format box; it’s about building a cohesive plan where message, medium and timing work together. 

Take FutureBrand CSO Jon Tipple’s LinkedIn. When we secured him an op-ed in The Drum on Pizza Hut’s UK franchise collapse, we didn’t stop at the article. Within 24 hours, we’d posted on LinkedIn, pairing the story with a bespoke, thumb-stopping image (not stock or company-branded images, which are both massive turn-offs). We made sure the post could stand on its own and hit while the story was still hot.

The result? Over 24,000 impressions, 76% at director level or above, including senior Pizza Hut execs, ten times Jon’s usual reach. Proof that when timing, tone and creative align, LinkedIn delivers real influence.

Thank you for reading,

The With Editor

Agencies become ‘risk whisperers’ on AI and IP

As AI-generated content floods the market, clients aren’t just asking what’s possible; they’re asking what’s safe. The fallout from OpenAI’s Sora 2 has pushed copyright, permissions and transparency to the top of the agenda, and agencies are being called on to lead the conversation.

LINK: Digiday: “Sora 2 copyright calculations highlight new role for agencies as risk whisperers” 

Less talk, more traction: turning thinking into action

In her latest piece, Director Vicki Harper asks: What’s the point of thought leadership? After weeks spent at events from GITEX to HETT, Vicki reflects on what separates the thinkers from the doers, and why performance, focus and consistency are the true measures of thought leadership.

LINK: With website blog page (uploaded tomorrow)

Turning LinkedIn strategy into 103% growth for Shipup

Discover how With delivered a two-pronged campaign that led to a 103% increase in new followers on Shipup’s LinkedIn profile in just three months, positioning them at the forefront of eCommerce conversations in the UK.

LINK: https://welcometowith.com/case-study/shipup-case-study/