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How to Be a Thought Leader in the Healthcare Space

During this pandemic, many professionals have stood out as thought leaders in the healthcare space to provide insight into the coronavirus. The entire world is looking for answers to the coronavirus and reporters are leaning toward doctors, researchers, and COVID-19 test suppliers for an explanation. Whether thought leaders focus on COVID-19 antibody tests or a new vaccine, their platform can help everyone through this difficult time. Below are some key tips for becoming a thought leader in the healthcare space.

Advocate for Something You Care About

To be a thought leader, you need to focus on a topic you know and understand. Thought leaders know the ins and outs of a particular topic and have a good foundation of research to support their claims. Stating facts while acknowledging your professional experience will help sustain your credibility.

Healthcare continuously evolves as professionals test new ideas and produce unique results. If you want to highlight your work and reach a larger audience, you can establish your brand by publishing a blog, book or podcast.

Be Creative and Publish

To stand out as a thought leader in the healthcare space, consider publishing a book, blog, or podcast about your topic of interest. Starting a blog is free when you use a website design platform like Wix or WordPress. You should make your blog posts about 1,600 words and keep your blog up-to-date by adding new content frequently. Writing a book is another option, and there are a variety of ways to publish in today’s digital age. Consider self-publishing an eBook or paperback using Kindle Direct Publishing. The program allows your book to be on Kindle stores worldwide within 24 to 48 hours.

Podcasts are an alternative to writing. Your audience can listen to your point-of-view on any digital device on a consistent basis. Spotify, Apple, and Google are websites that allow you to post your podcast online. Research shows that 80 percent of podcast listeners keep listening to a podcast after the first week. A successful podcast has a new episode at least once a week. It is also important to encourage listeners to subscribe to your show at the beginning or end of each episode. A microphone, microphone stand, and headphones are useful tools to produce quality audio recordings. Use Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook to promote your work as well.

Stay Active on Social Media

Building your credibility is easy with a solid LinkedIn page. This social media platform helps you stay connected with colleagues and companies in your industry. You can highlight your professional experience by sharing your resume, work skills, and accomplishments. You can also promote your blog, book, or podcast on this platform while targeting health professionals with relevant hashtags. For instance, the hashtag #health has over two million LinkedIn followers. Include hashtags within your social media posts to reach individuals and companies that are interested in the topic. Although LinkedIn is a good source to build your professional network, Twitter and Facebook are platforms that can keep you connected with friends and supporters. Consider creating accounts on all three social media sites.

Turn to Other Experts to Get Your Message Out

Many people hire experts such as a healthcare public relations firms to reach their target audience. Public relations professionals can help you create and maintain your social media pages, connect you with reporters in the industry, develop your website, and implement a newsletter campaign. Find a public relations company, like The Hoyt Organization, that specializes in the healthcare industry, as they already have relationships with health reporters.

There are many ways to become a thought leader in the healthcare industry, but you have to identify which strategy works best for you.

~hoytorg