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For months, LinkedIn has been extending invitations, handpicking me as an expert in my field to contribute to e-commerce articles. I recently accepted their latest invitation, focused on exploring thought leadership in e-commerce.
Becoming an e-commerce thought leader involves critical steps that significantly impact your journey. To thrive, investing time to acquire knowledge, establish expertise, and build industry credibility is paramount. Crafting a unique perspective further distinguishes you in the e-commerce sphere.
Define your niche
Defining your niche is pivotal. You may specialize in platforms like Oracle B2C Commerce, Shopify, or BigCommerce, or opt for a focus between B2C and B2B. Regardless of your choice, addressing industry challenges becomes essential. Technical expertise is prevalent among e-commerce leaders, enhancing credibility even if you're not a full-stack engineer. Acquiring technical knowledge is invaluable in this inherently technical landscape.
Create quality content
Crafting quality content is pivotal to establishing yourself as an e-commerce thought leader.
Platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube offer diverse formats—articles, videos, images—to showcase your expertise.
Provide quality content - Your content isn't just about flexing your know-how; it's a chance to introduce fresh perspectives. Sharing different viewpoints enriches the e-commerce scene with new knowledge and growth.
Be consistent - While creating engaging content and optimizing it for SEO are crucial, consistency is key. Regularly offering valuable insights and engaging your audience builds a loyal following and solidifies your position as an industry voice.
Build your network
Building your network is pivotal to becoming a thought leader in every fields including the field of e-commerce. Your network should encompass various players, including experts from different e-commerce domains such as technical experts and specialists in areas like E-commerce Platforms, Digital Marketing, and Supply Chain Management.
Personally, I prefer engaging in diverse events to expand my network, including attending industry conferences. However, due to the cost involved in travel, I often opt for online forums, groups, and various channels such as online events, podcasts, guest posts, and collaborations to connect and build relationships.
Showcase your results
Showcasing successful projects and achievements is vital for a thought leader. This display attracts attention, builds trust, and opens new opportunities.
To exhibit expertise, prioritize measurable project results. Highlight measurable outcomes, successes, or enhancements achieved. Tangible results enhance credibility and illustrate your value.
Additionally, seek feedback or testimonials from clients, collaborators, or colleagues. Incorporating these endorsements in your showcase boosts credibility and validation.
Keep learning
Continuous learning remains essential for leaders, particularly within the ever-evolving landscape of e-commerce. Staying current with technological advancements and shifts in the e-commerce ecosystem is crucial for us as thought leaders.
There are diverse ways to stay informed: from following expert news sites and engaging with books to enrolling in online courses, participating in targeted bootcamps, exploring podcasts and blogs, and attending informative webinars.
Personally, I prioritize investing in online executive certificates offered by various universities. While some content serves as a refresher, these courses often introduce novel best practices and perspectives. Additionally, networking with new professionals in my field expands my connections and keeps me at the forefront of industry developments.
Cheers,
Dom LeRoux
Web/E-commerce Project Manager
