• Table of Contents

  • How to Build a Thought Leadership Platform as a CMO
  • Let’s Get One Thing Straight: You’re Not a “Brand Evangelist”
  • Step 1: Define Your Strategic POV (And No, “Customer-Centric” Doesn’t Count)
  • Ask Yourself:
  • Step 2: Pick Your Arena (Spoiler: It’s Not Just LinkedIn)
  • Own Your Channels:
  • Step 3: Say Something That Actually Matters
  • Step 4: Build a Content Engine, Not a Content Calendar
  • Here’s a simple framework:
  • Step 5: Collaborate Strategically (Not Desperately)
  • Look for:
  • Step 6: Measure What Actually Matters
  • Real KPIs:
  • Truth Bomb:

How to Build a Thought Leadership Platform as a CMO

CMOs, it’s time to stop playing it safe. Building a thought leadership platform isn’t about posting inspirational quotes on LinkedIn or recycling the same tired playbook. It’s about owning your voice, challenging the status quo, and becoming the strategic force your industry didn’t know it needed. Here’s how to build a platform that actually moves the needle—and your career.

Let’s Get One Thing Straight: You’re Not a “Brand Evangelist”

If I see one more CMO describe themselves as a “brand evangelist,” I might start a GoFundMe for a new thesaurus. You’re not here to preach. You’re here to lead. And leadership—real leadership—means having a point of view that’s sharp enough to cut through the noise and bold enough to make people uncomfortable (in a good way).

Building a thought leadership platform as a CMO isn’t about being liked. It’s about being respected. It’s about being the person who says what everyone else is thinking but doesn’t have the guts (or the data) to say out loud.

Step 1: Define Your Strategic POV (And No, “Customer-Centric” Doesn’t Count)

Your platform starts with a point of view. Not a mission statement. Not a tagline. A real, strategic, possibly controversial perspective on where your industry is headed—and what everyone’s getting wrong.

Ask Yourself:

• What’s the biggest lie my industry tells itself?
• What do I believe that most people in my field would disagree with?
• What’s the one thing I wish more CMOs would admit?

That’s your fuel. That’s your fire. That’s your platform.

Step 2: Pick Your Arena (Spoiler: It’s Not Just LinkedIn)

Yes, LinkedIn is the obvious choice. But if your entire platform lives and dies on a social network that throttles your reach unless you post every 12 minutes, you’re building on rented land.

Own Your Channels:

• Substack for long-form essays that showcase your strategic thinking
• LinkedIn for distribution and engagement
• YouTube or Spotify for video/podcast content
• Your company blog (if it doesn’t suck)

And don’t forget earned media. Get quoted. Get interviewed. Get published. If you’re not showing up in industry publications, you’re not playing the game at the right level.

Step 3: Say Something That Actually Matters

Here’s a radical idea: instead of posting “5 Tips for Better Marketing,” try writing something that makes your peers stop scrolling and start thinking. Something like:

• “Why Most CMOs Are Just Fancy Project Managers”
• “The Death of the Funnel: Why B2B Marketing Needs a New Model”
• “Marketing Attribution Is a Lie (And Here’s the Data to Prove It)”

These aren’t just hot takes. They’re conversation starters. They’re positioning tools. They’re how you build a reputation as someone who doesn’t just follow trends—you set them.

Step 4: Build a Content Engine, Not a Content Calendar

Most CMOs treat content like a chore. Something to check off a list. But if you want to build a real platform, you need a system that turns your ideas into assets—at scale.

Here’s a simple framework:

• Anchor Content: Monthly long-form essays or videos that showcase your POV
• Micro Content: Break those down into short posts, quotes, and clips
• Distribution: Use email, social, and syndication to get it in front of the right people
• Engagement: Respond to comments, start debates, and build relationships

This isn’t about going viral. It’s about building intellectual equity over time.

Step 5: Collaborate Strategically (Not Desperately)

Partnerships are powerful—but only if they’re aligned with your platform. Don’t jump on every podcast or panel just because someone asked. Be selective. Be strategic.

Look for:

• Other CMOs with complementary (or opposing) viewpoints
• Industry analysts and journalists who shape the narrative
• Founders and VCs who influence where the money flows

And when you collaborate, don’t just show up. Show out. Bring the heat. Make it memorable.

Step 6: Measure What Actually Matters

Vanity metrics are for interns. If you’re serious about building a platform, track impact—not impressions.

Real KPIs:

• Inbound speaking invites from top-tier events
• Mentions in industry media and analyst reports
• Executive-level connections and DMs
• Recruiting pull—are top marketers reaching out to work with you?
• Influence on company strategy and board-level conversations

If your content isn’t changing how people think—or how your company operates—it’s not leadership. It’s noise.

Truth Bomb: