Thought Leadership Writing for Impact, Not for Algorithms | Ann Smith of A.wordsmith

What makes thought leadership worth reading when the internet is flooded with low-quality writing? Ann Smith, founder and president of A.wordsmith in Portland, Oregon, joins Abbie Fink and Dr. Adrian McIntyre to talk about building thought leadership as a strategy rather than a string of one-off articles. 🌐 Season 6, Episode 4 • Originally published as an audio podcast on February 27, 2025. 💻 Show notes and transcript: https://prgnpodcast.com/episode/writi... Ann explains how one well-researched white paper, built on real conversations with subject matter experts, can feed blogs, social posts and bylined articles pitched to editors. She recalls the day a large tech client ran one of her team’s papers through ChatGPT, got a set of blogs back and thought they looked pretty good. That pushed her firm to settle its own AI policy and talking points. AI is useful for summarizing user submissions, brainstorming event themes and finding media sources, she says, but she doesn’t want it writing her first drafts. When Adrian asks how to make the case for better writing amid so much noise, Ann admits she hates writing for SEO and argues for content aimed squarely at a specific audience. She closes with how to set goals for a content program and amplify each piece once it is published. KEY TAKEAWAYS • Treat thought leadership as a campaign strategy with goals and measurement, not a series of one-off articles. • One well-researched white paper can feed a whole series of blogs, social posts and bylined articles. • AI is useful for summarizing, brainstorming and media research, but thought leadership still depends on real conversations with real experts. • Write for a specific, specialized audience rather than padding content for SEO. • Publications are hungry for good writing, which makes contributed bylines a strong channel for experts with something to say. --------------------------------------- ABOUT THE GUEST Ann Smith is founder and president of A.wordsmith, a boutique firm in Portland, Oregon, specializing in writing services, public relations, branding and communications strategy. She has more than two decades of agency and corporate experience, including account management for global companies at Weber Shandwick and Standing Partnership. She founded and hosted the podcast “All Shine, No Flash®” and wrote both editions of “100 Things to Do in Portland Before You Die.” • Learn more: https://prgn.com/agency/a-wordsmith-w... • Connect with Ann:   / annrsmith   --------------------------------------- ABOUT THE HOSTS Abbie Fink is president of HMA Public Relations, the oldest continuously operating PR firm in Arizona and a founding member of PRGN. • Learn more: https://prgn.com/agency/hma-public-re... • Connect with Abbie:   / abbiesfink   Dr. Adrian McIntyre is an anthropologist and communications advisor specializing in the marketing and selling of expertise. He is a founding partner at Speed of Story, where he helps entrepreneurial experts and boutique firms clarify their positioning, package their intellectual property, market their premium services, and get paid for their thinking, not their time. • Learn more: https://adrianmcintyre.com/ • Connect with Adrian:   / adrianmcintyre   --------------------------------------- CHAPTERS 00:00 Podcast Intro 00:59 Meet Ann Smith of A.wordsmith 01:24 The State of Thought Leadership Content 04:09 Thought Leadership as a Strategy, Not a Tactic 05:52 Turning Research Into a Content Campaign 07:46 Where AI Helps and Where It Falls Short 12:34 AI Writing: A Tool, Not the Final Draft 15:28 Cutting Through a Flood of Low-Quality Content 19:28 Building a Content Strategy That Gets Amplified 22:36 Podcast Outro --------------------------------------- 🌐 PRGN Presents features conversations with members of the Public Relations Global Network. No matter where you do business, there is a PRGN member agency in your region with the deep industry expertise, international experience, and local market knowledge you need to connect with your target audience and achieve your goals. Find a PR firm near you: https://prgn.com/pr-agencies/