Stop Following, Start Leading: 6 Article Writing Examples Sure to Blow Your Mind
Everyone wants to be recognized as Da Man in their industry—demonstrated by bold, unique, trailblazing content that has audiences hanging onto every word. But in reality, beefy thought-leadership content is rarer than a red-center steak.
And that’s how it should be. If every steak is special, none of them are special. It’s just “what’s for dinner.”
Done properly, article writing can very well be thought leadership—and thought leadership can be a way to stand out from the grisly competition that’s been the norm in today’s marketing landscape.
Question is, how do you elevate your blog post and articles so they’re “a cut above” and actually satisfy the craving for hearty, high-quality information?
Whilst there are different types of articles, we’ll dive into the top 6 article writing examples so you know exactly what it takes to craft juicy thought leadership content.
Is your coffee cup filled to the brim and your feet kicked up? Alright, let’s do this thing!
Example #1: Alarming Cybersecurity Stats: What You Need to Know for 2021 (Forbes)
You can’t possibly mention the word “thought leadership” without throwing Forbes right in the mix. The publication is, quite frankly, the epitome of industry-leading, marketing-shaping content. And this particular article is a testament to that fact.
From the article title itself to the mind-blowingly accurate stats in between the succinct paragraphs, everything in here reads like it’s written by a thought leader. And it is. You can tell the author was going all out for the perfect steak. Nothing less.
Why we love it:
- The entire article doesn’t put a foot wrong in terms of grammar, articulation, and the arrangement of ideas. Call it perfection if you may.
- It employs crisp research and incisive reporting to a tee. Referencing primary sources every few sentences makes the piece all the more substantive.
- It’s comprehensible, relatable, chewable (cheers to the yummy steaks in here!), and a real eye-opener in many ways. You’d think it was put together by a junior high school graduate while in essence, a Cybersecurity subject matter expert had to brave the cold for a few nights to put it down.
The bottom-line? You don’t have to be a thought leader to compile thought leadership articles. With nothing more than in-depth research, discipline of mind, and exposure to the common types of articles out there, you can whip together articles that leave audiences singing your name like it’s the national anthem
Example #2: ‘A Cool Destination to Just Start Over’: Burned-Out Millennials are Flocking to Portugal (Grow)
News articles aficionados, this one is for you. Admittedly, crafting a high-ranking Forbes-esque news article is the hardest thing there is— right next to convincing Putin to tone down with the Ukraine attacks.
Jokes aside, this Grow piece is truly a piece of article writing genius. You can tell the writer wasn’t just in Portugal to feast her eyes on the majestic Park and National Place of Pena or the sensationally beautiful Belem Tower. She went down and under, collecting information from reliable sources and exploring the topic at hand with such adeptness and verve that you’d mistake her for a journalist. And yes, she actually did visit Belem Tower (wink!)
Why we love it:
- It’s a detailed article in every meaning of the word. Needless to say, 200-word articles rarely make it to page #25 of Google, let alone the first page.
- It reels in internet sources and original sources with such acute seamlessness and dexterity.
- Zero grammatical errors in the entire piece. Five bucks, I actually passed this piece through Grammarly just to be sure. Now that’s a master (or should I say mistress?) at work!
- It follows the news style of writing down to the last detail. There’s even a video at the start for that extra dash of authority and clarity.
- It’s perfection in the written word. Simple as that.
Example #3: How to Avoid Bad Client Experiences by Setting Boundaries and Aligning Values (American Express)
Who said the how-to type of article can’t educate, clarify, and provide thought leadership at the same time?
The American Express Business Class blog proves the doubters wrong by putting together a string of how-to articles that scream juicy insight right from the off. And this one right here is no exception.
Post after post, idea after idea, insight after insight, American Express have leveraged the power of thought leadership content to pull masses their way. They’re no longer following the industry conversation.
Why we love it:
- It adheres to the acceptable format for article writing without fail. The article title, writer’s name, body, and conclusion sections are all masterfully written. A quick peek at this piece will reveal the inverted-pyramid style at its majestic best.
- It quotes the original source as is the norm—all in way that feels natural and unforced.
- It incorporates a glance-worthy, well-ideated summary section. Granted, you’ll feel like an industry leader immediately you lay eyes on the first 100 or so words of this piece.
- It does the one thing that most article writing examples in this blog don’t—it hits the reader right in the gut and makes them want more of the nuggets being delivered. At one moment, the reader feels like they’re reading one of John Green’s emotional masterpieces.
The bottom line? The process of article writing doesn’t have to be dull, professor-like, and devoid of emotions for it to drive maximum impact. After all, you’re writing for humans, not robots.
#4: Tested: The Best Camping Tents for 2022 (REI Co-op)
Lifestyle articles don’t come much better than this. Other than providing distinctive thought leadership that cuts through the noise, this REI article (and many more on their website) approaches the topic at hand with remarkable depth and non-bias.
Ultimately, this article wins both hearts and minds, and it does so by perfectly blending the professional with the personal. Plus, every tent highlighted here is tried, tested, and approved, which instantly removes the possibility of the piece being perceived as ho-hum or inept.
Why we love it:
- Distinct writing style—hint: upbeat yet professional—that edifies and educates in equal measure
- Where it lacks in author-page citation or lecture notes, it compliments with perfectly-placed inbound links that point to real tents with real capabilities
- Claims are factually backed by test results that were dully conducted before the article saw the light of day. Nothing here looks or feels scripted.
- A powerful article title that leaves no room for skepticism
The bottom line? No matter the type of article you’re handling, it’s possible to make it rank for thought leadership as long as it’s curated by experts. It’s even better if you can suggest products within your catalog that fulfill the needs brought up in the articles. That way, you’ll be eating you cake and having it at the same time (here’s to more eat-it have-it moments!)
#5: Tipping the Balance of Autism: Potential Mechanisms Linking Pesticides and Autism (NCBI)
Review articles fanatics, we know you’ve been earnestly waiting for this moment.
Breathe…here we are.
This NCBI article is like none other in this rundown. That’s because it pulls together all the quirks of conventional article writing: author-page citation, lecture notes, peer review, quotation marks, inverted pyramid style, sample citation…name them. And it does so seamlessly.
If your brand is all about the technical stuff, then this article writing example will make every last one your goosebumps rise.
Why we love it:
- Nil grammatical errors (read: z-e-r-o)
- Neat, well-expounded article title that grabs attention right from the off
- Stats, stats, and some more stats—after all, an article is only half as good as the facts it’s build upon
That said, most modern articles (think: magazine articles, newspaper articles, etc.) don’t follow this writing style as it’s already overtaken by the hands of time. Unless, of course, all your target readers are Harvard graduates, sworn techies, or something in between.
I mean, who still writes article paragraphs 20 sentences long? Which reader still gets excited by bland copy and lifeless inferences? Hint: not today’s time-strapped reader who’s only got 37 seconds to spend on a blog post.
The bottom line? Embrace fact-backed article writing in all its glory. However, be careful not to end up with drab, dreary copy that leaves readers wishing they’d rather have spent those precious seconds trying out their singing voice.
#6: Can You Measure Trust Within Your Organization? (Deloitte)
Talking of the modern reader…
Boy are they hard to impress!
Unless your content is relevant, personal, credible, and forward-thinking, it won’t unsettle them one bit. It won’t make them smack their lips in anticipation the way a juicy piece of meat does. Oops.
That’s definitely not the case with Deloitte articles. These are an art in themselves, and are woven with the kind of adroitness (pun intended) and finesse that’d put a gym instructor to shame. This right here is no exception.
Why we love it:
- It’s incredibly catchy—from the article title right to the closing remarks
- Its harnesses the brain power of three highly-rated thought leaders—I mean, what could possibly go wrong with such a piece?
- And yes, it’s proactive and personal as it’s credible and audience-focused
The bottom line? If your articles can’t provide a new perspective, idea, or thought, then they’re best left unwritten. An industry parrot is the last thing you want to be.
Let Zoey Pick the Perfect Spot for Your Article Writing Steak
Developing and ideating high-level content that gets you plenty of clicks, social shares, comments, and other attention is challenging, but it’s worth every bite.
You don’t need an abundance of pepper or sauce. You just need a little salt (industry-shaping insight) and seasoning (brand personality).
If you, like us, love a drool-worthy piece of meat, let’s talk article writing. Fill out our contact form, and we’ll be in touch.
Photo by Pixabay from Pexels: Thanks Pixabay : )
