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Earned Placement: Embracing Thought Leadership by Behtash Moojedi

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Earned Placement: Embracing Thought Leadership 

The secret to dental marketing success

by Behtash Moojedi

“Content is king.” How often have you heard that statement? As a marketer, I can confirm it’s true, but there’s more to it. In the digital age, outstanding content is increasingly essential for gaining traction in marketing, especially for dental entrepreneurs. When talking to dentists, the No. 1 question I get is if they need a website, and the second question is how to succeed on social media.

What’s really behind those questions? As a dentist and entrepreneur, you want to find the best way to communicate effectively with your patients and create real ROI value for their online efforts.

The short answer to both of the questions is: Yes, you need to be everywhere your customers and prospects are and can search for you, including your website, social media and more.

Instead of focusing solely on channels like websites and social media, let’s dive deeper into the foundation of success across all touchpoints with your audience: thought leadership.


Position yourself as a trusted expert
As a dental entrepreneur, it’s easy to get caught up in the day-today operations of your practice. However, taking a step back and thinking strategically about your dental marketing efforts is important. While marketing channels are important, they should not be the sole focus of your efforts; instead, you should consider the strategy that best fits your business. And the only way to do so is to develop thought leadership in your personal and professional brand.

Thought leadership is a concept that refers to the process of establishing oneself or an organization as an authority, expert or influencer within a specific industry or area of expertise. Thought leaders are recognized for their innovative ideas, unique perspectives and ability to inspire and guide others. Thought leadership can be achieved through various methods, such as creating and sharing valuable content, engaging in public speaking, conducting research, writing books or articles and participating in social media discussions. The primary goal of thought leadership is to foster trust and credibility, attract new followers and ultimately affect the decision-making of other individuals or organizations.

In a business context, thought leadership can be used as a marketing strategy to build brand awareness, generate leads and establish a company’s reputation as a reliable source of knowledge and expertise. Thought leaders can be CEOs, entrepreneurs, academics, researchers or professionals with extensive experience and knowledge in their respective fields.


Focus on great content, not algorithms
While working as a marketer, I witnessed a great change in Google algorithms. Back in the day, webmasters used to try to rank for all keywords using multiple variations of the same keyword, implemented keyword stuffing, continuously used evergreen content and put all sorts of links, keywords and tags in the footer. Some even used clocking and practically used everything in their power to rank on Google.

In the early 2010s and beyond, Google started implementing changes to improve their search result delivery and punish those who tried to cheat the system. Now, artificial intelligence is getting stronger and more efficient than ever before, and so the pillar of content has shifted to deliver the most relevant result to the users. Google algorithms continuously change over time, shifting the focus to providing the most relevant results to users. So you can either stress over every update, or you can understand the pattern and focus on the success of your content. As a dental entrepreneur, you don’t have time to watch every search engine move; the good news is that you don’t have to.

As an entrepreneur and a dentist, your goal is to first deliver top-of-the- line patient care to those who visit your office and generate profit. And thought leadership would allow you to effectively use your time between providing quality patient care and growing your practice and your professional brand.

Everybody today has cameras and microphones. According to internet live stats, more than a billion websites are active worldwide. More than 300 million pictures get uploaded on social media per day. Do you see why I say the channel doesn’t matter? The key lies in creating the right content.


Get honest and vulnerable
Patients do business with those they like and trust the most, so the content needs to establish that trust factor. Trust comes from vulnerability, integrity and authenticity. What do you think of when you read vulnerability? How do you feel? According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word means the quality or state of being exposed to the possibility of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally. As a business entrepreneur, showing vulnerability in your content is essential to connect with your audience on a deeper level and foster trust. Here are 10 ways to demonstrate vulnerability in your content:
  1. Share personal stories. Talk about your experiences, challenges and failures. This will help your audience understand your business’s human side.
  2. Be open about your struggles. Discuss the obstacles you’ve faced in your journey and how you’ve overcome them. This will not only show vulnerability but also inspire others.
  3. Admit your mistakes. Nobody is perfect, and acknowledging your errors demonstrates humility and a willingness to learn from them.
  4. Show empathy. Understand your audience’s challenges and pain points, and express genuine concern for their well-being.
  5. Be transparent. Openly discuss your business operations, including successes and failures. This will help build trust with your audience.
  6. Ask for feedback. Invite your audience to provide their input on your content or business decisions. This shows that you value their opinions and are willing to grow based on their insights.
  7. Encourage two-way communication. Engage with your audience by responding to their comments, questions or messages. This will create a sense of community and show that you’re approachable.
  8. Address criticism constructively. When faced with negative feedback or criticism, respond respectfully and take it as an opportunity to learn and improve.
  9. Be authentic. Be true to yourself and your values. Don’t try to project an image of perfection; instead, let your genuine personality shine through.
  10. Show gratitude. Acknowledge the support of your audience, team and mentors. Expressing appreciation demonstrates humility and highlights the contributions of others to your success.
Authenticity is also essential in building trust. Aim for honesty, transparency, consistency and accountability in your content.


The pillars of SEO
Now, let’s look at the three pillars of SEO: authority, relevance and experience. Authority, among many factors, comes from creating valuable and informative content relevant to your audience. Consistency is another key to building authority and showing search engines you are serious about your content marketing strategy.

Relevancy and experience are also tied back to authority. All in all, by achieving thought leadership, you can provide exactly what search engines need from you: authority, relevance and experience. In doing so, you create trust between search engines and your business, ensuring your content is valuable, engaging, accessible and beneficial for your audience. Remember, it’s not about marketing channels or Google algorithms; it’s about letting your business drive your marketing success.

So don’t let your marketing channels and Google algorithms define your business; instead, let your business drive your marketing success, whether on Google, social media, email or SMS.


Quality over quantity
Today’s marketing is filled with videos about businesses that discuss “me,” but there is almost no open communication between the audience and the company.

Many times, I hear that generating more content is better; however, content burnout is a real concept. Having three posts over a month with community management and responding to comments is much more valuable than posting a few days and completely ignoring the conversation part. Same with SEO: It’s better to have a blog that strikes up conversation and support from the community and engagement with calls to action rather than having tons of static blogs that have no intent other than to create traffic.

And this is why we should go beyond content marketing to become effective marketers, because it’s not enough to just display or solve the problem. Thought leadership takes a step further and sparks conversations surrounding those problems. Thought leadership creates long-term

sustainability through trust, while content marketing delivers short-term results. That’s the typical way of looking at the two. They are interconnected, and by becoming a thought leader, you will also have a successful content marketing strategy. Why is that? Because you need to be able to describe with intent, spark motivation and trust, create new conversations in the industry, and be part of creation and innovation. Implementing all those factors will allow you to establish trust with your patients and the industry as the subject matter expert and take your business to its true potential.


Improving your identity
To recap, thought leadership can significantly affect the brand identity of a dental practice and the dentist by establishing them as experts and authorities in dentistry. This enhanced reputation can increase trust, credibility and loyalty among patients and colleagues. Here are several ways thought leadership could help improve the brand identity of a dental practice and the dentist:
  1. Expertise and trust. By consistently sharing valuable insights and knowledge on dental health, treatments and industry trends, dentists demonstrate their expertise and commitment to staying current in their field. This expertise fosters trust among patients and peers, leading to a stronger brand identity.
  2. Patient education. Thought leadership enables dentists to educate their patients on various dental topics, including prevention, oral hygiene and treatment options. This empowers patients to make informed decisions about their dental care, improving their overall experience and building a positive association with the dental practice.
  3. Differentiation. Showcasing thought leadership helps a dental practice stand out. By presenting innovative ideas, best practices and cutting-edge techniques, dentists distinguish themselves as leaders in their field, attracting new patients and retaining existing ones.
  4. Networking and collaboration. Thought leadership allows dentists to connect with other professionals in the industry, opening doors for collaboration, referrals and knowledge sharing. This enhances the dentist’s reputation and improves the practice’s brand identity within the professional community.
  5. Community engagement. By engaging with the local community through educational workshops, seminars and charitable events, dentists can position themselves as trusted resources for dental health. This involvement strengthens the practice’s brand identity and fosters a sense of loyalty and commitment among patients.
  6. Media exposure. As a recognized thought leader, the dentist may be invited to contribute articles, speak at conferences or participate in interviews, providing additional visibility and credibility for the dental practice. This media exposure reinforces the practice’s brand identity and can help attract new patients.
  7. Digital presence. A strong online presence—including a professional website, blog and active social media accounts— is essential for showcasing thought leadership. By regularly sharing valuable content and engaging with followers, dentists can establish a distinctive online brand identity that resonates with patients and colleagues.
Author Bio
Behtash Moojedi Behtash Moojedi is a seasoned marketing expert who specializes in global digital marketing. Moojedi earned an MBA at the University of California, Irvine, and is experienced in digital marketing and software-as-a-service product development across multiple industries, including manufacturing, retail trade and financial services.


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October 2025
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