How to Use Your Opinion in Your Marketing: A Practical Guide
Prefer to listen rather than read? Listen to the podcast episode covering this same topic here → The Quietly Disruptive Business Podcast
In our last blog post we asked the question: what if marketing was as simple as sharing your opinion? Today we’re making it practical. I’ve brainstormed two imaginary businesses to show you what opinion-led marketing actually looks like in action, and then I’ll walk you through the three steps to do it in your own business. No templates, no formulas, just a clear process you can use this week.
What Opinion-Led Marketing Looks Like in Practice
Take an anti-AI copywriter whose core belief is that impactful copy needs to be written by a human — because AI can’t create the nuances and quirks that make words land. That single opinion fuels everything. A thought-leadership post about why the human element matters and what the difference actually is. A helpful piece showing AI-written headlines side by side with human ones, with honest analysis of what works and what doesn’t. A story-driven case study about what happened when a client switched from AI-generated content to human-written copy. Every piece of content channels the same core belief through a different lens, depending on what job that content needs to do.
Now flip to a product business, a handmade candle company focused on naturally sourced ingredients and curated fragrances. This founder believes candles should be about quality and intention, not quantity and gimmick. So their blog series challenges the novelty-flavour trend and explains why they do things differently. Their podcast takes listeners behind the scenes to meet the suppliers. Their weekly email explains the real difference between mass-produced candles and theirs. Same opinion, different content, different platforms — all pulling in the same direction.
You are the only person who can do what you do in the way you do it
Step One: Have an Opinion Worth Sharing
You can’t share an opinion you haven’t formed yet. If you haven’t done this already, go back to Tuesday’s episode — it has specific questions to help you work out what you believe about your corner of the business world, about marketing itself, and about the problem you solve. Your opinion is your take on why you do what you do and why it matters. It’s not a tagline. It’s the belief that sits underneath everything. Once you have it, everything else gets clearer.
Step Two: Choose Your Platforms: One You Own, One You Don’t
You need at least two platforms. One that’s yours — where you control the content, the frequency, the format. That could be a blog, a podcast, or an email list. And one that isn’t yours — a social media platform like LinkedIn, Instagram, or Substack where your potential clients already spend time. The key is choosing platforms where your people actually are, not just the ones you enjoy using. If your ideal clients aren’t on Instagram, it doesn’t matter how much you love it. Go where they are.
Step Three: Share That Opinion Through Content That Does a Job
Once you know your opinion and your platforms, you share it. But not randomly. You need to share it through content that does a specific job. Thought-leadership pieces showcase your authority and build trust. You share what you believe, why you believe it, and what that difference means. Helpful content shows your expertise — practical tips and how-tos that demonstrate your knowledge in action. Story-driven content shares your world and builds connection — what happened, what you learned, what it looked like from the inside. Testimonials and case studies build credibility through other people’s experiences. Conversational content — sharing what you’ve been doing, what you’re thinking about — builds relationships.
Different content does different things, but the substance of every piece comes back to your opinion. That’s what makes the message strong and clear. It doesn’t get distorted by trying to be clever or performative, and it doesn’t put words into your mouth.
Your Opinion Is the Fuel both For Your Marketing and Your Business
Formulas, templates, and ChatGPT can get words on a page. But they create surface-level content that makes everyone sound the same. In today’s market, to stand out and for the right clients to find you, you need to own an opinion, a genuine reason for why you do what you do. Nobody else can hand that to you. But when you find it, it becomes the fuel for everything: your marketing, your offers, your pricing, your conversations. You are the only person who can do what you do in the way you do it. The question is whether you’re sharing that with the people who need to hear it.
About the Author: Becky Benfield Humberstone partners with Quietly Disruptive founders to build businesses that change their corner of the world, on their terms. If you started your business because you believed things could be done differently, and you're ready to make that vision real, she gets it. Based in the UK and working globally via Zoom and in person, she's done this work herself, more than once.
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