Building Square’s Content Thought Leadership Program
Overview
Square had an opportunity to become a more consistent source of business and consumer insight through The Bottom Line. In a landscape increasingly filled with generic, AI-generated content, I developed a thought leadership program built around two things Square could uniquely offer: original data and credible industry expertise.
My Role
I built the program from the ground up, defining its editorial approach, goals, workflow, distribution strategy, and measures of success. I secured stakeholder buy-in and helped identify experienced writers with deep knowledge of Square’s priority industries, including food and beverage, retail, and beauty.
Strategy and Execution
Every piece started with a meaningful data point — whether from Square’s proprietary data, a partner, or a broader industry trend — but the goal was never to simply report the numbers. We paired that data with expert freelancers who could explain what was changing, why it mattered, and what business owners should take away from it. These insights became clear editorial narratives with a distinct point of view, keeping the work useful and credible rather than promotional.
Distribution was built into the program from the start. In addition to The Bottom Line, pieces could be shared through Square’s social channels and seller community, syndicated through Stacker, and placed with relevant industry publications to extend their reach beyond Square’s owned audiences.
Distribution and Impact
The program was designed to make each piece work harder across Square’s broader content ecosystem:
Build authority: Establish Square as a source of original insight on the industries it serves.
Extend reach: Give proprietary and partner data greater visibility through syndication, trade publications, social, and other channels.
Increase AI visibility: Create well-sourced, consistent reporting that could strengthen Square’s presence in AI-generated answers.
Connect the customer journey: Use thought leadership as an entry point into related customer stories, educational content, and relevant Square solutions.
Create partner value: Give partners a new way to bring their data and expertise to Square’s audience.
