You’ve probably seen the statistics countless times by now: in a digital landscape where your audience is exposed to thousands of advertisements every day, it’s near-impossible to stand out.
Thought leadership is one of the best ways for your brand to cut through the noise. By establishing you as a leader in your field and fostering trust between your company and your audience, pursuing thought leadership can help you make a name for yourself.
There are many types of content that can help you become a thought leader in your area, including emails, social media campaigns, and articles. However, one type of content stands out: video marketing. Videos can be one of the best ways for your brand to gain recognition in your field and connect with a larger audience.
Here’s how video marketing can help you lead your industry.
What Is Thought Leadership Marketing?
As the name suggests, thought leadership marketing is the act of strategically leveraging content to position you and your brand as an authority in your field.
There are plenty of benefits to pursuing a successful thought leadership marketing strategy. By making a name for yourself as a knowledgeable and trustworthy voice in your industry, you can:
- Improve your reputation by sharing your expertise in the market
- Increase your existing customers’ trust in your brand
- Boost your sales numbers by attracting new customers
- Gain a competitive advantage in your field by specializing your messaging
- Enhance your professional network by building connections with other industry leaders
How Does Video Marketing Create Thought Leadership?
Effectively using content is one of the key elements of establishing thought leadership for your brand. However, while many forms of content like ad copy and written blogs can help contribute to your reputation, video marketing is one of the most actionable ways to build thought leadership.
There are plenty of reasons why video marketing is among the best methods to cultivate your reputation as a thought leader. These include:
- Videos are easy to consume, making them more accessible than traditional content like articles and white papers.
- Videos allow you to be more personal, giving you an opportunity to connect with your audience directly.
- Compared to other kinds of content, videos are far more versatile. You can put them on your landing pages, home pages, social feeds, email blasts – you name it, you can put a video there, making it the perfect method to grow your reputation.
What Kinds of Video Marketing Can Help?
Video marketing is just as diverse as it is powerful. There are countless different kinds of videos that you can explore in your thought leadership campaign, but here are a few formats that are especially effective at building reputations.
Subject Matter Expert Interviews
Perhaps no other kind of video allows you to express your expertise as directly as subject matter expert interviews. In these videos, you or your organization’s resident experts share their in-depth knowledge on a subject of your choosing.
Presentation Videos
Presentation videos are much like their in-person counterparts. They can be as simple or as complicated as you like: they can be as basic as recording a speaker in front of a whiteboard or as elaborate as a highly edited production filled with visual effects and touches.
Vlogs
Blogs are a key type of online content—and they become even more engaging as videos. Vlogs allow you to connect with your audience, provide useful information, and create a dedicated following online. They also offer ample opportunity to express your personality and be creative, making them a powerful and flexible choice.
Discussion Videos
Your SMEs aren’t the only ones at your company with thoughts to share. Posting video discussions, either between your resident experts or among other members of your team, will let your viewers catch a glimpse of the relationship between your experienced staff and their knowledge at play.
How Do You Make a Thought Leadership Video Strategy?
It’s one thing to make exciting videos that demonstrate your experience, but they won’t have much effect without a specialized strategy.
Make sure you keep the following video tips in mind to develop an actionable thought leadership video marketing plan:
- Have a consistent and careful schedule. Consistency is key in any marketing strategy. Ensure you take the time to upload new videos consistently as you cultivate your image, but don’t overdo it. Uploading too often might look desperate to your audience, so be tasteful with your scheduling.
- Know when, where, and how to post your videos. Marketing videos are incredibly versatile, so they’ll be a perfect fit for any landing page, email campaign, or social post. Ensure you put your videos in places where they’re most likely to resonate with your audience.
- Choose relevant topics. The best-produced video won’t do any good if your audience isn’t interested in it. Make sure you constantly tailor your content to your audience’s current needs and wants.
Thought leadership can feel tough to attain when you’re getting started, but by cleverly leveraging your video marketing, you can establish an impenetrable reputation as an authority in your niche.