by Torrey Tayenaka, co-founder and CEO at Sparkhouse
There are countless statistics out there that prove the impact of video marketing. If you’ve landed on this article, chances are you’re already aware of how videos can propel your business forward and position your brand as the go-to within your industry. In other words, videos can help you become a thought leader within your field.
But how? How can filming videos lead to brand success?
We’ve got all the answers. Here’s how to use videos to become an industry leader in building your brand with an organic marketing strategy and gaining thousands of leads, which will ultimately increase your revenue.
What Is Thought Leadership?
Before we continue, you must first understand the concept of ‘thought leadership.’
The truth is, thought leadership is as sought after as the Fountain of Youth. However, unlike the Fountain of Youth, thought leadership is an actual and established position you can reach as a brand.
Thought leadership is a status that can be achieved when you become the go-to within the industry. It implies that your leads view your brand as the expert within the field.
For example, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were thought leaders despite being rivals that took technology in different directions.
What Can Thought Leadership Offer My Brand?
As we’ve said, thought leadership is something most – if not all – brands are striving for.
Consider the definition once more: thought leadership is when a brand becomes the go-to brand after proving they are experts within the field.
So, what benefits can thought/industry leadership offer your brand? It’s simple, really.
When your brand becomes the first place your target audience goes to solve their problems or answer their questions, you capture those prospects as leads. Then, with your excellent content marketing strategy, you can convert them into buyers, thus increasing your revenue.
But it doesn’t end there. With thought leadership comes an extended brand reputation. Your prospects will have associates, friends, or family members who also fall under your target demographic. If they have the same questions, your brand is there to help them find the answers. With increased reliability comes trust. Thus, your brand’s reputation will grow at a rate of knots.
How Does Video Fall Into Thought Leadership?
One of the critical pillars of thought leadership is trust. We are far more likely to trust somebody if we can see them in person. However, the internet is the next best thing, as videos make it seem like you’re right there with them.
Converting copywriting and a solid written content strategy is crucial. Still, video marketing is one of the most effective marketing formats, and it’s the format that provokes the most action.
It allows your prospects to get to know you, making it more humane and personal.
In a nutshell, video marketing helps you achieve thought leadership by:
- Being easy to consume, access, and digest.
- Having a lower chance of distraction than other forms of content.
- Allowing you to show your brand’s voice, personality, and the human side of it behind the scenes.
- Being far more versatile than other forms of content. You can put videos literally anywhere – emails, landing pages, blogs, social media, and so much more.
What Types of Videos Should I Create To Become a Thought Leader?
As with any type of content, you can use various kinds of videos to become a thought leader. The best thing to do is weigh up your brand’s personality and use the styles that best fit that. If your intuition tells you that it’s ‘out of character,’ then try a different type.
Educational Videos
Educational videos are the most diverse and, arguably, the most effective form of video marketing. Why? The answer lies within value.
Think carefully about the point of thought leadership: to prove you are a leader within the industry.
There is no better way of proving this than by teaching and educating your audience.
Sharing in-depth knowledge and solving typical problems within your field is a reliable way of gaining trust and proving that your brand knows what they’re talking about.
You can post educational videos anywhere, including social media, landing pages, and blog pages.
Vlogging
Vlogging is video blogging. Naturally, these types of videos belong on a blog, but they can also be posted on social media to show your brand’s personal and humane side.
Vlogging allows you to connect with your prospects deeper and capture more leads to build a bigger, more dedicated digital audience.
Creating video blogs also allows your creativity to run wild, as you can essentially post anything your brand cares about in various ways.
Live Videos
Social media has made it easy to go ‘live.’ While not long ago we thought of ‘going live’ as something limited to celebrities and musicians, nowadays anyone can go live.
Posting a live video shows genuine authenticity, and it enables your viewers to ask questions and gain instant responses. It’s more like a two-way conversation, meaning you can really show your personality and subject expertise.
Create a Thought Leadership Strategy And Implement Video Marketing
As with any content marketing, you can post the most brilliant corporate videos, but without a proper strategy, you’ll find that it’s unlikely to convert.
Without a strategy, you’re shooting in the dark, crossing your fingers that you hit a target.
To create a video marketing strategy and become a thought leader, make sure you:
- Stay consistent – We all know the impact of consistency, yet some brand owners ignore it. Consistency is one of the most important aspects of any form of strategy. Decide how often you are going to post and where these videos will be posted. Don’t overdo it. Do however much you have time for, but make sure you’re consistent with it.
- Post in places at times that your data would back you on – This comes from knowing your target audience. Where do they digitally hang out most? And when? Check your data and implement these critical factors into your video marketing strategy. ‘
- Talk about what your audience wants you to talk about – It’s about them, not you. All of the topics you approach should be needed by your audience. Do your due diligence and market research, and plan your video content around that.
Video Marketing – The Best Form of Content?
There has been a 52% increase in the amount of time spent watching videos online in the past two years. That statistic alone is enough evidence to use video in your marketing strategy.
Thought leadership is no easy status to achieve. It takes dedication, consistency, and determination. So, go forth and create your video marketing strategy today so you can take a massive step toward thought leadership status.
Torrey Tayenaka is the co-founder and CEO at Sparkhouse, an Orange County based video production agency. Sparkhouse is known for transforming video marketing and advertising into real conversations. In addition to Sparkhouse, Torrey has also founded the companies Eva Smart Shower, Litehouse & Forge54.
