Thought leadership is key in social media branding, setting your company up as the go-to for insights and expertise. But, traditional video interviews, webinars and podcasts can be intimidating for speakers and a pain to edit for social media.
We're bringing in a simpler, easier method: silent interviews. By using strong quotes, static images, and background footage, you can craft impactful thought leadership content that connects with your audience and lifts your brand.
Why thought leadership is crucial on social media
Thought leadership is more than expertise; it's about shaping perceptions and building trust. On platforms like LinkedIn, where insights are exchanged daily, being a familiar, reliable source elevates your presence.
If you look at the feeds of companies like Chili Piper and Refine Labs, for example, you can see various individuals from their teams sharing expertise about their niche, helping to build their brand's reputation.
This approach not only positions you as an authority but also strengthens connections within your network, making thought leadership an indispensable component of personal and brand development.
The case for silent social videos: why your thought leadership doesn’t need sound
The types of thought leadership videos often seen on social media include repurposed clips from podcasts and webinars, as well as professionals speaking directly to the camera. While these methods are great and highly effective, selecting and editing the footage you want to use, and adding subtitles and transitions, all require skill and time
In addition, not everyone is comfortable being filmed, which can make gathering content a challenge. Even if someone has valuable insights to share, the process of filming them can be stressful for both parties.
However, the thing is, these methods aren't the only effective ways to share knowledge and portray your company or team members as thought leaders.
Why?
Because a large percentage of videos on social media are watched without sound anyways.
So, what you really need is just the text. Remember, the main goal of thought leadership is to disseminate knowledge. And we're going to show you an alternative and equally effective way to do that through silent text-based video.
7 ways to create thought leadership videos without the stress (aka silent interviews)
At Storykit, we've coined the term “silent interviews” because it's one of our favorite methods to showcase thought leadership.
Ever heard someone say something brilliant, like your CEO sharing profound insights, but they're hesitant to be filmed or speak on social media? Silent interviews can solve this dilemma.
Or do you have a webinar that you did with a lot of great insights but don’t have time to add subtitles and edit the best clips? Silent interviews can solve this dilemma.
Here are all of the ways you can promote your thought leadership with silent interviews:
1. Quote only: When you have someone who's shared something profound but you lack a picture or footage of them, you can still make their words stand out. Simply display their quote on your brand's color. This straightforward approach ensures that their message shines through even without visual elements.
2. Quote and stock imagery: If you're looking to enhance your video with visuals but lack original footage, stock images can be a valuable resource. Incorporating relevant stock imagery can help illustrate the story being told, adding depth and context to your thought leadership content.
3. Quote and a real image: Let's say you've conducted an insightful interview, but unfortunately, it wasn't filmed. Don't worry; you can still leverage the valuable insights shared and show off the person who said them. This method not only makes the content visually engaging but also ensures that the essence of the interview is effectively conveyed to your audience.
4. Quote, a real image, and stock imagery: In scenarios where you lack filmed footage but still want to create visually compelling content, combining an image with stock footage can be highly effective. For example, consider one of our case interview videos below, where we seamlessly blend an image of the interviewee with relevant stock footage. This approach not only enhances the storytelling but also maintains viewer engagement throughout the video.
5. Quote with separately filmed footage: Sometimes, the most authentic moments aren’t captured on camera. If you have a great quote you want to share, just recreate the moment in a fun way. For instance, in the video below we filmed our CEO having a casual discussion about poetry but overlaid an insightful quote that he said. This method captures the authenticity but also emphasizes the depth of their expertise.
6. Quote with the filmed footage: When you have someone speaking on camera, aligning text with the moment can sometimes be challenging. However, there's a simple solution: place the footage in the background and overlay insightful text over the top. Then when the text doesn't perfectly sync with the audio, it doesn’t matter. Take a look at this clip from one of our webinars as an example.
7. Quote, the filmed footage and stock imagery: The final way to get your story across is use a quote with the filmed footage and add in some stock imagery to help tell the story. Here is an example from a podcast our Communications Director, Jonna Ekman was on showcasing all three.
Take the stress-free route to thought leadership
With innovative techniques like silent interviews and creative use of text and visuals, anyone can effectively engage their audience and establish themselves as a trusted authority in their field. Start experimenting with these methods and start making a lasting impact in the digital landscape, fostering connections and inspiring meaningful conversations.
