How to Use Public Speaking to Build Authority and Grow Your Audience on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn
Liam Sandford
Liam Sandford is a public speaking coach, marketing leader, and 2x Best Selling Author, including the book Effortless Public Speaking. He helps introverted professionals and leaders take control of public speaking anxiety and use speaking to market themselves, build influence, and communicate with impact.
Public speaking is one of the most effective ways to build authority on social media. While most people associate speaking with stages, conferences, or webinars, a huge opportunity today lies in turning your speaking skills into direct to camera content that builds trust and drives audience growth across every platform.
When you speak clearly, confidently, and with structure, your videos perform better. Viewers stay longer. Algorithms push you further. And your authority increases because people experience your expertise in a format that feels personal, immediate, and authentic.
Public speaking doesn’t just make you better on stage, it makes you dramatically better at creating content for YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Using the Nano Speech Framework to Create High Authority Social Media Videos
The Nano Speech framework gives your content clarity, structure, and impact, three things that social media platforms reward with visibility and retention. Every video you create should follow this structure because it mirrors how people consume both short form and long form content today.
A strong opening gives the viewer a reason to stay. A focused message delivers value without rambling. And a clean close reinforces the takeaway so audiences remember you as the expert who helped them learn something meaningful.
The Nano Speech format also reduces creation friction. Instead of overthinking scripts or rambling on camera, you structure your message with intention, resulting in higher quality videos that build authority and outperform inconsistent creators.
How the Nano Speech Structure Elevates Your Video Performance
Using a clear, repeatable structure strengthens your presence across all platforms. The hook earns the first three seconds of attention. The core message demonstrates expertise in a way that algorithms recognise as valuable. And the close increases watch time and retention, both essential for social media growth.
When you combine strong public speaking skills with a consistent message structure, your videos become more watchable, more shareable, and more engaging.
How to Use Public Speaking to Build Authority and Growth on YouTube
YouTube rewards creators who can deliver structured, clear, and engaging explanations which is exactly what strong public speaking enables. Direct to camera content thrives when the speaker communicates authority, confidence, and clarity.
YouTube’s algorithm prioritises watch time, viewer satisfaction, and clarity of topic. Strong speaking skills directly improve all three. When you articulate ideas well, your intros are sharper, your pacing is smoother, and your long form videos retain attention far better.
Crafting YouTube Videos That Demonstrate Authority and Expertise
Public speaking allows you to communicate expertise effortlessly. A confident, structured delivery signals to viewers (and YouTube) that your content deserves attention.
Strong YouTube videos combine:
A clear verbal structure
Smooth transitions between key points
Pacing that keeps viewers listening
Stories and examples that reinforce your authority
When your delivery feels organised, your authority increases, and YouTube promotes your videos more often. Alongside this you need good production quality (or at least good lighting), and SEO. How you package up your videos is just as important as the video itself. Without high quality packaging nobody will find your videos.
How to Use Public Speaking to Grow on TikTok With Direct to Camera Content
TikTok rewards energy, clarity, and immediacy, all skills that come with fine tuned public speaking. On TikTok, people scroll unless you capture attention instantly, and structured speaking allows you to open your video with precision and keep viewers engaged.
The platform’s rapid pace means your hook must be sharp, your message must be tight, and your delivery must feel confident. Good public speaking using the nano speech helps you capture attention, deliver an engaging message, and maintain pace all of which increase retention.
Tips for Creating High Retention TikTok Videos Using Public Speaking Skills
The best TikTok creators speak with rhythm, clarity, and energy. When you apply public speaking fundamentals, your videos become more watchable and more memorable.
Public speaking using the nano speech helps you:
Deliver faster, more compelling hooks
Increase vocal variation to maintain interest
Use hand movements and facial expressions intentionally
Create a pace that matches TikTok’s rapid consumption style
Most creators blend into the feed. Strong speaking makes you stand out.
How to Use Public Speaking to Build Authority on Instagram
Instagram’s audience responds strongly to personality driven video content. When you use public speaking skills to create polished yet authentic videos, you instantly elevate your presence.
Instagram rewards confidence and clarity and both are embedded in strong public speaking when you use the nano speech. Story based delivery, clear takeaways, and structured messaging help transform short videos into pieces of authority building content.
How to Craft Video Content on Instagram That Builds Trust and Authority
Instagram users want creators who feel relatable yet expert. Public speaking allows you to strike that balance.
You build credibility on Instagram by:
Speaking clearly and directly to the viewer
Making the content about your audience, not you, your product or your business
Delivering structured, meaningful insights
Using tone, eye contact, and pacing to build connection
Turning expertise into short, digestible videos
Your speaking skills are what make your videos feel professional without feeling overproduced.
How to Use Public Speaking to Stand Out on LinkedIn
LinkedIn is traditionally text first, which means high quality video immediately stands out in someones feed. Speaking confidently on camera positions you as a knowledgeable, trusted professional in a sea of written posts.
Because so few people on LinkedIn consistently post strong video content, those who do gain authority and visibility quickly. Public speaking helps you communicate insights clearly, making your videos feel polished, credible, and worth engaging with. I have worked with several clients to build their presence on LinkedIn and public speaking content gets great engagement. If you want to learn more about how to grow your audience on LinkedIn using public speaking content, check out the Ultimate Guide to Public Speaking in Marketing.
Why Public Speaking Gives You an Advantage on LinkedIn
LinkedIn audiences value clarity, professionalism, and leadership. Speaking on camera showcases those qualities instantly. You are essentially giving your audience direct access to you which helps to build trust faster than written posts can. A series of well delivered video positions you as a go to expert.
Your speaking skills help you:
Communicate leadership level insights
Deliver content with confidence and clarity
Build a reputation through consistent, structured messaging
Stand out among competitors who rely solely on text
Public speaking doesn’t just work on LinkedIn, it differentiates you dramatically.
How to Build a Cross Platform Public Speaking Content Strategy
Creating bespoke content for each social media platform allows you to maximise engagement and authority far more effectively than simply repurposing traditional public speaking clips. By tailoring your delivery, style, and messaging to each platform’s unique audience expectations, you can consistently reinforce your expertise and build meaningful connections.
Develop a simple weekly recording workflow to turn one core insight into multiple platform native videos. This approach ensures consistent output without leading to burnout, keeps your messaging aligned, and allows you to plan ahead so that your content supports broader social media growth goals.
Key benefits of a cross platform speaking content strategy include:
Bespoke content resonates more authentically with each audience.
Adapting insights across platforms increases visibility and reach.
A structured workflow maintains consistency without overloading your schedule.
Audience expectations are met with platform native styles rather than generic clips.
Thought leadership is reinforced through repeated, high quality exposure.
Tailoring Delivery Style to Each Platform
Each platform has a distinct content culture. Matching your delivery to the platform’s style maximises engagement and helps your expertise land effectively:
YouTube – Structured Depth: Focus on longer form, well organised insights. Break complex ideas into clear sections, include examples, and maintain authority through polished delivery.
Instagram – Emotional Connection: Shorter, visually compelling videos that connect emotionally. Share stories, experiences, or lessons that make your audience feel inspired or personally addressed.
TikTok – Fast Authenticity: Quick, raw, and attention grabbing clips. Authenticity and relatability matter more than polish. Use energy, gestures, and concise hooks to capture attention immediately.
LinkedIn – Calm Authority: Professional, measured delivery. Emphasise actionable insights, credibility, and thought leadership while keeping tone approachable and authoritative.
How to Build Your Audience Through Visibility and Generosity
Audience growth on social media is a function of both reach and perceived value. Visibility is important, but consistent generosity is what builds long term authority:
Visibility strategies that compound: Regular posting, cross promotion, and engagement create repeated touchpoints.
Generosity boosts authority: Sharing actionable insights, answering questions, and offering resources freely positions you as a trusted expert.
Community > virality: Building a loyal, engaged audience ensures sustainable influence, rather than chasing fleeting viral attention.
Creating Content for Each Platform
Turning one insight into bespoke videos for different platforms requires intentionality. Rather than repurposing a single long form recording, reshape the content to match each audience’s expectations:
Reshape a single idea: Adapt your insight for four different delivery styles while keeping the core message consistent.
Record variations: Plan multiple takes with different hooks, pacing, or visuals to suit each platform.
Build deeper trust: Bespoke content feels tailored to the audience, demonstrating that you understand their needs and care about delivering value.
Repurpose high performing content: If content performs well on one platform, use it across the other platforms too. Creating content is hard work and time consuming but repurposing can help reduce your workload and maximize your efforts.
This strategy ensures your public speaking content consistently strengthens your thought leadership while accelerating growth on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and LinkedIn.
TL;DR: How to Use Public Speaking to Grow on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn
Public speaking accelerates social media growth by helping you create structured, confident, high retention videos that build authority across every platform.
Use the nano speech public speaking structure to improve video retention and engagement.
Be clear, get straight to the point, and be as brief as possible. People have short attention spans.
Use strong SEO, keywords and video packaging to ensure people find your videos. Without the right packaging your content will sit there without views or engagement.
Make your content about the audience, not you, your business or your product. People only care about what you can do for them.
Be consistent. One video won’t grow your audience or build trust. People value consistency and time in the game. Be prepared to create content consistently to generate the growth you are looking for.
More From Liam Sandford
Read my book: Effortless Public Speaking. Learn how to speak confidently, reduce stress, and turn public speaking into your competitive advantage. These actionable public speaking tips will help you improve your presentation skills for any audience.
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