Marketing Audit & Growth Playbook

Building Rhombus's Growth Engine

Prepared by Nick Talbert

Rhombus has built a solid foundation with $103M+ funding and 3,000+ customers, but faces fierce competition from Verkada—a $4.5B competitor with 15x more LinkedIn followers. The opportunity lies in closing critical gaps while exploiting Verkada's trust vulnerabilities.

Rhombus Strengths

A credible product-led business with strong customer validation and recent momentum. These fundamentals create a solid foundation for marketing acceleration.

$105M Funding Raised

Strong financial backing including recent $45M Series C to fuel growth

3,000+ Customers

Including PepsiCo, Stryker, Goodwill, 24 Hour Fitness, and Aramark

100K+ Deployed Devices

Cloud-managed cameras and IoT sensors across enterprise locations

#1 G2 Ranking

Top Physical Security Solution with 609+ reviews and multiple category badges

800+ Reseller Partners

Strong channel including Wesco and Convergint distribution partnerships

15-18% Market CAGR

Cloud video security market growth rate - favorable timing for aggressive expansion

Critical Gaps Identified

Where Rhombus is Underinvested

The marketing function operates at ~20-30% of Verkada's scale across key metrics. These gaps represent immediate opportunities.

Social Media Scale

Critical

Twitter abandoned (247 followers), Instagram underutilized (289 followers). Visual product category needs visual marketing.

Rhombus 5,356 LinkedIn
Verkada 79,000
Gap 15x

SEO & Organic Search

Critical

Not appearing for 'cloud video security' or 'AI video surveillance'. Heavy dependence on bottom-funnel review platforms.

Rhombus No ranking
Verkada Dominates
Gap Invisible

Content Volume

High

Content library limits vertical penetration and sales enablement. Blog publishing cadence needs increase.

Rhombus 25+ case studies
Verkada 150+
Gap 6x

Thought Leadership

High

Verkada publishes Harris Poll research. Eagle Eye hosts Cloud Security Summit. Rhombus lacks equivalent vehicles.

Rhombus None
Competitors Research, conferences
Gap Missing

Competitive Landscape

Understanding the market position and vulnerabilities of key competitors

Verkada

Main Threat
Valuation$4.5B
Revenue$357M+
LinkedIn79,000
Case Studies150+
Customers30,000+
Vulnerability: 2021 breach exposed 150K feeds. FTC levied largest CAN-SPAM penalty ever ($2.95M) in Aug 2024.

Rhombus

Funding$105M raised
LinkedIn5,356
Case Studies25+
Customers3,000+

Eagle Eye

Funding$175-257M
LinkedIn75,000
Case Studies86+

Marketing Tactics Gap

Tactic Verkada Eagle Eye Rhombus
Original research reports
Annual customer conference
Grant programs
Sophisticated ABM ? ?
LinkedIn ads at scale ?
Strategic Recommendations

90-Day Action Plan

Prioritized initiatives to close gaps and capitalize on Verkada's trust vulnerabilities

Priority 1

Close the SEO Gap

Quick Win + Long-term | Impact: 3-5x organic traffic

Rhombus is invisible for category terms. Commission technical SEO audit, develop keyword strategy, create comparison pages.

  • Target 'cloud video security,' 'AI security cameras,' vertical-specific terms
  • Create 'Verkada alternatives' comparison content
  • Publish 50+ SEO-optimized blog posts in 18 months
  • Build backlink strategy through PR and partnerships
Priority 2

Triple Case Study Volume

Quick Win | Impact: 25 → 75+ case studies

Close the 6x content gap with Verkada. Systematize production, ensure vertical coverage, create derivative content.

  • Systematize case study production with CS team
  • Cover all 7 target verticals with multiple proof points
  • Create video testimonials, one-pagers, vertical eBooks
  • Develop competitive displacement stories (switched from Verkada)
Priority 3

Reactivate Social Media

Quick Win | Impact: LinkedIn 5K → 15K+

Twitter/X abandoned, Instagram underutilized. Visual product needs visual marketing presence.

  • Reactivate Twitter/X with 3-5x weekly posts
  • Launch Instagram strategy leveraging security footage aesthetics
  • Employee advocacy program on LinkedIn
  • YouTube thought leadership series
Priority 4

Launch Thought Leadership

Medium-term | Impact: Category authority

Verkada publishes Harris Poll research. Eagle Eye hosts summits. Rhombus needs equivalent vehicles.

  • Commission 'State of Physical Security' annual report
  • Position Garrett for speaking, podcasts, bylines
  • Monthly webinar program on trends and customer success
  • Target SecurityInfoWatch, SDM Magazine, Security Today

Ready for the detailed execution plan?

View the comprehensive 90-day playbook with specific tactics, timelines, and success metrics.

View 90-Day Playbook →

Positioning Opportunities

Exploit competitor vulnerabilities and differentiate Rhombus in the market

Born in the Cloud

vs. 'Transitioning to Cloud'

Avigilon and Milestone acquired their cloud capabilities. Rhombus built cloud-native from inception.

Key Message: Emphasize simplicity, no legacy complexity, faster deployment. Verkada is the only other true cloud-native player.

Trust & Security Leadership

vs. Verkada's Breaches

Verkada's 2021 breach (150K feeds exposed) and 2024 FTC settlement ($2.95M) create opening.

Key Message: Emphasize cybersecurity founding team, SOC 2/NDAA/GDPR compliance, security-first architecture.

Open Platform

vs. Closed Ecosystems

Rhombus's 100% open API and 40+ integrations counter Verkada's more closed ecosystem.

Key Message: Rhombus Relay (cloud-managing existing cameras) addresses 'no rip and replace' buyer concern.

Mid-Market Sweet Spot

vs. Enterprise & Startup Focus

Enterprise buyers prefer Avigilon/Milestone credibility. Startups default to Verkada brand.

Key Message: Position as ideal for growth-stage organizations wanting enterprise capability without complexity.

"The window is favorable: cloud video security grows at 15-18% CAGR, AI capabilities are table stakes, and Verkada's trust challenges create positioning opportunity."

Let's Connect

I'd welcome the opportunity to discuss how I can help accelerate Rhombus's growth trajectory

Nick Talbert

B2B SaaS Marketing Leader