Written vs. video content: Which is the best strategy?
This is not new. A couple of years ago, several publications were already discussing how video would become the most effective format for driving user engagement and increasing visibility. We see this every day on social media platforms, where reels and even long vlogs capture most of the attention. This shift is not limited to social media. Search engines and AI platforms also reflect this trend, as these tools recognize how much users prefer and engage with video content.
In this article, we'll explore this evolving approach to content creation. We'll break down the differences between written content and video strategies, examine the pros and cons of each format, and help you decide which strategy, written or video-focused, makes the most sense for your marketing goals.
Disclaimer:
Although social media platforms are mentioned throughout this article, the focus of this post is to help website/e-commerce owners, as that is our main area of specialization. So no, we won't cover YouTube or Instagram content strategies. Instead, we'll focus on how creating written content or video content can help you gain more visibility in both search engines and AI tools.
Written content strategy
A written content strategy is one focused on the creation of written content formats like blog posts usually based on keyword or prompt research to be ranked on search engines. This type of strategy has been the most popular among marketers to get visibility and it's still the main way to get ranked both in search engines and AI tools.
Some of the most common text formats are:
- Landing pages
- Product pages
- Blog posts
- Guest posting
- FAQs
The format (length, structure, etc.) and the approach to creating this content (keyword or prompt research) will depend on several factors, such as your audience, niche, and goals. However, regardless of these variables, written content remains highly usable and continues to be a key element of any effective content strategy.
Pros and cons of written content strategy
Now the trend is to create videos, but written content is still useful and relevant as your project can benefit from it. Let's take a look at the most important pros and cons:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great for audiences looking for direct answers | Can be less engaging than video for certain audiences |
| Easy to create | May take longer to capture attention compared to visual content |
| Affordable | Harder to convey emotions or demonstrate processes |
| Editable over time | Lower shareability on social media compared to video |
| Highly searchable for SEO and AIEO | |
| Establishes authority | |
| It is recyclable |
Video-based content strategy
A video-based content strategy is, as its name suggests, focused on creating video content. These videos can vary in length and format depending on the platform where they will be uploaded, such as YouTube, Vimeo, TikTok, or other social media platforms. While you can upload videos directly to your website, both SEO and AI-driven search tools rely heavily on platforms like YouTube, making them essential for maximizing visibility and reach.
Although you won't be able to avoid having written content entirely, since your website already exists and you will have to script your videos, you can decide whether it's worth following a written content strategy or if it makes more sense to focus your efforts entirely on video. After all, video is currently the trend and often the preferred format for audiences, but data also demonstrates that. According to research by Headway Capital, 73% of people are more likely to purchase a product after watching a demonstration or review video, and statistics show that having video content can help you rank on Google's first page 53 times more often than traditional text content.
Pros and cons of video content strategy
Despite being widely praised, this type of content strategy does come with several drawbacks that you should consider before diving in. Among the most notable pros and cons, you'll find:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Great for creating in-depth visual explanations | Requires a significant time investment |
| Boosts SEO and AIEO | It can be expensive to produce, especially if hiring professionals |
| Increases audience engagement and connection | Not as easily editable over time |
| Can help boost brand awareness as viewers get to know you through your videos | Dependent on platform algorithms for reach |
| Highly shareable on social media | Production and editing can be technically challenging |
Written vs. video content strategy
From their definitions and the pros and cons listed above, you can already see what makes these types of content different from each other, but there are even more differences that set them apart in terms of purpose, effort, reach, and long-term value. In the table below, we have highlighted these key differences:
| Written content strategy | Video strategy | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose and audience intent | Usually focused on providing information in a clear and structured way. Most of the time, the audience intent is educational or informational (searching for answers, comparisons, guides, etc.). | Mostly made for entertainment purposes, but the audience intent can vary a lot as videos are also watched for educational purposes (learning how to do something, understanding a concept, etc.). |
| Budget | It's fairly affordable, as you can write it yourself and, if you decide to hire a writer, it won't be as expensive as a videographer. | Requires a lot more money as you need recording equipment, editing tools, and the time spent is much greater than writing a text. |
| Commitment | Even though you have to research the topics you are going to talk about, the time investment is a lot less than video creation. You can write several articles per week depending on the topic. | It requires a lot of commitment as it takes a significant amount of time to prepare, record, and edit the videos. |
| Platforms | You don't have to rely on many platforms to post your content as you can simply have your own website. | You depend on other platforms, mainly social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. |
| Accessibility | It's easier to make it accessible if your site is already well structured, mainly by taking care of formatting, readability, and alternative text for images. | Accessibility can be more complex, as you need to add subtitles, captions, audio description, and ensure good audio quality so the content is understandable for everyone. |
| Posting frequency | You can post more frequently since the production process is faster and less resource-intensive. | Posting frequency is usually lower because each video requires more time and effort to produce. |
| Reusability | Can be edited and updated easily whenever necessary. It can also be repurposed into newsletters or social media posts. | Can't be edited easily once published (in most cases) and usually has a more limited lifespan unless repurposed into shorter clips or other formats. |
| Engagement | It generates moderate engagement through comments, shares, and discussions, but it's more informational than emotional. | Video tends to have higher engagement and creates a stronger emotional connection with the audience. |
As you might have noticed in this comparison table, the "easy way" is to choose a written content strategy as it's cheaper, easier, less time-consuming, and more timeless since it can be edited easily, unlike videos. But sometimes, the easy way doesn't mean the best way. In the following section, we will explain what the best strategy is based on the nature of your project.
What is best: a written or video content strategy?
As we have already hinted before, the best strategy will depend on the type of online content you create and the platforms you use, as an e-commerce brand and a content creator have completely different needs. That being said, even if your blog posts are performing extremely well, incorporating video content is highly beneficial regarding how both social media and search engine algorithms like Google's are working right now.
Below, we break down which strategy works best depending on your project:
Written content strategy
A written content strategy is essential at the beginning of any website project, as you won't be able to avoid creating the basics such as a homepage, product or service pages, FAQs, and even guest posts to enhance your authority. However, beyond that initial stage, it's recommended to focus primarily on a text-based strategy in the following cases:
- If your audience is actively searching for direct answers or detailed explanations. This can be verified by running prompt research to understand what users are asking AI tools and search engines.
- If your niche relies heavily on SEO and informational queries. As mentioned before, conducting keyword and prompt research will help you assess the viability and search demand within your sector.
- If you have a limited budget. Written content is generally more affordable to produce and maintain.
- If you want to build long-term, evergreen content. Text-based content can remain relevant for years with occasional updates.
- If your goal is to establish strong topical authority. One of the main ways to build authority is by earning mentions in reputable media through branding strategies and guest posting.
In these scenarios, as we have explained, written content remains the backbone of your visibility strategy.
Video content strategy
A video-based strategy works best if you are a content creator, your content is more subjective and personal, or your brand heavily relies on visual demonstrations. It is especially effective when showing how a product works, sharing reviews, building personal branding, or creating emotional connections with your audience.
As mentioned before, you won't completely escape written content, as you'll still need scripts, titles, descriptions, and captions. However, if your audience prefers dynamic and visual formats, investing more effort in video can significantly increase engagement and brand recognition.
This strategy is particularly suitable if:
- Your content requires visual explanation. For example, tutorials, step-by-step instructions, product demonstrations, or any process that is easier to understand when shown rather than described.
- Your personal presence is part of your brand. Some brands establish a strategy that requires being visible and building a closer relationship with their audience through personality and authenticity. This is especially important nowadays, as the rise of online scams has made people more cautious. Consumers usually prefer to buy from brands they feel aligned with, brands that are local, share their values, or feel more transparent and approachable.
- You aim to leverage platforms like YouTube. As we have already mentioned, YouTube is a powerful platform to take advantage of, especially since Google and AI tools tend to prioritize its content.
- Engagement and emotional connection are key priorities. Closely related to the previous point, video allows you to connect on a more personal level, convey tone and emotion, and build stronger trust with your audience.
Mixed strategy
We can't forget that a mixed text-and-video strategy is also an option and, in fact, it might be the best one regardless of your project. Unless you are a content creator who bases all their content exclusively on short-form social media videos, most website owners benefit from combining both formats.
For example, if you have a website and want to strengthen your strategy, you can create testimonial or product demonstration videos and embed them on your site. This helps reinforce trust and showcase the reliability and quality of your products or services.
Both search engines and AI tools can benefit from this combination: written content helps with indexing and structured information, while video enhances engagement, time on page, and overall user experience.
Often, the best strategy is not choosing between text or video, but knowing how to make them work together instead.
Summary
Even though we recommend a mixed strategy, it's crucial to check the comparison table and take into consideration all the factors when deciding what strategy to use. It's not an easy decision, as there are many variables involved.
But if you ask us what's the best strategy when you have a wide budget, a great team that can work with both written content and video, we would always recommend having a mixed strategy. Even if you already have a blog that works wonders, adding video won't negatively affect your strategy in any way.
Let's say you have a blog post about beauty products in which you talk about ingredients, make product comparisons, etc. Even though you already have a wide audience, you may reach an even greater one if you transform your content into a YouTube video or even social media formats like Reels as they are essential for virality. The same goes for a blog about marketing: you can create videos showing in detail how to use a tool, walking your audience step by step through each feature and explaining real use cases. You could also share quick tips, common mistakes to avoid, or practical examples of campaigns built with that tool.
By doing this, you're not only reinforcing the information from your blog post, but also making it more accessible to people who prefer visual or more dynamic content.