Why Writing Is Still Relevant for your Business in a Video-Driven World

When I was a teenager, I had quotes all over my bedroom. In my free time, I’d read and listen to lyrics, jotting down quotes everywhere: in my math notebook, on my phone, and on canvas. I’d rather read a book than watch a movie because words are my favorite kind of art and the best tool I’ve ever known.

But even for someone like me—who loves reading and writing—I find myself getting sucked into Instagram Reels, my mind captured by snappy videos.

It begs the question: Is good writing even important anymore? Or should we just focus on the visuals?

The answer is, writing will always be the clay that holds—and forms—your business.

Here’s why.

Writing original, thoughtful content will help your business establish trust.

How many times have you responded to an outreach email or come across a LinkedIn post that was completely impersonal because it was so obviously written by AI?

Here’s an easy example. As I browsed Athleta’s website last week, I noticed a tagline I suspect was written by AI. (I know this because of how often ChatGPT uses the phrase “new heights” when I ask it to generate ideas!) Here’s the tagline:

“Wrinkle-resistant Euroluxe fabric takes your look to new heights.”

Not bad, you’re probably thinking. (That’s what most people think when they read something written by AI.)

The problem is, good writing paints pictures. And “Wrinkle-resistant Euroluxe fabric takes your look to new heights” is ringing empty for me.

Here’s an idea I came up with for an alternative tagline.

Fabric that promises not to tell anyone you don’t actually fold your clothes.

Of course, I don’t have access to Athleta’s brand guidelines, and this tagline may be too cheeky for their style. But assuming it aligns with their voice, it paints a picture. It shows instead of tells.

When I suspect a company is using AI to write important copy, I lose trust in the brand. I understand that AI can—and should—be used as a tool. But when it replaces creativity, it feels lazy. I’ve got a feeling I’m not the only one.

Since ChatGPT first came out, people have asked me whether I’m worried about my job. My answer is always the same: Not at all.

In fact, because of AI, I’m confident I’ll have job security for the rest of my career. That’s because companies all around us are trading in original writing for the cheap stuff (which is often just a regurgitation of words that have already been written). Communication expert Marcus Sheridan, who appeared on a recent Business Made Simple podcast, said:

“We’re in a trust recession right now. We don’t trust the government, and we don’t trust brands. So it’s actually not that difficult to innovate today if you’re transparent and showing people what others aren’t willing to show.”

When we write original content, we surprise people with our humanity.

We open a window into our business and give our audience something that’s becoming increasingly rare: a small fragment of our creativity. In exchange, they’ll give us a small fragment of their trust until they convert into paying customers.

Writing is Timeless

Video is a form of technology, and technology is constantly changing. Think about it: How often have you seen DVDs lining someone’s bookshelf in the last week? If you’re anything like me, you still have a pile of old DVDs you’re wondering what to do with. They’re useless now.

Similarly, when we lean on video content as our primary mode of communication, we’re putting too much weight on the platform that houses it. Right now, those platforms may be YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram. In 20 years, though, those platforms will change. It’s important to ensure you’re posting written content to your website (ahem, a blog) because you’ll always own that content.

Even when technology and social media change, words will still need to be read, and the businesses that have prioritized written content will be grateful for it. (After all, we don’t have DVDs anymore, but we still have books lining our shelves!)

Written content will help your video content (and website) rank higher

Someone must click “play” on a video before they watch it. (Or, at the very least, they must be engaged from the get-go to continue watching it.) What determines whether someone might want to interact with your videos? Most often, it’s the title. (Or, if we’re talking about social media, it’s the caption and the words on the video itself.)

Words are also crucial for social media videos because they allow people to watch the videos without playing the sound out loud, which can be disturbing or distracting. (Nobody likes sitting next to the person in the doctor’s office waiting room who’s playing Instagram Reels out loud.)

By the way: searchability applies to your website, too. The more you consistently write, the more often your website will creep to the top of someone’s search engine. There’s no way around this one. (And there won’t be.) As long as search engines require humans to write questions, they’ll require us to write answers. (Even if that means a well-written caption or title for a video.)

AI is based on written content, not video content.

The majority of AI tools we use are language-based. This means the machines rely on a gigantic database of written material to predict the most appropriate next word in a given sentence or phrase.

In other words: AI tools like ChatGPT focus on how normal humans write. (Not how we film, or how we talk). So the future of AI is actually dependent on new written content being published. Of course, AI can also help us with video scripts or visual storytelling, but this is still rooted in the written word. Visual content generated by AI is based on what we write.

Writing allows for more space to articulate.

I’ve had moments where writing was the only way I could process something happening in my life. There’s something about getting words onto paper that brings us clarity.

It’s the same way with our business: When we write down stories, case studies, and informational articles, we’re giving our business more space to articulate nuances.

Think about it: In today’s day and age, how much better would we all get along if we could simply communicate our nuances with each other? I think (and this is me speculating) a big reason why we’re so divided today is that we only see 30-second clips on our phone screens—generated by an algorithm that feeds us more of the same stuff.

When we crawl out of that short-circuited space and read something of substance, we’re better able to process information before jumping to conclusions.

There are several reasons this is useful.

a) When you can flesh out your voice and style through written content, you’ll leave less room for your audience to make assumptions about you.

b). Reading requires your audience to slow down and engage with the material on a deeper level. This can create a more meaningful connection between your brand and your audience, allowing them to fully understand your message and values—and here’s the key—remember them.

c). By providing well-considered explanations, stories, and insights, you help bridge gaps in understanding, reducing the likelihood of misunderstandings or misinterpretations.

All of this is difficult to convey in the 30-second video clips we’re posting on Instagram or TikTok.

Writing blogs should act as the “script” of all your content.

I always tell my clients to start with blog content and let all their other content trickle down from there. For example: If you’re a nutritionist and want to educate your audience about the benefits of a high-protein diet, start with a blog about this topic first. If you can write a detailed blog post about a high-protein diet, then writing a marketing email, creating a video, and writing social media captions on that same topic will feel like a breeze! And the best part is: you can direct all that extra content back to your blog, which will benefit your website traffic.

Do you need help with your written content?

Whether you’ve never posted a single blog or want to double your cadence, we all know writing quality content takes time, and time is money. I’ll help you crank out that written content so you can establish your brand as the most trustworthy in your industry.

Learn More!

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