Every small business owner faces the same question when planning their content strategy — should I invest in video or focus on written content? The honest answer is that both have a place in a complete marketing strategy. But if you have limited time and budget and need to choose where to start the data strongly favors video for most small businesses.
Where Video Wins
Homepage and Landing Pages
A homepage video explaining what your business does converts visitors at a higher rate than text alone. People process visual information faster than written words — a 90 second video can communicate what would take several paragraphs of text to explain, and it does so in a way that is easier to absorb and remember.
Social Media Reach
Every major social media platform currently prioritizes video content in its algorithm. A video post reaches more people organically than a text post or even an image post on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. If organic reach matters to your business video is the format that delivers it.
Building Trust and Personal Connection
Seeing a real person speak on camera builds trust in a way that text simply cannot replicate. For service businesses where the client relationship is central — coaches, consultants, creatives, healthcare providers — video humanizes your brand and accelerates the know-like-trust journey that precedes most purchases.
Where Text Wins
Search Engine Optimization
Google indexes text. A well-written blog post targeting the right keywords can drive organic search traffic for years. Video content can rank in search results but it requires additional written content around it to maximize SEO value. If long-term organic traffic is your primary goal a content strategy that includes both video and written blog posts will outperform either alone.
Detailed Explanations and Documentation
Some information is simply easier to consume as text. Technical documentation, step-by-step guides, and reference content work better in written form because readers can scan, search, and return to specific sections in ways that video does not easily allow.
The Right Answer for Most Small Businesses
Start with an explainer video for your homepage — it has the broadest impact on conversion. Add a blog with keyword-targeted posts to build organic search traffic over time. Use short video clips on social media to drive reach and awareness. The combination outperforms either format alone.
Bob’s Custom Vids creates custom explainer videos, social media videos, and training content starting at $25/minute. Get a free quote today and use code BCV10OFF for $10 off your first order.
