What are the pros and cons of using video vs text for educational content? (2024)

Visual learners are able to better ingest information via video as opposed to just static images and text. Videos provide an extra layer of clarity and dynamism necessary for recall and application. Further, their effectiveness can be maximized with closed captioning, effects, and editing during post-production. We currently live in a world driven by short-form video content. This has been made more evident than ever with the rapid rise of TikTok, now eclipsing Google as a search engine. Thus, it’s important for content creators to leverage video wherever possible.

Video creates a human connection beyond what text alone can provide. It establishes trust. And if you add subtitles (as you should), then you get the best of both worlds.

There's a hierarchy of impact that's worth considering. Here's an example:VideoPodcastArticleTweetA tweet creates a small impression on people whereas video creates a much longer lasting impression. Of course, a tweet is much easier to create than a video. Plus, it's easier to get views on a tweet than a video.Video is powerful because of the long lasting impression that it makes, but you have to balance it with the cost to produce a quality video and the cost to get people to spend time watching it.

By integrating video, text, and images into one piece of content, you can create a comprehensive piece of content that can be shared across many platforms.

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My experience with video has shown me that you can establish a very authentic connection with your target audience in the shortest amount of time. Pure text, on the other hand, has its limitations, as reading text often discourages many people from even absorbing the information. On websites, videos lead to longer dwell times, thereby increasing the likelihood that your message actually reaches the viewer. When in doubt, I would always prefer a video over text; it's just more convenient for the audience.The critique against video is that it requires the appropriate technology, skills, and, above all, time to create one.

There have been incredible advancements in the world of video editing, optimizing the experience for creators. With AI tools such as Latte Social, raw longer form video footage can be oriented and split into sections. Further, relatively accurate subtitles, captions, and hashtags can be provided with just a few clicks. So many of the laborious tasks associated with editing and post-production have been simplified and automated, so it’s imperative for content creators to remain current regarding these new tools.

Some people just don't like video. It takes more time to consume. Video won't reach everyone, but the people it does will have a big impact.

Il est primordial de travailler le dynamisme de la vidéo. Dans ce sens et dans la plupart des contextes, il ne faut garder que l'essentiel, c'est à dire faire en sorte de couper tout le superflu. Tout l'intérêt et l'impact de la vidéo réside dans sa capacité à captiver l'audience. Si votre contenu délivre des messages trop complexes ou s'écarte trop de la promesse faite lorsque l'utilisateur a choisi de cliquer dessus, alors vous manquerez vos objectifs. Dans la mesure du possible, choisissez un angle et un message clair, puis délivrez le de manière efficace.

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The best feature of text is that it can be quickly consumed by the reader. Plus, the cost to create it is less than video or audio. However, crafting the right text still matters if you want to achieve the benefits you want.

Unless you're a brilliant writer, text can be more easily forgotten than an image or video which leaves a longer lasting impression. Plus, the ADD generation of today has a harder time reading long sets of text.

These days the answer is you likely need to do both. Video can leave a lasting impression. Plus, the tools are there to turn your video into a text article as well. So, you can have the best of both worlds.

The proposal that "you likely need to do both," furthered by the idea that there are tools that will convert your text into video and vice-a-versa is what is called creating Comprehensive Content. Another fantastic option would be a Digital PDF in which you can place interactive images and videos alongside your text - due to the "ADD Generation" well, that may be a group of people but I personally prefer an article over video any day, assuming that the author has taken the time to source it correctly. Otherwise they are equally useless.

Firstly, create a high-quality video that captures the attention of your audience. Make sure to include subtitles in the video as this can be a great way to increase its reach. After that, create a blog article surrounding the topic of the video. This article should include additional information that supplements the points made in the video. The final step is to integrate the blog article and the video into one piece of content. This can be done by adding an image to the blog post that links to the video and providing a description of the video. Additionally, you can embed the video directly into the blog post so that viewers can watch it without leaving the page.

Regardless of what format you do. Less is more. Don't overthink what's required from text or video. Something short that provides value is the bar you should consider. If you've provided value with something short, they'll thank you and keep consuming your content.

One of the best things you can do with any piece of content is to reuse it. If you do a video, turn it into a podcast and an article. Then, take that article and split it into social media shares. Chop the video into clips to share on social media. Repurposing good content is always a great idea!

Comprehensive Content:Creating content that is engaging and informative can be a challenge, but integrating different formats into one piece of content can create a truly unique experience. In this blog post, I will demonstrate how you can integrate video, text, and images to create a comprehensive piece of content that can be shared across many platforms.