Hate Being On Camera? Performance Tips For Better Marketing Results [Endless Customers Podcast Ep. 78]

About This Episode

You’re a busy business leader. Meetings, strategy sessions, and putting out fires—it’s all part of the job. So when the marketing team adds being in the next video to your to-do list, your first thought might be, Is this really the best use of my time? Don’t they have someone better at being on camera? 

But here’s the truth: if you’re not leveraging video, you’re leaving money—and trust—on the table. Buyers crave connection. They want to know the faces behind the brand, hear your expertise firsthand, and, most importantly, decide whether they can trust you. Video isn’t just another marketing tactic. It’s a tool that can fundamentally change how your audience feels about your business.

And yet, stepping in front of a camera can feel daunting. You might be wondering, What if I’m awkward? What if I mess up? What if I look or sound weird? Will this hurt people’s perception of me?

On the latest episode of Endless Customers, Alex Winter sat down with Lindsey Auten, a video and content trainer at IMPACT, to tackle these exact questions. Lindsey shared why video is critical for businesses, how to get comfortable on camera, and why following the S.I.M.P.L.E. method can make all the difference.

Why Video Builds Unmatched Trust

Unlike other content formats, video creates an immediate connection. Buyers see your face, hear your voice, and get a sense of who you are—long before you meet them in person. It’s a level of trust-building that even the most polished website can’t achieve.

“When your audience watches a video, they feel like they know you,” Lindsey explained. “And that familiarity is priceless when it comes to converting leads into customers.”

Alex chimed in with this: “Trust is everything in sales. If you can use video to break down barriers and make buyers feel comfortable, you’ve already won half the battle.”

In a world where buyers are bombarded with ads and sales pitches, video helps you stand out by being genuine, relatable, and real.

Overcoming the Fear of Being on Camera

Here’s the truth: almost no one feels 100% confident on camera at first. The good news? You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be yourself.

“People worry about their appearance, their voice, or making a mistake,” Lindsey said. “But what they don’t realize is that those little imperfections actually make you more relatable.”

Her advice for getting comfortable on camera? Practice, patience, and preparation. Lindsey broke it down into a few simple steps:

• Start small: Record short videos on your phone just for practice. You don’t even have to share them.
• Focus on your audience: Shift the focus away from yourself and onto the people you’re trying to help.
• Don’t sweat the small stuff: If you stumble over a word or laugh nervously, that’s okay. It makes you human.

Building Comfort on Camera with the SIMPLE Framework

For many business leaders, the idea of being on camera feels like a detour from their core responsibilities. But Lindsey broke down a powerful acronym during the episode—SIMPLE—designed to help anyone develop their on-camera performance while keeping things, well, simple. Here’s what it stands for:

S - Smile

Smiling might seem trivial, but as Lindsey said, "If you hit record and you have RBF on, that recording is going to look like you're a little ticked off." Starting with a smile changes your energy and makes you come across as approachable and engaging. Before you hit record, try smiling for 3 to 5 seconds—it sets the tone for the entire video and makes your energy inviting for viewers.

I - Imagine the Camera as a Person

Talking to a camera can feel unnatural—it’s just an inanimate object staring back. Lindsey advised picturing the camera as a person, saying, "If you can picture a person to talk to...that’s going to help you feel more natural and appeal more to the people watching." This mental shift transforms a mechanical interaction into a relatable conversation, making your delivery more personable.

M - Momentum

"An object in motion stays in motion," Lindsey explained. The same applies to your performance. If you mess up mid-sentence, don’t stop—just keep going. Stopping breaks your rhythm and often makes the editing process harder. As Alex added, "Power through it...even though it's messy, it helps you get to that final piece." Momentum allows you to refine your delivery naturally.

P - Posture Matters

Your body language speaks volumes. Lindsey recounted a client video where poor posture made someone appear "surly," even though it wasn’t their intention. "If my body language is open...leaning slightly forward, my energy is completely different," she shared. Posture communicates enthusiasm and credibility. Shoulders back, open stance, and leaning slightly toward the camera can make all the difference.

L - Leverage Storytelling

Humans are wired for stories. As Lindsey pointed out, "We’ve responded to stories since the beginning of time." Structure your video with a clear arc: introduce the problem, guide viewers through the solution, and show them how they can win. This approach builds relatability, which Alex highlighted as "the first step toward building trust."

E - Engage Naturally

Your instincts are usually right. If you use hand gestures or move your head while talking in real life, let those natural tendencies shine on camera. "Even if you think it might look stupid, just do it," Lindsey encouraged. Authenticity is magnetic—it’s what makes people trust and connect with you.

The SIMPLE framework isn’t about perfection; it’s about showing up authentically, building trust, and creating engaging content. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting, these six steps can help transform your on-camera presence into a tool for building strong connections with your audience.

Get Started With Video

Video can feel intimidating at first, but it’s worth the effort. As Lindsey reminded listeners, “You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be real. Your audience will appreciate your authenticity, and over time, you’ll see the impact it has on your business.”

So grab your phone, write down a few bullet points, and start recording. Because every video you create brings you one step closer to earning trust, building relationships, and driving results.

Connect with Lindsey

Lindsey Auten is a content and video trainer at IMPACT with a background in broadcast journalism. 

Learn more about Lindsey from her IMPACT bio

Connect with Lindsey on LinkedIn

Keep Learning

• Learn: Is Hiring an In-House  Videographer Worth The Cost?

• Watch: I Need Video Content But I Don’t Know How To Start

• Get Inspired: How to Create Industry-Disrupting Content That Will Turn Heads

Author: awinter@impactbnd.com (Alex Winter)

* This article was originally published here

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Australian Government Votes to Ban Under 16s from Social Media Apps

The Australian Government has agreed to the new laws, which will come into affect in 12 months time.

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Threads Will Now Display Alternate Feeds at the Top of the Main Feed

Yet another feature replicated from Bluesky.

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X Offers Ad Credit Matching to Shopify Merchants

X will match the ad spend of Shopify merchants over the next week.

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Inbox Ads Are a Risky Bet for Snap

Snapchat is now running new inbox ads, which could risk annoying its users.

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X Adds ‘NFL Portal’ To Encourage Sports Engagement

Enhanced NFL engagement on X.

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Is Threads Really Scared of Bluesky?

Bluesky is on the rise, but is Meta really worried about it?

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I’m Not Getting Sales and Lead Generation from My Website

“My website isn’t working.” It’s a phrase we hear all the time at IMPACT. When your website isn’t performing, it’s not just an annoyance—it’s a roadblock to growth. You’re losing potential customers, wasting resources, and watching opportunities slip through your fingers.

Maybe your website is outdated, or maybe you’ve spent time and money with an agency that promised their website optimization services would be incredible, but results have fallen flat. Either way, disappointing website results can be incredibly frustrating.

At IMPACT, we’ve helped hundreds of businesses—from growing startups to established enterprises—turn struggling websites into lead-generation machines. With years of experience solving these challenges, we know that when someone says their website isn’t working, it can mean many things. Maybe the site isn’t attracting visitors, or it’s failing to convert visitors into leads. Perhaps the leads it does generate aren’t the right fit, or the backend is so difficult to use that your marketing team feels stuck.

But the good news? Every problem has a solution. In this article, you’ll learn how to identify what’s holding your website back, explore real-world examples of successful fixes, and discover a process for transforming frustration into measurable results.

Asking the Right Questions

Fixing a website starts with understanding the problem. Before you can take action, you need to ask the right questions.

What does “not working” mean to you?
This is the most important starting point. For some businesses, the problem is low traffic—fewer people visiting the site than wanted. For others, it’s a lack of conversions—visitors aren’t turning into leads. Still, others struggle with usability issues that make the site difficult to manage.

What results do you expect from your website?
Your website should align with your goals. Are you looking to generate leads, educate prospects, or drive direct sales? Clarity about what success looks like will help you determine where your site is falling short.

What’s happening on your site right now?
Analyzing your data is critical. Tools like Google Analytics reveal where users are landing, how long they’re staying, and where they’re dropping off. One client came to us thinking they had an SEO problem, but we discovered their page load times exceeded ten seconds. This technical issue caused visitors to leave before they even saw the content.

By asking these foundational questions, you’ll uncover what’s really going on—and lay the groundwork for meaningful solutions.

Common Website Problems and Their Solutions

After asking the right questions, patterns start to emerge. Most underperforming websites face one (or more) of the following challenges:

1. Low Traffic

If your site isn’t attracting visitors, it can be tempting to jump to conclusions. Maybe you’ve heard that SEO is the culprit, or that you need more ads or social media buzz. But in reality, there are countless factors that affect website traffic, and no single answer fits every situation.

Today, the SEO landscape has become more complex and unpredictable. While SEO can still be part of the equation, focusing solely on rankings often misses the bigger picture. Traffic issues can stem from misaligned messaging, outdated content, or a lack of visibility in the places your audience actually spends time.

The Fix:

• Optimize your site for mobile devices to ensure usability on all screens.
• Keep content updated. Fresh, relevant content gives visitors a reason to return and keeps your site useful for your audience.
• Improve site speed by compressing images and streamlining code.

2. Poor Conversions

Attracting traffic is only half the battle. If visitors aren’t taking action—like filling out a form, calling your office, or downloading a resource—it’s often due to unclear messaging, bad value propositions, or weak calls-to-action (CTAs).

The Fix:

• Have very clear value propositions on your landing pages, otherwise your visitors will not be inspired to click your CTAs
• Ensure every page includes a clear next step, such as “Schedule a Call” or “Download the Guide.”
• Simplify and clarify your navigation so users can easily find what they need.
• Address visitor pain points in your content, focusing on their problems and how you solve them.

 

3. Unqualified Leads

Not all leads are created equal. If your website generates inquiries that don’t align with your target audience, the problem is likely with your messaging.

The Fix:

• Make sure you have content on your site around who is a good fit to work with you, and who is not a good fit. This lets prospects qualify themselves as much as possible before they ever fill out a form.
• Refine your messaging to focus on your ideal customer. Ask: What are their biggest challenges? What do they need from you?
• Avoid overly broad content. Instead, highlight specific problems you solve and the industries you serve.

4. Backend Challenges

An overly complex or outdated content management system (CMS) can frustrate your marketing team and slow down campaigns.

The Fix:

• Migrate to a user-friendly CMS, such as WordPress or HubSpot, that empowers your team to make updates without needing technical expertise.
• Organize your backend tools to streamline workflows and remove unnecessary roadblocks.

The IMPACT Process — Not Your Average Web Design Company

When businesses partner with IMPACT, they’re not just looking for quick fixes—they want a strategic approach that delivers lasting results. Here’s how we guide clients through the website transformation process:

1. Discovery Session

We start with a deep dive into your business, audience, and goals. During this phase, we ask detailed questions to uncover your pain points and opportunities. Unlike other agencies that rely on surface-level input, we push for clarity to ensure the strategy is aligned with your objectives. We will also be honest with you and let you know whether or not IMPACT will be the right fit to help you.

2. Strategy, Design, and Development

Once an agreement is in place, you'll move into design and page strategy, where we see what the site will look and feel like — both from an aesthetic point of view and a user flow standpoint. Upon approval of the design, we’ll begin to develop the designs into functioning web pages.

3. Content Guidance and Design

We guide your team in writing copy, then review and refine your content to ensure it’s clear, engaging, and optimized for search engines. From there, our design team brings your website to life, focusing on user experience and branding.

4. Launch, Optimization, and Training

We’ll work to get core website pages up and running first – usually within 4 months. After launch, we’ll start gathering visitor data to help us perfect the launched pages, as well as build out the remaining pages of your site. At the same time, we’ll train your team on how they manage and update your new website.

A Real-World Example: Combined HCM

When Combined HCM came to us, their website wasn’t just underperforming—it was holding them back. Their marketing team couldn’t make updates without outside help, and their messaging was too broad to attract qualified leads.

Here’s how we helped:

• Simplified the Backend: We migrated their site to a CMS that empowered their team to make updates independently.
• Refined Messaging: By focusing on their target audience’s pain points, we helped them create content that resonated.
• Enhanced the User Experience: We added a learning center to guide prospects through the buyer’s journey and embedded videos to build trust.

Turning Frustration Into Opportunity

A website that isn’t working isn’t just a problem—it’s an opportunity. By addressing the root causes, you can create a site that gets the traffic you want, converts leads, and supports your goals.

At IMPACT, we specialize in helping businesses turn underperforming websites into assets they can rely on. Whether you need to improve your messaging, streamline your structure, or overhaul your entire platform, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Whether you work with us or not, we hope this article will help you get started on your journey to website success!

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X Users Can Now Activate Side-Swiping Likes and Replies In-Stream

X's new functionality for likes and replies is now active, though it's optional for now.

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Will a Website Redesign Solve our Marketing Problems?

Picture this: A business sees that its website isn't bringing in leads. Business leaders go to an agency and say they need a new website to turn things around. 

The agency builds a sleek new website — to the tune of $60,000 — which boosts traffic for a few months, but it doesn’t seem to bring in better leads. Soon, traffic starts to level off. 

The business wonders what went wrong.

Does this sound familiar?

All too often, businesses see a new website as the solution to their marketing problems. While a beautiful, clean site is certainly an asset, it is not a business strategy, in and of itself. Without a full-fledged marketing and sales strategy, a website can easily be just another shiny object that is trendy but not helpful.

A website is one of your business’s most cherished assets: a 24-hour marketer and salesperson that helps bring in customers. But just like with any other asset, the strategy behind it determines its value.

If you’re entering into a website redesign, don’t expect a flashy new website to be the panacea you’re looking for. Instead, plan on making your website redesign part of a larger strategy overhaul that ensures it will work in tandem with other marketing and sales initiatives to bring in revenue. 

Below, we'll explain why your website redesign strategy needs to be about more than just site navigation and design elements. 

A website is not a marketing strategy

Businesses go into website redesigns with the preconception that a new website that’s fancy, fast, and beautiful is going to solve their marketing problems.

Often, businesses entering into this process are coming from a place of pain. Traffic is down; they’re not getting leads and sales. When businesses face those situations, they think, well, what can we do? A website redesign is something they can do. 

Here’s the thing: You can polish up a website, but if your website content doesn’t answer buyer questions, they’re not going to stick around. If you don’t publish content regularly, you’re less likely to rank highly in search. 

If you’re not addressing these bigger marketing issues, a new website isn’t going to do you much good. 

Instead, we've got to break the mold of how marketers and salespeople look at an asset like a website. A website isn't something you just refresh. It's a living, breathing thing. Yes, there are times when we need to redesign it and we need to make it prettier, but what's at the heart of it? What is it doing and what is its function? 

And if we look at it from that perspective, we don't always need to focus on a redesign. We might just need to add content. We might just need to revamp some things. 

The true purpose of a website

It can depend on your specific business needs, but think of a website as an answer repository for buyers. Someone should be able to come to your website and fully understand what problems you solve, and how you solve them. 

Your website should do all of the things that a salesperson would normally do if a potential customer just walked in and started asking questions.

If you look at how people want to use the internet to buy, they don’t want to talk to a sales person until they are ready. That’s what our websites need to be. They need to provide answers to people who are not ready to talk to salespeople. If our websites can't give users all of this information, then we have the potential to lose people. 

People want to come in and learn. People want their questions to be answered because their time is valuable. They don't want to spend hours on a sales call. They want to know how your company can help them. They want to know what working with you will be like. They want to know how much something will cost them.

And if you can't answer those questions for them in some form or fashion on your website, they’re gone. 

Your website doesn't replace salespeople, it just gets potential customers more bought in and ready to talk. 

Your website must be a part of your business strategy

Any website project manager will talk about strategy, but they're talking about website strategy — how the pages look and how they’re laid out and conversion paths. The most successful websites focus on a larger digital sales and marketing strategy. 

This isn’t just about your website, or about your content, or about your video. This is about how you inform and educate your buyers so that you gain their trust so they will do business with you. 

Most businesses should not be doing a website redesign without first doing the foundational work that needs to inform that website. 

Too often, we see companies that are doing all sorts of different marketing and sales tactics, but those tactics are not grounded in principles. 

This means they're working on a number of initiatives at once, but there's no unifying strategy.

Imagine this business:

• They’ve got a brand new website that somebody built that doesn't do any of the things they need it to.
• They've been sending out boxes of printed materials and swag in an account-based marketing-type pitch that cost them over $50 a pop, but returns are minimal.
• They’re spending money on Google Search ads too, but these result in garbage leads.

They're doing all these things because their revenue's down.

They’re spending all this money, but they have no strategy.

These are marketing decisions made out of fear. They're chasing the newest shiny object, hoping it will turn things around. 

A website, too, can be that next shiny thing. But without a strategy, it's just another way to spend money with questionable ROI. 

The website redesign process MUST focus on strategy 

Companies need to think more broadly when they’re getting ready to approach a website redesign. They need to think differently. 

They don’t know exactly what they need — and agencies are standing by, ready to sell them a new website that won’t solve their bigger issues. 

Any conversation about a new website should start with outcomes.

What are you looking to get out of your new site? Most clients are going to say they need more traffic or they need more leads. What they really mean is that they need more sales. 95% of the time, that’s it. They have a sales problem. They’re not hitting their numbers. They’re not getting the revenue that they need to get.

It's not that their salespeople are not good, it’s that they have no strategy to help drive sales. We have to show them the real problem and then show them how they actually solve it. 

A new website is not the only thing they need. 

They need a complete sales and marketing strategy, they need to make sure their website (new or old) is regularly updated with content that builds trust and answers buyers’ questions.

Then, if they determine that a new site is necessary, once it’s built it needs to be monitored and adjusted to best serve site visitors. 

There are hundreds of agencies out there who will sell you a brand new shiny website — but unless they’re going to talk to you about the strategy behind the website, about how that website is going to help you bring in revenue — that new website is not going to help your business in the long term.

Author: jbecker@impactbnd.com (John Becker)

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Threads Continues To Lead the Download Charts in October

Threads maintained its download momentum in October.

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TikTok May Enable Creators To Build AI Bots in Their Likeness

The robots are coming...

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Facebook To Remove the Option To Allow Public Followers on Personal Profiles

If you want to keep your public followers, switch to Professional Mode instead.

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YouTube Prepares to Launch ‘Jewels’ Live-Stream Gifting Process

A new live-stream donation option on YouTube. 

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Should You Hire A Marketing Agency to Create Your Content?

Thousands of companies around the world have heard the call that “content is king!” Businesses are scrambling to create and post marketing content in the form of written articles, videos, and podcasts to attract and maintain customers.
But let's be frank: The majority are frustrated.

Most don't get the real results, the leads, or sales they're looking for — and many are tired of waiting around to see if they'll happen.  

If you fall into this category, it likely comes down to one thing: who's owning your content.

Creating content in the form of articles, case studies, videos, podcasts, and more is an incredibly powerful way to grow your business in the digital age. But if you’re outsourcing your content creation to an agency or a freelancer, you're not setting yourself up for success.

In this article, you’re going to learn why the ‘old way’ of outsourcing content may be hurting your business in the long run, and what you can do today to create content that works.

Why you need to take content marketing into your own hands

The companies most successful with content marketing are producing several articles each week to rank for multiple keywords and drive traffic to their website. Companies that gain organic traffic and high keyword rankings tend to go on to gather leads and sales — all from their content.

Around half of all companies hire an outside agency to handle this all for them. 

However, in my experience, companies that truly flourish with content marketing take full ownership of their strategy and execution in-house.

Now, why is this?

When you rely on an agency to create your content, in most cases, you will be hindered by the stipulations of your contract. This usually means a limited number of articles (or videos) and time spent on your company's needs.

Production is often low and slow. You simply won't be able to produce enough content to achieve the results you're looking for.

Plus, those agency content creators just don’t know your business the way they need to to create great content.

Don't get me wrong, agency folks are talented, but when it comes to content marketing for your business, what they create will likely be based on research and will rehash what they've made for similar clients. It's unoriginal. 

Writers and creators outside your company are also likely not experts in your field. They won't naturally capture your brand's voice or unique company perspectives — at least not as quickly and consistently as you need it to happen. 

That's why, if you’re serious about content marketing, you need to get off the sidelines and get in the game yourself. 

You need to have a dedicated content owner in-house.

Content marketing needs a leader and a champion in your organization 

Bringing your content marketing in-house — with what we call a content manager — enables you to produce high-quality content with greater ease, flexibility, and consistency. 

This is because an in-house content manager will make your content marketing their full focus. They will be the leader of your initiatives and the champion for its success.

The benefits of an in-house content manager

First off, an in-house content manager is at your disposal for creating content.

It's easier to pivot quickly with someone on your team then it is with someone you had a set contract with. 

Since your content manager will solely focus on your company, they should be able write at the three-articles-per-week cadence you need to start making traction in search results, and be readily available for an additional video script or marketing email on short notice.

They create not just content, but strategy

But a content manager won't just write.

They will work with your sales and customer service teams to learn what content is needed and develop your strategy.   

They will also make sure each piece actually gets moved across the line — whether it be writing it themselves, interviewing your subject matter experts (SME), or coaching SMEs on your team to produce content.

They'll also help close deals faster by teaching your sales team how to use the content created for assignment selling. Beyond that, they can aid in your social media efforts, write marketing emails, and also be in charge of reporting on how your content is doing.

Showcasing your voice

An in-house content writer will wholeheartedly work in your voice, culture, and processes every day and be better equipped to ensure it is reflected in everything they create. 

They'll know what it's actually like to see your clients working and communicating with someone on your team and create content suited to that experience.

Will a content manager actually save you money in the long run?

What I hear from business leaders all the time is some version of this same concern: “Marcus, I understand the philosophy behind hiring a content owner, but I need to know that doing so is going to be worth the money. An agency is more affordable.”

Upfront, hiring a content manager may seem like a hefty price tag. However, in the long run, you'll be saving and making more.  

As I said above, to really drive major traffic growth with content, you need to be producing at least three articles per week.

Most agencies won't produce anywhere near this output.

Let’s say the marketing agency you hired produces three articles per month. What would it cost to triple production? 

If you want to produce a high volume of content, paying an in-house writer is almost always going to be less expensive than hiring someone externally, be that a freelancer or an agency. 

What’s more, an in-house writer will be more attuned to the tone and style of your brand. You won’t have to pay for extra revisions if a piece doesn’t sound quite right. 

No, you can’t just have someone already on your team do your content

I hear business leaders ask, “Can’t I just have somebody on my team do it?” The answer is yes — as long as you remove all their other responsibilities. 

Content management is a full-time job, and if you’re going to take it seriously, it deserves an employee’s full attention.

Adding content to the to-do list of someone who is already on staff means it'll likely get deprioritized. 

I have seen this happen at literally hundreds of businesses.

They think they can just give content production to someone who already has a full-time job. You know what happens? They can only produce a small fraction of the content you need, and this even peters out over time. Or that employee burns out and leaves the business. 

Either way, your business ends up in a bad situation. 

Content management can be taken on internally only if you are willing to consider it a new position to be filled. Otherwise, it won’t work.

I understand the hesitation, but this is a sound investment

As a small business owner myself, I know the hesitation that comes with the thought of hiring for a new position.

You want to make sure that you're making the right choice with your money, hiring the right person, and steering your company in the right direction.

Content is a worthy investment.

The way people buy has changed so drastically that if your website isn’t a teaching tool that helps educate buyers, they will find the information they seek elsewhere — and then begin forming a relationship with whatever source supplied their answers. 

If you want to be that source that is trusted and sought out by buyers, you need content on your website — a lot of it. If you want that content to bring in traffic, gather leads, and help salespeople close deals, you need it to be produced in-house. 

To do content marketing right, you need to hire a content manager.

Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.

Check out our free course, "How to Hire a Content Manager" to learn how. (1hr+)

OR

Hear how adopting in-house content creation led to a 700% increase in inbound revenue for RoofCrafters. (10-20 min)

Author: msheridan@impactbnd.com (Marcus Sheridan)

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Threads Takes First Steps To Separate Itself From Instagram

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Research Highlights Social Media Usage Trends in 2024

The latest social media usage insights from the team at Pew Research. 

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Articles or Videos? How to Choose the Right Content Strategy for Your Business [Endless Customers Podcast Ep. 76]

About the Episode

Deciding how to approach content creation in your marketing plan can feel like a tricky balance. Should you invest in more video content to build trust with prospects? Or stick to written articles to help potential buyers find you on Google? It’s a question almost every business with an online presence has asked.

In this episode of Endless Customers, Alex Winter sat down with Lindsey Auten, a content trainer at IMPACT, who’s helped hundreds of businesses get results by creating both written and video content. Their discussion zeroed in on the strategic choice between the two content types, and Lindsey shared key insights on how to maximize your ROI by letting your audience's needs guide your strategy.

In this episode, we break down the factors you should consider when deciding between written and video content—and how each can be a powerful tool for connecting with your audience and closing sales.

The Importance of a Balanced Approach in Written and Video Content

Right off the bat, Lindsey made it clear that it’s not a question of choosing between written and video content. “The reality is,” she said, “you need both.” Why? Because each type of content serves a unique purpose in today’s marketing landscape, and a combination of the two gives you the best chance to meet your prospects where they are.

With search engine algorithms evolving and user expectations constantly shifting, sticking solely to one type of content can limit your reach. Businesses that focus only on blogs may miss out on the trust-building potential of video, while those that focus only on video risk losing out on the website-first advantages that well-crafted written content can provide.

The Case for Written Content - Depth, Discoverability, and Trust

Written content has been the foundation of digital marketing for years, and there’s a good reason for that. Articles, blogs, and guides allow you to go deep into a topic, answer specific questions, and show up in search results where your customers are looking for solutions. Plus, well-optimized written content tends to have a longer shelf life than video.

“People think written content is dying,” Lindsey noted, “but it’s actually evolving. It’s about meeting customers’ expectations in how they want to consume information.” Written content may not be as “flashy” as video, but it’s accessible to those who prefer reading, and it also provides a sense of authority that can build trust over time.

Here are some reasons why written content still matters:

• SEO Benefits: A well-optimized article or blog can help your website rank higher on Google and other search engines, increasing your chances of being found by potential customers.
• Detailed Explanation: Complex topics or nuanced issues are often better suited for a written format, where you can go in-depth.
• Conversion Opportunities: Written content can drive readers to your website and prompt them to take action, such as signing up for a newsletter or contacting your sales team.

In short, written content is essential for helping your audience find you and for establishing authority and trust on specific topics.

The Case for Video Content - Humanizing Your Brand and Building Trust

On the flip side, video content has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, and it’s easy to see why. Video creates an emotional connection that written content just can’t match, and it can put a face to your business, making you feel more approachable and trustworthy.

“Video content can create a level of comfort,” Lindsey explained. “People see your team members, your expertise, and they feel like they know you even before talking to you.” This familiarity can make a big difference, especially for businesses in fields where building trust is essential to landing new clients.

Here’s why video content can be a game-changer:

• Engagement: Video is inherently more engaging, with research showing that people are more likely to watch a video than read a full blog post.
• Building Trust: Seeing someone on screen feels more personal and can make a potential buyer feel like they already know your company.
• Visual Learning: Some concepts are simply better explained visually. For instance, if you sell products or services that require a demonstration, a video can show how it works in real-time.

In short, video helps humanize your brand, making it easier to establish trust with potential clients.

When to Choose Written Content or Video Content

While you want a mix of written and video content, certain situations call for one approach over the other. Lindsey explained that it all comes down to the “intended outcome” of each piece of content.

“Start by looking at the goal,” she advised. “If you’re trying to build a reputation for authority on a specific topic, written content is the way to go. But if you want to build trust with potential clients, especially for higher-stakes interactions, video might be more effective.”

Here’s a quick guide to help you decide:

• Choose Written Content When…
  • You’re targeting search engines for visibility.
  • You need to explain complex information in depth.
  • You’re sharing evergreen content that will stay relevant over time.
• Choose Video Content When…
  • Your goal is to build a personal connection or build trust with your audience.
  • You’re explaining a visual concept or product.
  • You’re targeting social media platforms, where video engagement is high.

The Power of Repurposing: Combining Written and Video Content

If both written and video content are essential, then one of the smartest ways to maximize ROI is to repurpose your content. This approach lets you cater to different audience preferences without doubling your workload. Lindsey suggested pairing a blog post with a short video summary or even embedding videos in longer articles to appeal to both readers and viewers.

“Repurposing is a great way to get the best of both worlds,” she said. “For example, if you’re writing a ‘Big 5’ article on pricing or product comparisons, turn it into a quick explainer video to embed in the article. Not only does this serve different learning styles, but it can also boost engagement and keep readers on your site longer.”

Tips for Effective Repurposing:

• Create a blog post and a video on the same topic: This gives you two pieces of content you can cross-promote. Just make sure to change the content to fit the medium you’re using.
• Use video snippets on social media to drive traffic back to a related article on your website.
• Embed videos in blog posts to increase dwell time and engagement on the page.

Common Problems to Avoid

Many businesses make the mistake of treating content creation as a “production-only” role. Lindsey pointed out that while it’s important to produce regularly, it’s also critical to be strategic. “The output is important,” she said, “but what’s almost more important is the result of that output.”

Another pitfall is focusing on quantity over quality. Businesses sometimes feel pressured to churn out content, but without a clear goal or strategy, this approach can end up wasting resources without driving results.

Lastly, Lindsey emphasized that it’s not enough to just publish content. You need to track how it’s performing. If a blog post isn’t getting traffic, revisit it and make adjustments. If a video isn’t converting, analyze what might be turning viewers away. This constant optimization is what makes a content strategy truly effective.

The Key to a Strong Marketing Strategy

At the end of the day, the question of written vs. video content is less about “either-or” and more about “both-and.” By strategically mixing the two, you can create a robust content strategy that appeals to a wide audience, builds trust, and keeps you visible in search results.

As Lindsey put it, “It’s not about choosing one over the other—it’s about understanding when and why each is valuable and letting that guide your decisions.” With this balanced approach, you’ll be better positioned to capture and convert leads, all while adapting to your audience’s needs.

Whether you’re launching a blog series or setting up a YouTube channel, remember that the key to effective content marketing is balance. Use written content to establish authority, video to build trust, and repurpose where possible to make every piece work harder for your business.

Connect with Lindsey

Lindsey Auten is a content and video trainer at IMPACT with a background in broadcast journalism. 

Learn more about Lindsey from her IMPACT bio

Connect with Lindsey on LinkedIn

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• Learn: 'The Big 5': Best Business Blog Topics to Drive Traffic and Sales

• Watch: I Need Video Content But I Don’t Know How To Start

• Get Inspired: How to Create Industry-Disrupting Content That Will Turn Heads

Author: awinter@impactbnd.com (Alex Winter)

* This article was originally published here

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