After six months of video experimentation, we’re starting to learn what works (and what spectacularly doesn’t) when marketing technical writing services through video.
Why use video?
To communicate a message in a different way
Most websites promoting technical writing services follow a predictable pattern: bullet-pointed benefits lists, problem inventories, manual screenshots, and sample help files. This approach informs but rarely inspires.
Video offers another way to tell stories, invoke emotion, and demonstrate transformation in ways that static content often fails to do.
It can persuade, as well as inform.
It can show why something matters, not just what you do.
Videos function as embeddable content for your website and social media posts, giving you versatile assets that work across multiple channels.
Going where the audience is
YouTube, TikTok, and LinkedIn collectively serve billions of users daily. Specialist content creators, from shoe repairers to farmers, have built substantial audiences on these platforms.
These platforms act as sophisticated discovery engines that can connect your services with people who don’t yet know they need you. The algorithms work by continuously testing content with broader audiences until engagement metrics plateau. This means you need consistency rather than one viral hit. A series of related videos gives algorithms the data they need to identify and reach your ideal audience.
Setting realistic expectations
Documentation services aren’t likely to achieve millions of views overnight. Success, for us, means reaching the right people: those who need documentation expertise but haven’t yet discovered our services.
Having said that, the objective for us has mostly been about creating embeddable content. If the content also finds a niche audience on the video platform, then that’s an added bonus.
Building a video strategy
We’ve found the BBC’s motto of “educate, entertain, or inform” provides a useful framework, enhanced by understanding psychological principles that drive human decision-making.
Keeping it short
Short-form videos under three minutes dominate engagement patterns. While YouTube accommodates longer content, the sweet spot for reaching new audiences remains firmly in the sub-three-minute range. We aim for 40-80 seconds.
Educational content: establishing expertise
Educational videos can cover buzzword explanations, how-to tutorials, or industry insights.
We created a series of short videos explaining buzzwords in technical communication, posting them to TikTok, YouTube, and LinkedIn. On TikTok, some generated zero views. On LinkedIn, where they reached people who followed Cherryleaf or participated in technical writing forums, they performed significantly better.
These videos didn’t generate direct enquiries we could track, but they established credibility, demonstrated expertise, and increased awareness of Cherryleaf.
However, some marketing experts argue that companies need to do more than provide educational material. Search engines and chatbots now compete effectively in the educational space, making pure how-to content less distinctive.
This means, instead, you should consider formats like “a day in the life” videos that humanise your work, contrarian takes that challenge conventional wisdom (think Rory Sutherland’s approach), wisdom-sharing “grandad” videos that discuss big-picture industry trends, or transformation showcases that demonstrate before-and-after impacts. To that end, we created a few contrarian style videos and demonstrations of some of the documentation AI agents we’ve built.
Entertainment: the emotional connection
Entertainment videos tell stories and show transformations, but with creative flair, that makes them memorable. In the past, that wouldn’t have been possible for most organisations, due to the high costs of creating video using traditional methods. With AI video tools, it’s now possible to create videos within a limited budget.
You’re now limited mainly by imagination. You can reimagine popular media genres through a documentation lens: crime procedurals, soap operas, hospital dramas, superhero films, and so on.
@cherryleaf_ellis Law And Order: Special Writing Unit Created in #veo 3 and #camtasia #technicalwriting #procedures #writing For more information about Cherryleaf’s writing services, see www.cherryleaf.com
We also tried some literary parodies that worked fairly well. We created a Shakespeare soliloquy around technical writing challenges (available on YouTube and TikTok).
A word of caution: as AI tools make parodies easier to create, we’ll likely see market saturation. There’s a short-term opportunity unless you can be genuinely original. You’re probably best focusing on concepts that align with your brand voice rather than chasing every trend.
Informative content with drama: driving action
Informative videos typically focus on industry news, customer testimonials, and product launches. Video enables you to balance information with drama and persuasion, giving viewers concrete reasons to act now rather than later.
We found this style more suitable for embedding on our website. We’ve added videos to web pages describing specific training courses or services, and seen notable improvements in engagement metrics.
AI video creation tools make it easier to add drama. We can now produce advertisements and creative concepts that previously required substantial budgets and production teams.
We used tried-and-tested story formats.
For example, our video for “Mastering and Managing documentation with AI” follows a similar format to Flash cleaning products advertisements: the format shows someone with a problem, who is helped by a mentor or friend.
Starting your AI video journey
If you want to do something similar, our advice would be to focus on the content. Although there’s a learning curve for AI video creation tools, the content determines success.
We begin with a script outline or storyboard. Even simple planning dramatically improves final quality. We keep the video length to one minute or less. The law of diminishing returns applies sharply to video content. The barrier to entry has never been lower, but strategy matters more than ever. Know your audience, understand your platforms, and let creativity guide your message. Video is an opportunity to transform how people perceive the value you provide.
Summary
We know our videos aren’t perfect but a long chalk. We’re learning more from creating one imperfect video than from planning ten perfect ones.
Video is an opportunity to transform how people perceive the value you provide. The question isn’t whether video marketing works for documentation services, it’s whether you’ll experiment long enough to find what works for your specific audience. Know your audience, understand your platforms, and let creativity guide your message. The barrier to entry has never been lower, but strategy still matters.
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