Video vs Written Case Studies: Pros, Cons & Best Practices

The short answer: most successful B2B companies use both formats strategically, creating video case studies for high-value accounts and written case studies for scale and SEO. But understanding the nuances will help you allocate your resources effectively.

Quick Comparison Table

Before diving into details, here is a side-by-side comparison of video versus written case studies across key dimensions.

Production Time: Video case studies typically require 4-8 weeks from planning to final cut, while written case studies can be completed in 1-3 weeks depending on approval cycles.

Production Cost: Professional video case studies range from $5,000 to $25,000+ depending on production quality and travel requirements. Written case studies cost $500 to $3,000 for professional writing and design.

Customer Time Commitment: Video requires 2-4 hours of customer time for filming and review. Written case studies need only 30-60 minutes for an interview plus review time.

SEO Value: Written case studies are highly indexable and can rank for long-tail keywords. Video case studies provide limited direct SEO value unless accompanied by transcripts.

Emotional Impact: Video excels at conveying authenticity and emotion through facial expressions and tone of voice. Written case studies rely on quotes and narrative structure.

Shareability: Video performs well on social media and in email campaigns. Written case studies are easier to reference, quote, and adapt for different uses.

Shelf Life: Both formats can remain relevant for 2-3 years, though videos may feel dated faster due to changing visual styles and production trends.

Pros and Cons of Video Case Studies

Video case studies have become increasingly popular as video consumption continues to dominate B2B content. Here is what makes them powerful and where they fall short.

Advantages of Video Case Studies

Authentic emotional connection. Seeing and hearing a real customer describe their experience creates an emotional resonance that text cannot match. Prospects can read body language, hear genuine enthusiasm, and connect with a real person rather than words on a page.

Higher engagement rates. Video content typically generates 2-3x more engagement than text content. Viewers are more likely to watch a 90-second video than read an 800-word case study, especially in top-of-funnel contexts.

Memorable and shareable. People remember 95% of a message when they watch it in video compared to 10% when reading text. Video case studies are also more likely to be shared on social platforms.

Demonstrates credibility visually. Showing a customer's actual office, their team, and their operations adds a layer of authenticity that cannot be fabricated. Prospects can see that these are real people at real companies.

Works across multiple channels. Video snippets can be repurposed for social media, email campaigns, trade show displays, sales presentations, and website headers.

Disadvantages of Video Case Studies

High production costs. Professional video production requires equipment, crew, editing, and potentially travel. A single high-quality video case study can cost $10,000-25,000 or more.

Longer production timelines. Between scheduling, filming, editing, and approvals, video case studies typically take 6-8 weeks to complete. This makes them difficult to produce at scale.

Significant customer commitment. Asking customers to appear on camera is a bigger ask than a phone interview. Some customers will decline video participation even when willing to provide written testimonials.

Limited SEO benefit. Search engines cannot index video content the same way they index text. Without accompanying written content, video case studies contribute little to organic search visibility.

Harder to update. When metrics change or customers leave companies, written case studies can be easily edited. Video case studies may require expensive reshoots or become permanently outdated.

Accessibility challenges. Not all viewers can consume video content. Without transcripts and captions, video case studies exclude viewers with hearing impairments or those in sound-restricted environments.

Pros and Cons of Written Case Studies

Written case studies remain the foundation of most B2B proof libraries. They offer advantages that video cannot match, along with their own set of limitations.

Advantages of Written Case Studies

Lower production costs. A professional written case study with custom design typically costs $1,000-3,000, a fraction of video production costs. This makes written case studies accessible for companies with limited marketing budgets.

Faster time to publish. Written case studies can be completed in 2-3 weeks from customer interview to published piece. This allows for more responsive content creation tied to sales needs.

Easier customer participation. A 30-minute phone interview is a smaller ask than on-camera filming. More customers will agree to written case studies, giving you a larger pool of potential stories.

Strong SEO performance. Written case studies can rank for industry-specific and problem-specific keywords. They contribute to your site's topical authority and can drive organic traffic for years.

Easy to update and adapt. When results improve or circumstances change, written case studies can be quickly edited. They can also be adapted into blog posts, one-pagers, email content, and sales slides.

Scannable and quotable. Busy executives can quickly scan a written case study for relevant metrics and quotes. Sales teams can easily copy specific statistics or testimonials for proposals.

Accessible by default. Text content is inherently accessible to screen readers and does not require sound. Written case studies work in any environment.

Disadvantages of Written Case Studies

Less emotional resonance. Without the human element of video, written case studies rely on strong writing to convey emotion. Some readers may find them less compelling or authentic.

Lower engagement in social contexts. Text content generates less engagement on social platforms compared to video. Written case studies are less likely to be shared or commented on.

Generic perception. Prospects have seen thousands of written case studies with similar formats. Without distinctive design or storytelling, written case studies can feel like marketing collateral rather than genuine proof.

Requires strong writing skills. A poorly written case study can actually damage credibility. Not every team has access to writers who can craft compelling narratives from customer interviews.

When to Choose Video Case Studies

Video case studies are not universally better, but they excel in specific situations. Consider investing in video for:

Flagship customers. Your most recognizable customers and biggest logos deserve the premium treatment. Video case studies featuring well-known brands carry significant credibility weight.

High-consideration purchases. For enterprise sales with long cycles and multiple stakeholders, video case studies help build trust and emotional connection with buying committees.

Trade shows and events. Video content plays well on booth displays and during presentations. Having video case studies ready for major events can differentiate your brand.

Social media campaigns. When planning paid or organic social campaigns, video case studies significantly outperform written content in terms of engagement and reach.

Sales presentations. Embedding a 90-second customer video in a sales deck is more impactful than reading a quote on a slide. Video breaks up presentations and adds credibility.

Competitive differentiation. In industries where competitors rely primarily on written case studies, video content can set you apart and signal higher investment in customer success.

When to Choose Written Case Studies

Written case studies remain the workhorse format for most B2B proof libraries. Prioritize written case studies when:

Building breadth of coverage. You need case studies across multiple industries, use cases, and customer sizes. Written case studies allow you to cover more ground with the same budget.

Optimizing for search. You want case studies to rank for specific keywords and drive organic traffic. Written content is essential for SEO performance.

Working with camera-shy customers. Many excellent customers will decline video but readily participate in phone interviews. Written case studies capture their stories without the on-camera requirement.

Tight timelines. You need proof for a specific deal or campaign quickly. Written case studies can be produced in a fraction of the time video requires.

Limited budgets. When resources are constrained, written case studies deliver solid ROI. You can produce 5-10 written case studies for the cost of one professional video.

Complex technical stories. Detailed explanations of technical implementations, integrations, or processes are often clearer in written format with diagrams and specifics.

Cost and Resource Comparison

Understanding the true investment required for each format helps you plan your case study program effectively.

Video Case Study Production Costs

DIY/Internal production: $500-2,000 per video. Suitable for testimonial snippets but often lacks professional polish for flagship case studies.

Mid-tier professional production: $5,000-15,000 per video. Includes professional crew, editing, graphics, and music. Good quality for most B2B applications.

High-end production: $15,000-50,000+ per video. Cinematic quality with advanced graphics, multiple shoot locations, and premium post-production. Reserved for flagship content.

Additional costs to consider: Travel expenses, customer gifts or incentives, studio rental, script development, and revision rounds.

Written Case Study Production Costs

Internal writing: $0-500 (staff time). Quality varies significantly based on writing skills available internally.

Freelance writer: $500-1,500 per case study. Includes interview, writing, and one round of revisions.

Agency or premium writer: $1,500-3,500 per case study. Includes strategy input, customer interview, professional writing, and custom design.

Additional costs to consider: Design and layout, translation for international markets, and promotion.

Time Investment Comparison

Video case studies require 20-40 hours of internal team time across project management, customer coordination, creative direction, and review cycles.

Written case studies require 5-15 hours of internal team time for coordination, interviews (if conducted internally), and review.

Combining Video and Written: The Hybrid Approach

The most effective B2B proof strategies do not choose between video and written case studies, they strategically combine both formats.

The Tiered Approach

Tier 1 (Video + Written): Your top 5-10 flagship customers get the full treatment: professional video case study plus comprehensive written version. These become pillar content pieces.

Tier 2 (Written + Video Snippets): Strong customers receive professional written case studies, with short video testimonials (60-90 seconds) captured opportunistically at events or via remote recording.

Tier 3 (Written Only): Solid customers with good stories get streamlined written case studies. These build breadth across industries and use cases.

Repurposing Across Formats

When you create a video case study, extract additional value by creating:

• A full written case study with expanded details and SEO optimization
• Blog posts highlighting specific aspects of the story
• Pull quotes and statistics for sales materials
• Social media clips cut to different lengths
• Transcript for accessibility and SEO
• One-page PDF summary for sales teams

Capturing Video Opportunistically

Not every video case study requires a dedicated production day. Capture video content:

• During customer conferences and user groups
• Via remote recording tools like Zoom or Riverside
• During regular QBRs or success calls (with permission)
• At trade shows and events

This footage may not be cinematic, but authentic clips of real customers have their own value and can supplement a written case study.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many case studies should be video versus written?

A good benchmark for most B2B companies is 80-90% written and 10-20% video. This ratio provides SEO coverage and breadth through written case studies while reserving video for high-impact flagship customers. Companies with larger budgets may shift toward 70-30 as video production becomes more accessible.

Can video case studies help with SEO?

Video case studies alone provide minimal SEO value since search engines cannot index video content directly. However, embedding video on a page with comprehensive written content, transcripts, and proper schema markup can enhance SEO performance. The video may also earn backlinks and social shares that indirectly boost rankings.

What is the ideal length for video versus written case studies?

For video case studies, 90 seconds to 3 minutes is optimal for most uses. Viewers drop off quickly after the 2-minute mark. For written case studies, 800-1,500 words provides enough detail to be credible while remaining scannable. One-page summaries (250-400 words) are valuable as companion pieces for sales teams.

How do I convince customers to participate in video case studies?

Offer additional value: co-marketing opportunities, feature prioritization, executive access, or event speaking slots. Minimize the ask by handling all logistics and keeping filming under 2 hours. Show examples of quality productions so customers understand how they will be portrayed. Always give customers full approval rights before publication.

Should I outsource video or written case study production?

For video, outsourcing to professional production companies is almost always worthwhile unless you have in-house video capabilities. The quality gap between amateur and professional video is significant. For written case studies, the decision depends on your internal writing talent. Strong writers can produce excellent case studies internally, while teams without dedicated content resources benefit from agency or freelance support.