The TLDR On The Death of the Written Word: The Rise of Online Video

By Ellen Edelman, Executive Vice President

It’s time to admit what we already know: the way we consume information has changed forever. The written word—once the backbone of news, PR, and brand storytelling—is on life-support. Short-form video has taken over, and AI is pouring gasoline on the fire.

TikTok, despite its uncertain future in the U.S., fundamentally reshaped how audiences engage with content. It leads all platforms in time spent per user, and even if it vanishes, the world it created isn’t going anywhere. Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and AI-powered video tools like Runway, Pika Labs, and Luma are making video content as easy to produce as typing a sentence. Even LinkedIn, the most buttoned-up of social networks, has added short-form video content, signaling its widening acceptance across B2B and thought leadership content. According to Cisco, 82% of all global internet traffic comes from video content, with a significant portion being short-form videos.

In a mobile-first world, the rise of video skyrockets

For PR and marketing professionals, this shift is seismic. Editorial teams are shrinking, newspapers are folding their print issues, and ad dollars are flowing away from traditional outlets. While attention spans haven’t necessarily shrunk to a viral-friendly 8 seconds, audiences are increasingly selective about the content they engage with - especially as their phones become Screen One - making short-form videos a powerful tool for capturing and maintaining interest. 

Meanwhile, podcast popularity is skyrocketing, driving everything from cultural conversations to election discourse. In fact, podcasts played a major role in driving election discussions, showing the growing influence of audio and video media in shaping public opinion. Even news itself is moving to video—just look at the explosion of short-form news updates across social media.

AI isn’t just accelerating video creation; it’s making it the default. AI-powered media analytics can now tell brands exactly what their audience wants to see, and AI-driven journalist outreach through platforms like Managr is streamlining PR efforts. Automated press release distribution? Soon, that’ll come with a video component, too. AI tools like Adobe Sensei and Lumen5 enable professional-grade video production with minimal effort, making high-quality video creation accessible to even the smallest teams. PR pros might not be incorporating video into pitches just yet, but that day is coming.

But like most areas where AI is impacting PR and marketing, the secret sauce lies in a combination of human expertise armed with AI-powered tools. Efficiency without the human touch won’t get you far. As AI floods the internet with an abundance of content, the brands and personalities that stand out will be the ones that bring something AI can’t replicate—authenticity, personality, and perspective. Dare I say finesse? If Content is King, Humanity is Queen. The counterpoint to this flood of anodyne AI-generated content will be human voices that feel real, raw, and resonant. This also happens to be what viewers crave from short-form video content.

So what does this mean for PR and marketing?

  • Video-first PR: AI-driven journalist outreach is evolving. Video pitches will become the norm, replacing traditional email pitches and press releases.
  • Personality-driven storytelling: Brands will need to lean into their most human elements—founders, thought leaders, employees—to stand out.
  • Short-form dominance: From AI-powered media analytics to machine learning in public relations, data will continue to prove that short-form video is the most effective way to engage audiences.
  • AI-enhanced creativity: Tools like Runway and Pika Labs will empower creators, but the best campaigns will balance automation with authenticity.
  • Integration with Commerce: The rise of "shoppable videos" is merging content and commerce, enabling consumers to make purchases directly within short-form videos.

The written word isn’t dead—it’s just no longer the lead character. It’s time for PR and marketing professionals to pivot, experiment, and embrace the video-first future. The industry is changing—are you ready?

At Sparkpr, we stay at the cutting edge of the latest tools and strategies. Want to future-proof your PR strategy? Let’s talk.

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We’re already sitting wherever you’re placed in the enterprise technology landscape: ERP, SaaS, security, big data, AI, etc. Between corporate communications, public relations, and integrated marketing, we can help your business thrive in an increasingly complex world.

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The union of capital and code has driven an incredible amount of disruption over the last few decades. We absorb, fine tune and differentiate the message through events, content programs and targeted media relations, elevating the intellectual capital of both well-known and yet to be discovered minds who fund the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.

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Spark has worked with the startups, executives, and enterprises that brought about the new technologies and services that changed way we all live over the past 20 years. While the last two decades have certainly been exciting, it’s never been more important to find the right audience and narrative to illustrate how your story will transform the world and improve the human experience.