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Ann Handley

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Calling BS on Facebook’s Edict That Writing Is Dead

Facebook is predicting the end of the written word on its platform. And perhaps suggesting that words more broadly are doomed.

“The best way to tell stories in this world, where so much information is coming at us, actually is video,” said Nicola Mendelsohn, who leads Facebook’s operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. “It conveys so much more information in a much quicker period. So actually the trend helps us to digest much more information.”

In five years’ time, she added, Facebook “will be definitely mobile, it will be probably all video.” Stats show that the written word is becoming obsolete, replaced by hipper, accessible images and video.

She did throw writers a bone: Words are disappearing—save for the fact “you’ll have to write for video.”

Did you catch that? “have to.”

Have.

To.

Our words are like the last triceratops wandering an increasingly balmy earth. In search of a book group. Or a direct mail meetup. Or whatever local bar might serve a prehistoric tipple in which to sink their sorrows.

Or so Facebook suggests.

I get it. In a Trump-vs.-Hillary political climate, polarizing sells.

But is that really… responsible? Or is it even true?

I’d say nope. Actually, I’d serve up a triple-scoop Nope-cone (h/t to Rob Zaleski for coining that one).

I debated whether to comment on this issue, because I don’t want to be defensive. I wrote a bestselling book about writing. And I do happen to believe that we are all writers.

So just to check my biases at the door to the internet: Is my reaction to this merely self-preservation?

Are we writers actually Neanderthals wearing shaggy animal hides, charring a bison thigh over the fire? (Fire we invented, thank you very much.)

Meanwhile, the smell of plank-roasted salmon with baby bok choy wafts over from the next camp.

Is it that we had a good run… but now it’s time to go?

Let’s scoop up that Nope-cone.

Scoop 1 of the Nope-cone: Binary (either/or) thinking usually occurs when someone is selling a specific worldview or agenda.

Have you noticed a massive number of video posts in your Facebook feed of late? That’s likely because Facebook has been algorithmically favoring video posts. The company says user preferences are driving the shift away from text.

OK… maybe.

But consider that Facebook is all-in on its live video service, Facebook Live.

And consider that Facebook Live is content that is hosted and consumed via Facebook—rather than YouTube, for example.

Not to mention all that money coming from Facebook video ads.

And then you draw your own conclusions.

Scoop 2 of the Nope-cone: Long-form content is still a thing.

The truth is that we do read long-form content. Long-form news articles get roughly the same number of mobile visitors as short-form articles, but they garner twice as much engaged time, according to recent data from the Pew Research Center.

Scoop 3 of the Nope-cone: Sometimes you want sprinkles. Sometimes you don’t.

Liraz Margalit, a web psychologist at ClickTale, wrote that watching video and reading writing are different “cognitive functions.”

Reading demands one’s cognitive system do more heavy lifting and requires committed engagement, she said. Watching video is largely passive and is quicker to make an emotional connection, added Phil Rosenthal, writing in the Chicago Tribune.

The bottom line: Our world supports both kinds of content for different purposes.

Video is useful for some tasks and appeals to some people. Writing is suited to some efforts and appeals to other kinds of people.

Great video gives life and a pulse a story. It conveys how products live in the real world. It conveys anger disguised as edgy humor. Videos are powerful.

Great writing gives life and a pulse to a story. It helps you differentiate. It forces a deeper clarity of thinking. Great writing is powerful (and hilarious).

One is not inherently superior to the other as a storytelling medium.

Both have strengths. And both are flawed.

Writing can be augmented with killer video, and video is strengthened by stronger writing.

And not just because we “have to” write. (That one still chaps my khakis.)

Bonus Scoop of the Nope-cone: Live video can be tedious.

You can’t skim video. You can’t skip the boring part at the beginning when that friend in your Facebook feed takes a running start rather than getting right to the point. (Update: Scott Monty points out that you actually can skip to the good parts.)

Sometimes I find myself in the midst of a meandering video, and I’ll wish I could just scroll down a bit to the next paragraph right then and there.

Because I’m busy. I’ve got stuff to do.

Like groom my shaggy animal hide.

Filed Under: Annarchy, Business, Content, Media, Social Media, Writing Tagged With: content marketing, content writing, Facebook

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. S Graves says

    June 16, 2016 at 11:12 am

    Ann, you are so right! I prefer to skim rather than watch a video. It’s so much quicker.

    Reply
  2. stephen "steve" q shannon says

    June 16, 2016 at 11:15 am

    What

    Reply
  3. Stan Dubin says

    June 16, 2016 at 11:20 am

    I just read Ann’s entire post here. I should probably go off and watch a couple of videos now to balance out my life.

    Kidding aside, FB has been known to favor a buck over transparency.

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 11:28 am

      I love videos as much as the next human. But it’s the either-or scenario that gave me hives! Thanks for stopping by, Stan!

      Reply
  4. stephen "steve" q shannon says

    June 16, 2016 at 11:28 am

    What if you “scripted” your reply in a video to ensure Facebook might pay better attention to your posit. LOL Presumption-itis is what Facebook culture/folklore is all about. Change the world? Limited or no text is not grown-up thinking.

    No script, written plan, words, for me, means, banality.

    Finally, where are the predictors of the demise of radio when B&W TV emerged.

    I know, Ann, you are not worried about this. Delighted, though, you took time out to share your big person’s view.

    Thank you. Your advocate!

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 12:01 pm

      Thank you. Scripting would def. help. Or even talking points. Again, writing improves video, and vice-versa (quite often).

      Reply
      • Owen Blevins says

        January 16, 2017 at 8:27 pm

        A great video starts it’s life out on paper. I’ve done a lot of video and have found that my best ones are scripted out, storyboarded and edited two or three times Ann. My worst videos are ones that I thought I could get away without and written process.
        All my best Ann!

        Reply
        • Owen Blevins says

          January 16, 2017 at 8:29 pm

          “its” damn Siri… 🙂

          Reply
  5. Dee says

    June 16, 2016 at 11:31 am

    This:
    “You can’t skim video. You can’t skip the boring part at the beginning when that friend in your Facebook feed takes a running start rather than getting right to the point.”

    I watch very few videos because I simply do not have the time.Watching video is an investment, and I just can’t believe that I am the only person who is busy! (In fact, I know I’m not.) I can skim an article, a post, whatever quickly and determine if I need to read more closely, save it, or if that’s all I need. I cannot do that with a video and I’ll generally not watch at all.

    If Facebook becomes all video, bully for them. It will save me a lot of time when I delete the app.

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 12:02 pm

      There are times when video is necessary. But 100% of the time…? NOPE-CONE.

      Reply
  6. Colleen Swain, Content Writer says

    June 16, 2016 at 11:33 am

    When I tweeted the article from Quartz about this news I said, “Oh come on! I protest. I want to #read.” Facebook is too powerful. Too controlling. And it’s manipulating the behavior of content marketers. I hate watching video on social media. It’s cumbersome. I want to read. I fear that this algorithmic “trend” is pushing a “TV couch potato” “idiocracy” mentality. Ann, you called it. This is BS. Long live the written word!

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 11:59 am

      You. Me. Same page, Colleen. Thank you for adding your thoughts!

      Reply
  7. Joella says

    June 16, 2016 at 11:34 am

    Ann – you’re good when you’re pissed. Actually, you are always good. It’s just fun to see you pissed and also right!

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 11:59 am

      LOL… I wrote this when I was flying yesterday. So I was doubly agitated (because I hate flying)!

      Reply
  8. Mike Allton says

    June 16, 2016 at 11:46 am

    “On rainy, Sunday mornings, I just like to curl up with a hot cup of coffee and nice feed of Facebook videos.” Said no one ever.

    There’s no doubt that video has risen to the forefront of content demand, but there’s also no doubt that statement from Mendelsohn was ridiculous. Good call, Ann.

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 11:58 am

      You know what’s dead? Saying things are “dead” that are very much alive. Thanks for chiming in, friend!

      Reply
  9. Kev Anderson says

    June 16, 2016 at 11:52 am

    Ann. Just when I think I can’t love you any more you come out with this. Amen sister. Amen.

    The written word is dead? Utterly ridiculous statement to make. Communication will continually evolve, and while I am embracing video at the moment, nothing. NOTHING – beats the process of writing for me. In five years time, I’ll still be writing natively on FB. And, like you say, much of that writing will be long form.

    Great article. Thanks for not keeping these thoughts to yourself.

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 11:57 am

      I knew you and I would align on this issue, Kev. Your videos are great — and I love seeing you and other friends. But you’re totally right. Nothing beats writing… for a few reasons. I didn’t even get into the whole writing-is-thinking argument…

      Reply
  10. Scott Monty says

    June 16, 2016 at 12:02 pm

    Brava, Ann! I smelled a stinker when I read that news too. I’ll actually add one more point: the majority of people simply aren’t adept at nor comfortable with creating video. That will ensure the existence of print communication for a long time.

    Oh, and there actually *is* a way to skip through the boring parts of video: https://techcrunch.com/2016/05/23/facebook-live-video-engagement-graph/

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 12:09 pm

      Thanks, Scott. And excellent add. And I appreciate that link!

      Reply
  11. B.L. Ochman says

    June 16, 2016 at 12:02 pm

    Facebook is about money…pay for play.

    It’s pushing Live, and 99 out of 100 of the live streams are BORING. And long. And badly lit, with lousy sound.

    I love video. I produce it for clients. But it’s an adjunct to writing, not a substitute.

    You eloquently make the case, as always. Write on Ann!

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 12:10 pm

      Thanks, BL. I love video too. I love the way it gives a story a heartbeat and a pulse. But it’s not an either-or scenario, as you say.

      Reply
  12. Julia Bramble says

    June 16, 2016 at 12:02 pm

    Love this!!
    Very, very rarely watch video – even ones I’ve paid for as part of a course – I always skip to the transcript.
    Reason? Speed.
    We can read in 30 secs what might take a pontificating presenter 3 minutes to actually finish explaining …
    But maybe we are the great unwashed of media consumers … because we have things to do with our lives other than consume ….

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 12:11 pm

      Julia: I sometimes have wondered if it’s me — because I find the pace of the spoken word excrutiating at times. I listen to podcasts in a speedier mode, too. Good to know I’m not alone!

      Reply
      • Kelly Grace says

        June 16, 2016 at 12:55 pm

        May I jump on this bandwagon with you and Julia? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if every speaker spoke the way Seth Godin writes for his blog? That would mean being insightful, logical, and succinct.

        Re: FB & video, I can’t use my yellow highlighter on video. That’s a deal-breaker for me.

        Reply
        • Ann Handley says

          June 16, 2016 at 8:21 pm

          That is a great point. (Highlighter factor!)

          Reply
    • Barbara Reed says

      June 17, 2016 at 3:17 pm

      I love your response, Ann! And the others, too. I see this as a highly self-serving article, but the sad part will be those who take it at face value and believe that the written word is dead.

      The key to communication, whether done professionally or not, is to know your audience and to tailor the message and the medium to ensure your message is understood…written word, video or hieroglyphics on cave walls!

      Reply
      • Ann Handley says

        June 18, 2016 at 11:01 am

        Exactly, Barbara.

        Reply
  13. Katra Farah says

    June 16, 2016 at 12:27 pm

    Well said Ann and I don’t get it why algorithmic users aren’t proud of their smarts to just say this is what we’re doing and viewers are consuming it.

    I, for one enjoy skimming and reading.

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 8:22 pm

      Thanks, Katra!

      Reply
  14. Candace Alstad - Davies says

    June 16, 2016 at 12:34 pm

    Writing isn’t going away – there are too many people that enjoy the written word over video. I am one of them.

    I don’t deny that there are certain messages a video may make more sense to use to communicate your message.

    Love your writing Ann! 🙂

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 8:23 pm

      Thanks, Candace.

      As I said… I love video as much as anyone. But I also love great writing. Both have strengths. Both are flawed. What I bristle at is the idea that one — or the other — is “dead.”

      Reply
  15. Keith Sims says

    June 16, 2016 at 12:52 pm

    Perhaps my age has something to do with it, but I far prefer reading to watching a video. I learned speed reading many years ago and though I am no Evelyn Wood, I have always been able to read far faster than what I can see in a spoken presentation, which is naturally slower due the the physical limits of speech.

    If my understanding of brain function is correct, a strict diet of video content would eventually reduce our ability to think and reason. Perhaps, the movie “Idiocracy” wasn’t that far off the mark. It will be interesting to see how this trend pans out.

    Reply
  16. Brian Clark says

    June 16, 2016 at 12:54 pm

    Can someone get me a teleprompter for Christmas so I can read my writing on camera? Thanks in advance. 🙂

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 8:25 pm

      You know that’s my dream speech, right? I just want everyone to open one of my books and to read silently for 45 minutes. 😀

      (Kidding.)

      (Kind of.)

      Reply
  17. Jessica Mehring says

    June 16, 2016 at 12:58 pm

    Amen!!! I, for one, don’t have the attention span for video. I consume content much easier in written format — I process the information faster, remember it better, and feel less compelled to multitask. That’s just the way my brain works. And I can’t possibly be the only one!

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 8:25 pm

      Well, there’s me, too. So that’s.. two. 😀

      Reply
  18. Daniel Glickman says

    June 16, 2016 at 1:21 pm

    I read it all. Just saying….

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 8:26 pm

      I appreciate the investment. 🙂

      Reply
  19. Tom Cunniff says

    June 16, 2016 at 1:41 pm

    Great stuff. More way words beat video:

    1) Words are easy to search within the page. Command-F rockets you to what’s relevant.

    2) Words are easy to cut-paste-and-quote. When there’s a great point made in a video, you have to replay and transcribe it, if you want it to be accurate.

    3) Words — if the writer is any good — compress complex ideas into simple phrases. Videos — especially if it is a discussion format (which is cheap and easy to produce) nearly always ramble.

    I am not anti-video. I am pro-simplicity and usability.

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 8:27 pm

      Excellent points, Tom.

      “I am not anti-video. I am pro-simplicity and usability.” (Insert double-high-five emoji!)

      Reply
  20. Tom Bentley says

    June 16, 2016 at 2:13 pm

    Ann, all video, all the time? That’s a clickbaity kind of article (and smells of bait too). Though I can be swept into a clever, visually engaging, well-edited video, and would never deny that video can deliver effective messages with emotional impact, words are heavier hitters for me.

    Words have uncanny flexibility, power, subtlety and seduction. They can be dainty cakes or threatening spikes or beckoning hands. On the right potter’s wheel, words become oracles. Video, for sure, totally bitchin’. But words, manna.

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 8:28 pm

      Said like a true writer, Tom. Thank you.

      Reply
  21. George Gonzo says

    June 16, 2016 at 2:59 pm

    Since I am “more mature” than many of the videophiles (some would just call me older)…I prefer “more mature, but to the point:
    One of the things that great writing can do…that video has difficulty doing, is to engage what we used to call “Theatre of the Mind.”
    Back in the “Golden Days of Radio,” the superb writing and performance by the “radio actors” on the “old radio shows” took you, visually in your mind, to places that even many of today’s big screen videos have difficulty matching (in terms of engagement of our human feelings.}
    So the point is….while the majority of videos on social are poorly done (and less than engaging,) the same can be said of the thousands of books published every year.
    When it comes to the debate of which is better, It’s always about “quality” regardless of the medium..
    Anne is right on the money with her post.
    So those who suggest that great writing is going to become obsolete, should rent the movie that would appeal to that mind-set…”Dumb and Dumber.”.

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 8:29 pm

      It’s always about quality… so true. Thanks for your perspective, George.

      Reply
  22. Jeff Julian says

    June 16, 2016 at 3:41 pm

    I love a good mix of video, audio, and written word with my content. Like a delicious meal, several ingredients are used to serve up the whole experience.

    Also, is it weird that graphic ads (boosted post) on Facebook can’t have more than 20% text, but video, go for it! Love your first point on what are you trying to sell?

    Reply
  23. Ann Druce says

    June 16, 2016 at 4:35 pm

    And let’s not forget about focus. Much easier to check your emails during a video than while you’re reading something. (Which also relates to speed.)

    Reply
  24. CJ Schepers says

    June 16, 2016 at 5:05 pm

    So glad you wrote this, Ann! That’s a ridiculous, self-serving statement for FB execs to make. In my news reporting days, the sage veterans always told me, “If you want to know the truth of any story, just follow the money.”

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 8:30 pm

      Exactly. I believe I used that exact sentence in “Everybody Writes,” too.

      Reply
  25. Paul (from Idea Sandbox) says

    June 16, 2016 at 5:28 pm

    This commet ways written oozing seary. Eye dictated it you sing only my voice. Eye agree width the are tickle that the written ward ease dead. Why type wards when video oar giraffe icks ore knot Thai ping at all – like hear – works grate!

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 16, 2016 at 8:31 pm

      This is possibly my favorite comment of ALL TIME.

      Reply
  26. Amy Tobin says

    June 16, 2016 at 5:58 pm

    I am SO glad you wrote this. Video can be powerful, but it’s also time-consuming and NOISY. It has to be consumed all at once to make sense. And, SO many people absolutely suck at it.

    The end of the written word. Just think about how stupid that is.

    Reply
  27. Rebekah Donaldson says

    June 16, 2016 at 11:27 pm

    This is remarkably well argued.

    Agree their hyperbole and hidden agenda are eye rollers.

    Worried though about the inference I see in so many comments above: “I prefer prose so their edict is false (and evil)”. Your preference isn’t a counter-example!

    Even taken together we Ann Fans — much less fans with the chutzpah to comment — are hardly a representative sample of Facebook users. (Ann addressed this when she pointed to the Pew research which IS representative; I’m responding to the pattern in this comment thread)

    Also, fellow commenters, let’s be charitable vs stating their position as weakly as possible.

    – FB has a mind-bendingly colossal data set.
    – FB has superb UX guys.
    – Those UX guys have made thousands of good calls about usability. (The fruits of which we mostly don’t notice because they’re good calls.)
    – All those good decisions are tied to seeking profit too.

    –> Sound data-driven decisions are consistent with profit motives. Maybe more often than not.

    Even their missteps show this. Take their infuriating opt-out policies. They deserved users’ fury and abandonment.

    And… because they seek to profit, they changed the policy and ate humble pie.

    Just saying: 1. I’m wary of ad hominems regarding motives. They can be so lame (looking at you Trump). And 2. We have a blind spot re the user data. A data set of Milky Way-proportions. 3. Actually a lot of UX calls they make are good and smart.

    Ok bracing for flaming retorts…

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 18, 2016 at 11:05 am

      Thanks for your thoughts, Rebekah. As I said, I am not anti-video. I do believe it has an increasingly important role. But I am also a huge believer in text. Even on Facebook.

      Reply
      • Rebekah Donaldson says

        June 18, 2016 at 12:19 pm

        Anti-video… I don’t think I attributed such a view to you or any other thoughtful people here.

        Maybe I haven’t had enough coffee yet this morning.

        Reply
  28. John Hornbeck says

    June 17, 2016 at 5:39 am

    Not seeing much on the way of “flaming retorts” are you, Ann?

    I love to write, and I love to read. Video (and audio, as in podcasts, by the way) has it’s place. But it’s place is not to re-place the written word.

    There are, quite simply, different objectives that are better served by either video, audio or writing. Just as there are different objectives better served by long-form or short-form content. The real winners will be those who take each medium and use its strengths most effectively to advance their purpose. Not those who declare one or the other dead.

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 18, 2016 at 11:05 am

      YEP.

      Reply
    • Rebekah Donaldson says

      June 18, 2016 at 12:20 pm

      Well said!

      Reply
  29. Debbie Williams says

    June 17, 2016 at 1:07 pm

    Bravo Ann! I laughed, I cried.. 🙂 So well said. Just thank you, from a fellow word-nerd.

    Reply
  30. Mike colson says

    June 17, 2016 at 2:55 pm

    Nice post Handly , i liked it very much , it was such a flawless post . Enjoyed it .

    Reply
  31. Katybeth says

    June 17, 2016 at 3:09 pm

    Facebook is not the boss of me, thank you very much. I’d choose read over watch any day. Facebook is spending too much time with the likes of the Kardashians, it needs better friends. Real People who read and skim. I like those kinds of people and I super like this post.

    Reply
  32. Scott Winterroth says

    June 17, 2016 at 5:48 pm

    It’s not that writing for “readers” is dead. It’s meeting a demand. Books and newspapers are not [completely] dead as some rather niche demos still read physical books/papers while the trend is going digital. I’m sure in 2020 some niche demos might still read blog posts.

    Is writing a blog post over creating a video the lazy way out? Maybe?

    http://swinterroth.com/video-over-written-content/

    Reply
    • Ann Handley says

      June 18, 2016 at 11:08 am

      Thanks for the commentary, Scott. I don’t necessarily agree with you that writing a blog is easier than creating a video. But it’s an interesting twist on the assumption these days that the barrier to entry is lower for text.

      Reply
  33. Bob James says

    June 18, 2016 at 7:53 am

    No news here. It’s well known FB caters to nonverbal people (also known as “videots”).

    Reply
  34. Michael Boyink says

    June 18, 2016 at 12:42 pm

    The FB spokesperson makes assumptions about people’s internet connection and bandwidth. 2.1M people still use dialup. Even in the USA not everyone has unlimited bandwidth. I’m a digital nomad. I live in an RV traveling the USA fulltime. I usually have 20GB/mo to budget. Video is a bandwidth suck – in addition to a time-suck. Give me text to scan at my pace any day.

    Reply
  35. Hugh Culver says

    June 27, 2016 at 11:30 am

    Thanks for beating the drum Ann. I don’t think it’s a generational thing or an evolution thing—video can never be compared to writing as a full substitute. But it is a scary thing when our education system seems to think it could be.

    Reply
  36. Sarah McIntyre says

    June 27, 2016 at 9:27 pm

    Love this. I thought it was just me that hated to watch videos online.. I put it down to being an old person…but good writing wins every time.

    Reply
  37. Megan Wilson says

    June 28, 2016 at 12:14 pm

    I don’t believe that writing is in its last stages, and this is not because
    I’m a writer. Videos are entertaining, but I read to relax, I
    enjoy the written word. I believe that a large population
    feels that way as well. Each side has their own camp, but
    writing is definitely not in its last stages, what will we do with
    all those leave a response surveys if writing goes away,
    nobody likes their picture taken let alone the time to do a
    video about something?

    Reply
  38. Doug Kessler says

    July 1, 2016 at 10:48 am

    The arrogance of Facebook to actually call time on WORDS is breathtaking.

    Having said that, your post would have been way better as an animated gif.
    With kittens.

    Reply
  39. Frazer john says

    July 5, 2016 at 6:20 am

    Hi Ann how you doing ? I hope you are fine , Thanks a lot for sharing such a informative post i liked it very much its very interesting and i got lots of knowledge from your post .
    Keep sharing a post like this .

    Reply
  40. keyword 1 says

    November 18, 2016 at 6:32 pm

    It’s awesomе to visit thiѕ web site and reading tɦe views of all
    mates regaгding this paragгapһ, while I am also keen of getting knowledge.

    Reply
  41. Jason R. says

    February 19, 2017 at 7:43 pm

    I simply cant believe the end of the written word. I think that is the world according to facebook, and I really would not give that much credence. I personally enjoy writing very much, and feel that the written word a s facebook calls it will be around for a long time to come! http://www.goenterpriseseo.com

    Reply

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    […] Not everyone agrees that text will die any time soon. Ann Handley certainly doesn’t. […]

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  7. 5 Social Media Content Formats Your Business Needs - Heidi Cohen says:
    June 22, 2016 at 6:00 am

    […] Articles and Twitter are expanding the amount of text allowed. (BTW, Ann Handley called BS on Facebook for saying that text was going to disappear. […]

    Reply
  8. Why Snapchat Is Launching a Magazine - Ann Handley - Content Marketing Keynote Speaker and Best-Selling Author says:
    June 27, 2016 at 4:23 pm

    […] document.getElementById('redirect_1f543b829e199496406b022126453a5d').value = document.location; ← Calling BS on Facebook’s Edict That Writing Is Dead […]

    Reply
  9. #SocialSkim: Snapchat Gets Serious About Advertising, Plus 11 More Stories in This Week's Roundup | DigitalMarketingBox.co says:
    July 1, 2016 at 5:28 am

    […] Not everyone agrees that text will die any time soon. Ann Handley certainly doesn’t. […]

    Reply
  10. “They Treat Me Like I Am An Alien” | A bunch of data says:
    August 4, 2016 at 2:39 am

    […] loves text … and somebody tells you that the future of social media is video. What do you do? Click here to find out! The very social media guru who told you to change for a decade is shocked when the world moves […]

    Reply
  11. Blog Post 9 • Text & Video – Brace Yourselves – ENGL 419 – Multimedia Writing says:
    October 5, 2016 at 5:19 pm

    […] the end of the written word.” Although I don’t hold Ann Handley’s slew of points breaking down Mendelsohn’s rhetoric as the final word on all the issues Facebook’s […]

    Reply
  12. A roundup of my favourite posts from other entrepreneurs says:
    December 21, 2016 at 1:56 am

    […] Ann Handley: Calling BS on Facebook’s edict that writing is dead […]

    Reply
  13. Three Major Shifts That Will Transform Video Marketing in 2017 - MarketingSmartGuide says:
    January 10, 2017 at 10:10 pm

    […] fellow innovators and thought leaders agree (though not all). In his keynote at INBOUND 2016, HubSpot co-founder and CEO Brian Halligan described the current […]

    Reply
  14. Three Major Shifts That Will Transform Video Marketing in 2017 - TopMarketingBlog.com says:
    January 10, 2017 at 10:45 pm

    […] fellow innovators and thought leaders agree (though not all). In his keynote at INBOUND 2016, HubSpot co-founder and CEO Brian Halligan described the current […]

    Reply
  15. Three Major Shifts That Will Transform Video Marketing in 2017 | Marketing For Pro says:
    January 10, 2017 at 11:33 pm

    […] fellow innovators and thought leaders agree (though not all). In his keynote at INBOUND 2016, HubSpot co-founder and CEO Brian Halligan described the current […]

    Reply
  16. Three Major Shifts That Will Transform Video Marketing in 2017 – MarketingProfs.com (subscription) | Cartender - Automotive Video Solutions says:
    January 12, 2017 at 4:48 am

    […] fellow innovators and thought leaders agree (though not all). In his keynote at INBOUND 2016, HubSpot co-founder and CEO Brian Halligan described the current […]

    Reply
  17. The Best Content Marketing Tips For 2017: 6 Trends Niche Marketers Need To Conquer - NicheHacks says:
    January 31, 2017 at 9:35 am

    […] my opinion (and according to other credible voices), the written word isn’t going anywhere soon, but it’s certainly conceding ground to visual […]

    Reply
  18. The Best Content Marketing Tips For 2017: 6 Trends Niche Marketers Need To Conquer - Find trending news, viral photos and videos on Bittabi says:
    February 1, 2017 at 6:23 am

    […] my opinion (and according to other credible voices), the written word isn’t going anywhere soon, but it’s certainly conceding ground to visual […]

    Reply
  19. The Best Content Marketing Tips For 2017: 6 Trends Niche Marketers Need To Conquer | Internet Marketing Rich says:
    February 2, 2017 at 8:46 pm

    […] my opinion (and according to other credible voices), the written word isn’t going anywhere soon, but it’s certainly conceding ground to visual […]

    Reply
  20. 3 Reasons Videos Still Need Written Text -Content Mastery Guide says:
    March 19, 2017 at 6:39 am

    […] with more views, YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine, and the opinion that “no one reads anything online anymore,” it’s tempting to throw away your keyboard […]

    Reply
  21. 3 Reasons Videos Still Need Written Text - says:
    April 5, 2017 at 6:01 pm

    […] with more views, YouTube is the world’s second-largest search engine, and the opinion that “no one reads anything online anymore,” it’s tempting to throw away your keyboard […]

    Reply
  22. JIJONG EMMANUEL says:
    May 16, 2017 at 1:16 pm

    […] CALLING BS ON FACEBOOK’S EDICT THAT WRITING IS DEAD […]

    Reply
  23. Top 30 Most Influential People In Online Marketing - JIJONG EMMANUEL says:
    May 18, 2017 at 8:07 am

    […] CALLING BS ON FACEBOOK’S EDICT THAT WRITING IS DEAD […]

    Reply
  24. Content writing: curated articles that aren't vanilla sh*t | How To Write Better says:
    May 18, 2017 at 7:01 pm

    […] Calling BS on Facebook’s edict that writing is dead […]

    Reply
  25. Should Writers Fear the Rise of Video? – Fire Path Digital says:
    July 6, 2017 at 7:51 am

    […] to a string of articles proclaiming the death of writing jobs. High profile advocates of writing rushed to the medium’s defense soon after, but it didn’t curb the worry: HubSpot’s recent State of Inbound 2017 report […]

    Reply
  26. Should Writers Fear the Rise of Video? says:
    July 6, 2017 at 7:57 am

    […] to a string of articles proclaiming the death of writing jobs. High profile advocates of writing rushed to the medium’s defense soon after, but it didn’t curb the worry: HubSpot’s recent State of Inbound 2017 report […]

    Reply
  27. Should Writers Fear the Rise of Video? – Search Engine Optimisation Company says:
    July 6, 2017 at 7:59 am

    […] to a string of articles proclaiming the death of writing jobs. High profile advocates of writing rushed to the medium’s defense soon after, but it didn’t curb the worry: HubSpot’s recent State of Inbound 2017 report […]

    Reply
  28. Should Writers Fear the Rise of Video? – doracfletcher says:
    July 6, 2017 at 8:01 am

    […] to a string of articles proclaiming the death of writing jobs. High profile advocates of writing rushed to the medium’s defense soon after, but it didn’t curb the worry: HubSpot’s recent State of Inbound 2017 report […]

    Reply
  29. Should Writers Fear the Rise of Video? | Jimmy Price says:
    July 6, 2017 at 8:05 am

    […] to a string of articles proclaiming the death of writing jobs. High profile advocates of writing rushed to the medium’s defense soon after, but it didn’t curb the worry: HubSpot’s recent State of Inbound 2017 report […]

    Reply
  30. Should Writers Fear the Rise of Video? – THE MARKETING IVY says:
    July 6, 2017 at 8:10 am

    […] to a string of articles proclaiming the death of writing jobs. High profile advocates of writing rushed to the medium’s defense soon after, but it didn’t curb the worry: HubSpot’s recent State of Inbound 2017 report […]

    Reply
  31. Should Writers Fear the Rise of Video? - Evangelist News says:
    July 6, 2017 at 9:46 am

    […] to a string of articles proclaiming the death of writing jobs. High profile advocates of writing rushed to the medium’s defense soon after, but it didn’t curb the worry: HubSpot’s recent State of Inbound 2017 report […]

    Reply
  32. Should Writers Fear the Rise of Video? | Gaspfour Digital says:
    July 6, 2017 at 10:22 am

    […] to a string of articles proclaiming the death of writing jobs. High profile advocates of writing rushed to the medium’s defense soon after, but it didn’t curb the worry: HubSpot’s recent State of Inbound 2017 report […]

    Reply
  33. Should Writers Fear the Rise of Video? – Brian Mawdsley says:
    July 6, 2017 at 4:04 pm

    […] to a string of articles proclaiming the death of writing jobs. High profile advocates of writing rushed to the medium’s defense soon after, but it didn’t curb the worry: HubSpot’s recent State of Inbound 2017 report […]

    Reply
  34. Should Writers Fear the Rise of Video? – CRI Emails says:
    July 6, 2017 at 6:55 pm

    […] to a string of articles proclaiming the death of writing jobs. High profile advocates of writing rushed to the medium’s defense soon after, but it didn’t curb the worry: HubSpot’s recent State of Inbound 2017 report […]

    Reply
  35. Should Writers Fear the Rise of Video? - Madcashcentral APE - Internet Advertising, Business & Marketing Blog : says:
    July 6, 2017 at 11:03 pm

    […] to a string of articles proclaiming the death of writing jobs. High profile advocates of writing rushed to the medium’s defense soon after, but it didn’t curb the worry: HubSpot’s recent State of Inbound 2017 report […]

    Reply
  36. Should Writers Fear the Rise of Video? – Marketing News Source says:
    July 6, 2017 at 11:06 pm

    […] to a string of articles proclaiming the death of writing jobs. High profile advocates of writing rushed to the medium’s defense soon after, but it didn’t curb the worry: HubSpot’s recent State of Inbound 2017 report […]

    Reply
  37. Should Writers Fear the Rise of Video? | Godspeed Network says:
    July 7, 2017 at 6:14 am

    […] to a string of articles proclaiming the death of writing jobs. High profile advocates of writing rushed to the medium’s defense soon after, but it didn’t curb the worry: HubSpot’s recent State of Inbound 2017 report […]

    Reply
  38. Should Writers Fear the Rise of Video? | says:
    July 9, 2017 at 10:39 am

    […] to a string of articles proclaiming the death of writing jobs. High profile advocates of writing rushed to the medium’s defense soon after, but it didn’t curb the worry: HubSpot’s recent State of Inbound 2017 report […]

    Reply
  39. Should Writers Fear the Rise of Video? – THE NEWS WORLD OF INTERNET MARKETING says:
    July 31, 2017 at 5:30 am

    […] to a string of articles proclaiming the death of writing jobs. High profile advocates of writing rushed to the medium’s defense soon after, but it didn’t curb the worry: HubSpot’s recent State of Inbound 2017 report […]

    Reply

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