Whitepapers Are Dead. Developers Want Video.

TL;DR

Most developer marketing is stuck in the PDF dark ages. Developers don’t want whitepapers. They want to see how you think, watch real engineers talk shop, and feel like they’re in the room. Video isn’t just a content format. It’s scalable trust and human connection at internet scale. In this blog, you’ll learn why video beats whitepapers, how to use it to drive onboarding and adoption, and one overlooked insight that could transform your community strategy forever.

Why This Matters

Most companies still bet on PDFs and long docs to win over developers. But the data and behavior tell a different story.

We still see companies invest time and budget into 20-page whitepapers no one reads. If your ideal customer is a developer, here’s the hard truth: they’re not opening your PDF.

Most developers don’t finish product whitepapers. Surveys and community feedback show they often skim or skip static PDFs altogether. They’re hard to navigate, impossible to track, and don’t translate well to modern learning behavior.

Meanwhile, companies that switch to interactive or video-first formats are seeing better engagement, faster comprehension, and better retention—not because video is trendy but because it meets people where they are.

Whitepapers still have a place for deep dives or compliance-heavy audiences. But if your goal is adoption, they’re rarely the right tool.

Developers Want “Why,” Not Just “How”

Across dozens of DevRel teams, the most successful content explains the “why.” Developers want to understand why a tool exists and how it fits into their workflow, not just how to click through a demo.

According to the 2024 Stack Overflow Developer Survey, 90% of developers rely heavily on clear, actionable technical documentation such as APIs and SDKs to learn and solve problems. They value context and practical guidance. When developers understand the reasoning behind a tool, they’re far more likely to adopt it and advocate for it internally.

This doesn’t mean skipping “how” content. Just don’t start there. Without context, you lose the people who aren’t already convinced.

Authenticity Beats Polish

Highly produced videos with marketing voiceovers fall flat compared to raw, real clips from actual engineers. Developers want to hear from the people who built it, not just those selling it.

Authenticity is a big driver of trust and adoption. GitHub’s State of the Octoverse highlights this trend.

Developers crave honest, behind-the-scenes insights that make them feel part of the process rather than just a target audience. Seeing bugs, rough edges, or unscripted moments can actually strengthen credibility rather than hurt it.

Put engineers on camera. Use their natural language, real stories, and live demos. Let them share real challenges and trade-offs, not just the shiny successes. Avoid over-editing. A few unscripted “uhs” and pauses make the message more relatable and human.

Video Speeds Up Onboarding

Teams we’ve worked with have cut onboarding friction by 30%–50% by adding short, authentic videos to confirmation emails, quick start guides, and dashboards. These videos make it easier for developers to get started quickly, reduce early support tickets, and help users reach their first success moment faster — a key milestone for long-term retention and product stickiness.

Beyond easing technical hurdles, video helps new users feel more confident and supported.

Studies show video helps people understand products more easily than text alone. A short screen share from an actual user walking through setup feels like personal guidance and is far more effective than a polished five-minute explainer that feels distant and generic.

Why Video Works: The Parasocial Effect

Video creates what psychologists call a parasocial relationship—a one-sided bond where the viewer feels connected to the person on screen.

That may sound manipulative, but it’s how human communication works. Seeing someone’s face and hearing their voice builds trust in a way that text alone doesn’t.

Put simply: video is scalable body language. And in developer marketing, trust is the whole game.

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Where to Go From Here

If you want developers to adopt and champion your product, focus on creating content that builds trust and actually helps them get started faster.

Think of your content strategy less like a gated PDF library and more like a friendly guide who shows up where developers already spend their time.

Start by looking at your current content. Where are you relying on static docs? Where could a short, authentic video make a bigger impact?

The shift doesn’t have to be perfect or expensive. Start small, learn what resonates, and build from there.

For more on how top teams do this, check out this video interview Jono did with Martin Woodward, VP of Developer Relations at GitHub. It’s a great look at how GitHub builds trust and engages millions of developers in a real, narrative-driven way.