Are you twiddling your thumbs, trying to figure out how to write a script for a video and where to begin? Crafting one from scratch is a daunting prospect, especially if it’s your first time doing it. And video script writing can be a challenge even for a seasoned content marketer.
Writing a video script requires plenty of careful planning. It begins with a creative brief, identifying your intended audience and then crafting a message that resonates with your viewers. Learning how to write a video script is essential to every content creator.
In this blog post, we will go over the fundamental steps to writing a video script. We will also look at how it is different from other types of content, the structure of a video script template and the benefits it brings to your digital marketing strategy.
A Guide for Fidgety Beginners
When it comes to video production for marketing, most people get started by focusing on how to write a script for a YouTube video. That might sound easy enough until you find out there’s more to it than meets the eye. If you need tips and advice, then reaching out to a trusted video marketing agency will be a big help.
It’s a fact that many companies today still lack a robust content marketing strategy, but a creative and results-driven video marketing company can help develop a comprehensive plan. The smartest content marketers know to include video to better engage their audience, and an expert team can implement video into your content strategy without making a large dent in your budget.
Why Use Video in Your Digital Content Marketing Strategy?
It is crucial to include videos in your content marketing strategy. Formulating a digital content strategy is a must because it’s no secret that video consumption is increasing exponentially.
According to the Cisco Annual Internet report, it is estimated that 82 percent of internet traffic globally will be made up of video content by 2022. That’s 15 times higher than the previous estimates from 2017. Every content marketer should be looking to grab a chunk of that traffic.
Invisia statistics also show that people remember 95 percent of the information presented in video format. Comparatively, retention is a measly 10 percent for written text. That should be incentive enough for businesses to include videos in their content marketing strategy.
What’s more, Wyzowl reports that 86 percent of businesses are making use of video content to market their products and services in 2021. That is one reason why many content marketers are focusing on how to write a script for a video. If you’re not using videos in your content marketing strategy, then you may be left behind by your competition.
How Video Scripts Differ From Other Digital Content
Compared to blogs and other types of content, a video script is a totally different animal. It serves as the blueprint for your video production process and should be an integral part of every digital content marketing strategy.
A video script is more structured and includes elements other than the words your voice actors will read. It chronologically maps out every scene that will be produced. You can expect to find thumbnails, dialogue, actions, B-roll, calls-to-action (CTA), text displays and a few of the more technical production elements listed on a script. If you’re a digital content creator, you must learn the different types of copy that exist in a script.
Here’s a sample video script template for reference:
| Event | Voice Over | Action on Screen |
| Intro | “Hi! My name is Cody, and welcome to This Week on Thrive.” | TEXT: Cody Owens, Thrive Front Man AUDIO: Play official company intro in the background |
| Hook/Main Message | “Today, we’re talking about getting the most out of your can of tuna…”
| B-roll: rotating shot of a can of tuna and can opener |
| CTA | “Before we proceed, if you find this topic interesting, don’t forget to hit that like button and subscribe to our channel if you haven’t already.”
| Visual: ringing bell button and flashing Thrive logo |
Your script doesn’t have to be formatted exactly as it appears above. The outline may vary depending on the template and video script format that you prefer to use. But as you can see in the sample, your script will include text, audio and video elements apart from the dialogue. They form an integral part of any video content marketing strategy.
How a Great Video Script Streamlines the Production Process
Knowing how to write a video script is essential for every digital content creator. If you crafted your script well, you’re on your way to producing a great piece of video content that will give your digital content marketing strategy a big boost.
A video script is the go-to resource for everyone involved in video production – it’s not just the voice actors who will refer to it. Here’s how a well-written video script can improve the entire production process.
• Pre-production: The managers, video content producers, your digital content creator and your entire team will use your video script as their guide. Think of it as the roadmap for your project. It helps your video content creator to plan each scene. It also helps you estimate the required video length.
• Production: Producing the actual content is more efficient with video scripting. Cinematographers use it to capture high-quality footage as planned. Directors oversee the entire production to ensure that everything goes according to plan.
• Post-production: Editing the footage requires inserting B-rolls, transitions, visuals and audio effects. Video scripting helps your team collaborate and come up with additional ideas to make a better video. This allows for a more efficient post-production process. For instance, video scripting can guide a video content creator to produce material that targets a specific audience.
Online marketers can take advantage of these benefits when learning how to write a script for a YouTube video or other platforms. They can also help elevate your digital content strategy. Remember that if you need assistance anywhere from the pre- to post-production phase, employing a video production services provider is never a bad idea.
It’s evident that the benefits of writing a comprehensive script for your video content abound. Let’s now go over the steps you need to take to get it done.
Step 1: Start Your Process With a Content Brief
Some people might want to skip the content brief phase and jump straight into writing a script for a video. That can be a tragic mistake. Every content creator should consider the brief an essential element. Anything and everything that has to do with the making of your video has to align with its main points.
A solid brief will contain information that provides guidance for your entire production team. It’s not only going to help you create a killer script, but it also benefits art direction, voice acting, video editing and overall design.
Questions To Answer for Content Brief Creation
Consider the following questions as you draft your content brief:
• What is the primary goal for making this video?
• How should it help your digital content strategy?
• What is the customer persona, and who is your target audience?
• What would you consider to be the keys to success?
• What CTAs are you going to use?
• If there is one lesson that viewers should learn from this video, what would it be?
• What tone should you use – friendly, formal, informal, colloquial?
• What branding message should you emphasize?
• Where will you post this video – Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, Vimeo, Twitch, Dailymotion or your company’s official website?
Writing Your Content Brief
Here’s a quick rundown of the fundamental elements of your content brief:
1. Provide creative context for your team
Start with a description of your company or brand as it relates to the video you want to produce. This provides creative context to everyone in your production team. For instance, if one of your company’s core values is “equal opportunity,” adding this to the brief will prompt your production team to choose visuals that highlight it.
2. Project summary
Write a short summary of the video project so everyone can understand your vision behind it.
3. Target audience
Specify the target audience. Highlight demographics and other pertinent data. This will allow your video creative team to pick appropriate templates, design details, B-roll and stylistic details.
4. Enumerate deliverables
Deliverables include B-rolls, visuals, animation, audio and event transitions, text and the actual script that your voice actors and narrators will use.
5. Competitor research
Provide links to one or two videos from your competitors so your team can make an objective comparison.
6. Define specific objectives
Identify exactly what you want to happen in the video, for example, where you want to place the CTAs, how long the video should be and how video and audio will produce the desired effects.
Your content brief can include other elements, such as who will be in charge of certain deliverables like costumes and props, the location and the managers who will supervise different production steps.
Step 2: Define the Main Message
Make sure to compose the main message you want to convey in this content. Identify key takeaways that align with the core of this message and point out any important details that you want included in your video.
Incorporate any of the following elements in your video script:
• Company’s mission statement: Express company purpose and objectives. Identify ways you can highlight this in your script. This can be a one-liner such as “We inspire awesomeness in everyone.”
• Values: What are your company values? Let these influence the direction of your video production.
• Brand message: What is the underlying value proposition that you want to communicate? Ask how viewers relate to your brand. Specify which video elements will be used for branding.
Making the Message Relatable
After crafting your main message, plan the script lines that make it more relatable to your target audience. Your content should resonate with them, so it answers questions, resolves pain points and provides value. Make sure your video content benefits your holistic digital marketing strategy by creating relevant, familiar and significant copy.
Here’s how you can create relatable video content:
1. Make the spoken lines reflect real-life situations. The closer to reality the dialogue, the more it hits home with your audience.
2. Create striking and memorable visual elements. This can include funny visual effects and awe-inspiring audio.
3. Ensure certain video elements are consistent. People gravitate towards familiar things such as your company logo, familiar CTAs, special announcements, promos and the like.
4. Consider exposing a few vulnerabilities of your main character. It also makes the message more human, which resonates well with audiences.
5. Keep lines short. Remember that viewers usually have very short attention spans.
Step 3: Determine the Video Length
The length of your video will vary depending on the platform it will be published on. And the length of your script will dictate the length of your video.
Here are the recommended video length guidelines for each platform:
• Facebook: According to studies, the optimal video length for Facebook videos should be no longer than two minutes.
• Instagram: This portal only supports a maximum of 60 seconds for video content. However, HubSpot recommends Instagram videos be less than 30 seconds. According to their study, videos that get a lot of engagement are, on average, 26 seconds long.
• Twitter: The maximum video length supported by this social media platform is 30 seconds.
• YouTube: The optimal videos on this channel have an average length of two minutes. However, there is plenty of legroom here. If you want to monetize YouTube videos, keep them within the range of seven to 15 minutes to perform well on the platform.
Note that videos for your company’s website can be of any length. It depends on the type of content and its purpose. Ads can be shorter, anywhere from a few seconds to two minutes. Reports and other informational videos can be longer.
Step 4: Plan the Visual Elements
Video script writing must include visual production elements. Inserting these key visuals in your script will help your voice actor by serving as prompts when a B-roll or a transition in the video is about to happen. Every successful video production company plans these elements ahead of time.
Here are some examples of visual elements to include:
1. Visual focal points
Combining visual focal points with inflection and a change of tone will help to emphasize certain parts of your message. Examples of focal points can be your company’s logo, highlighting a product or service you’re offering and your CTAs.
2. Contrasts
A visual contrast grabs viewer attention. It also helps people refocus on what they’re watching and evoke an emotional response. Studies show that emotional arousal can enhance memory when people are presented with priority information.
3. Repeated visuals
Repeating visual elements reinforces messages and information. It also makes your videos more engaging. They include your company logo, official stylized fonts, company colors and branding symbols.
If you find yourself stuck on figuring out important visual elements, collaborating with a seasoned video production company will benefit you. They can help you craft key visuals that have the most impact on your intended viewers.
Step 5: Choose Your Characters
When figuring out how to write a script for a video, you need to decide on your main character. Some video script formats include a few characters, while others have only a main character.
In general, having a primary character helps viewers focus their attention on your content. Using the same characters in your video, or at least a narrator, creates a level of consistency in your video content marketing tactics.
Creating and developing characters can sometimes be difficult. This is where a video production agency can be helpful in determining the characteristics that will appeal to your target audience.
Step 6: Write the Video Script
Once you have everything planned, it’s time to get to the fun part – writing the actual script.
Here’s a tip: if you feel like you still need help at this point, working with a video production agency might benefit you and your team. There’s nothing wrong with getting a little expert assistance.
Reminder: Any kind of writing, video scripts included, isn’t perfect and polished on the first go. Scripts often begin as messy, jumbled-up sentences and paragraphs. It takes several editing sessions to make sense of it all. You can always consult with a high-level video marketing company during these sessions.
Here’s a simple, easy-to-follow formula for video script writing:
1. Intro
Write an introduction. This will be based on the main or core message that you planned. You can also introduce your main character or actor here.
2. Hook
This is where you write down your value proposition and is based on the main message from your content brief, plus the needs and pain points of your target audience. You can also include branding messages here via audio and visual elements. The hook offers a new angle to your viewers, and it makes your video content fresh.
3. First CTA
This is usually an invitation to like the video and subscribe to your channel or to your communication. It can also include an invitation to follow your social media channels or subscribe to your mailing list. This CTA can be repeated at the end of the video or anywhere in the middle of the video.
4. Content Segments
Write the different segments of your video. Include visuals, themes, dialogue, B-rolls and other elements. Include CTAs at appropriate times.
TIP: The line lengths should be anywhere between 125 to 150 words of dialogue for every minute of video. If you can make it shorter, awesome! Note that the average speaking rate in the U.S. is 160 words per minute.
5. Closing Segment
After completing the details of the prior video segments, it’s time to write your closing or final video segment. It should summarize the core message and must contain a final CTA.
Go over the entire script again with your team and ask for suggestions. Consider this session a crucial element of the script writing process. They may have brilliant ideas that will improve the quality of your content. After that, you can then send the finalized script to the production team.
Script Writing and Video Marketing Q&A
Should I use a video script template?
You can use a template if you want, but it is not required. However, it does make your video script format a lot easier to grasp, and it ensures all the elements are well organized.
Any tips for writing the dialogue for a video?
Talk directly to your target audience. This is also a good excuse to use jargon they will understand. You should also write sentences the way you want the voice talent to say it. Do some tabletop practice sessions with your voice actor and then edit the dialogue part as needed.
What are the most common video script formats?
Popular types of scripts are branding and about us videos, testimonials, product reviews, event highlights, end-of-year reels, explainer, social media posts and landing page videos.
Should I hire video marketing services?
If you’re stuck and you can’t figure out how to move forward, getting expert help from a video marketing services provider will benefit you. Also, if you are faced with time constraints or a strict budget, an expert video marketing services team can help. Collaborating with a video production agency protects you against the loss of resources, time and money.
Leveraging the Expertise of a Video Marketing Agency
The good news is that a first-time video content creator doesn’t have to figure it out all alone. You can leverage the expertise of a highly trusted video marketing agency. With their help, you can get things done properly as you gain more experience in writing a script for a video.
If you’re wondering about how to write a script for a YouTube video, how to begin video content marketing or how to become a better content creator, then you should consider collaborating with a video marketing company. Be sure to choose a video marketing team with a proven track record of helping their clients achieve their goals.
Thrive Internet Marketing Agency boasts an expert video marketing team and production facility. Our team can collaborate with you to formulate a video content marketing strategy and help boost your efforts when writing a script for a video.
Thrive provides video production services that can elevate your digital marketing results. We start by identifying marketing gaps in your strategy, help you use your videos to increase traffic, take appropriate actions to build your reputation and improve your ROI.
We know every company needs a well-designed digital marketing strategy that includes video production services. We can provide you with professionally made videos for your products, services and social media advertising.
Take advantage of the expertise of an accomplished marketing and video production company. Call 866-434-4748 today to schedule a free consultation or fill out this form.
