You’ve probably heard that it’s important to write your video script in a way that will engage your audience. And you may have even heard about the importance of ensuring that each section of your video is well-written and concise so that people will stick around for the whole thing.
But what about before you even start writing? What questions can you ask yourself as a writer to ensure that people keep watching? Well, I’m glad you asked! Here are twenty-seven tips from experts on how best to prepare before starting your next video script:
| Takeaways |
|---|
| 1. Define your target audience and tailor the script to their preferences and interests. |
| 2. Outline a clear and compelling storyline that keeps viewers engaged. |
| 3. Incorporate a strong call-to-action to guide viewers on the next steps. |
| 4. Consider the optimal video length for your intended platform and audience. |
| 5. Review and refine the script to ensure it aligns with your brand’s voice and message. |
| 6. Test the script with a focus group or colleagues to gather feedback before production. |
| 7. Prioritize visual storytelling and use supporting visuals to enhance the message. |
| 8. Address potential objections or questions that viewers may have in the script. |
| 9. Ensure the script’s pacing is appropriate, allowing for natural flow and rhythm. |
| 10. Use metrics and data to measure the script’s effectiveness and make improvements. |
1. Why Are You Making This Video?
The next question is: Why are you making this video? What do you want to achieve with it, and what does the viewer need to know for them to take the action that you want them to take after watching your video?
For example, if I’m creating a video about how not to get scammed by fraudulent job offers on Facebook Messenger, I would want my viewers to understand that there are people who will make fake job offers on Facebook Messenger.
This way they can avoid falling victim themselves or warn their friends about these scams.
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2. How Will This Video Help The Buyer At Each Stage Of The Journey?
How does this video help the buyer at each stage of the journey?
To create a successful sales video, you need to know what your audience needs and wants from it. That way, when you’re creating it, you can make sure that every word, image, and sound helps them achieve their goals.
Knowing this will also help you with any other questions on this list: Why are you making this video? What is its purpose? What do people need from it?
3. How Does The Viewer Feel Before, During, And After Watching This Video?
We’ll be talking a lot about how your video can evoke emotions in your audience. Here, we’ll give you a few questions to ask yourself.
- How does the viewer feel before watching this video?
- How do they feel during watching it?
- And how do they feel after watching it?
Your answers to these questions will help guide you as you begin writing your script and plan out the visual elements of your video.
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4. Do You Want To Create Action Or Emotion?
The first question to ask yourself is whether you are more interested in creating action or emotion.
Action-based visuals are usually shorter and more direct, focused on what viewers can do with the product being advertised. Emotion-based visuals tend to be longer and more indirect, focusing on how a product makes you feel.
Both types have their place in video advertising; if your goal is to get viewers to buy something quickly and easily, then an action script might be for you.
If your goal is for people to develop an emotional connection with your brand over time through repeated exposure, then an emotional script might make more sense.
5. What’s Your Script Style?
The choice of the script style you use will depend on the type of video you are making, as well as the type of content you are creating. Examples of different script styles include:
- Script style – direct address (the most common)
- Script style – indirect address (more formal)
- Script style – visual narrative/storytelling (for educational videos)
The choice of a script style will also depend on your audience and their level of familiarity with the subject matter.
For example, if you’re making an educational video about how to properly install light switches, it may be helpful for viewers to have a clear explanation in layman’s terms rather than technical jargon.
6. Where Does This Video Appear In The Content Lineup?
The order of your video influences how it’s viewed and the results you can expect.
- The first step in a buyer journey should be to get people interested in what you do, so they’ll watch another video or two.
- The second step is to tell them how great you are and why they should buy from you.
- The third step would be an upsell or down-sell (or both), depending on whether this piece of content is part of an ongoing series or not.
- The fourth step would be a call-to-action like “subscribe now” or “buy now”, depending on the context of the series, which could also include links to things like sales pages and other content that supports this one (like blog posts).
7. Does This Video Tell A Story Or Make A Point?
This is an important question to ask yourself before writing the script. If you’re looking to create emotion and connection with your audience, then you will want to tell a story. If you want them to take action and feel motivated towards some goal, then make a point.
You may be wondering how exactly we go about choosing which type of script is right for our videos. It’s pretty simple! Let’s say that I am going fishing tomorrow but don’t know where or when. What do I do?
Well, if I want someone else’s advice on where and when I should go fishing then it could be considered an informational video (like those used by travel agents or tour guides).
However, if my goal is simply finding out how much fun fishing can be then it would probably be best suited as entertainment or comedy content a full-fledged “how-to” guide would likely not work well in this scenario.
Since it wouldn’t appeal as much as something that gets people excited about seeing themselves having fun doing something new (one example might look like our article on how we use cricket bat covers during winter).
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8. Who Is Your Main Character?
Asking yourself a few questions about your main character will help you write a script that’s more authentic and ultimately more engaging.
Who is your main character? What are their goals? What are they afraid of? And what’s their backstory?
The answers to these questions may change as you go through the process of writing, but as a starting point, it can be helpful to know who your main character is and what they want out of this video.
If you’re creating an explainer video for a company that sells pet supplies or if you’re creating an explainer video for an educational institution like Udemy or Lynda.
Then chances are good that your target audience has some knowledge about pets or education already but maybe not enough knowledge to read long articles on why people should buy from PetCo instead of Amazon or why Udemy is better than Khan Academy.
In these cases, think about how much backstory information (or “exposition”) needs to be conveyed before we even get into the benefits of choosing one provider over another.
9. Will This Video Be Animated Or Live Action?
As you decide whether or not to animate your video, consider the audience you’re targeting. If you’re creating content for a younger audience, animation could be the right choice.
Because it tends to appeal more to those who are just learning about video and don’t yet have much of an attachment to living action.
Live action can be more expensive, but if viewers must take what they see in your video seriously, then live actors may be a better choice.
Video scripts are written differently depending on whether they’ll be animated or not. With animation scripts, writers must consider how their script will interact with the visuals so that both work together effectively.
Live action scripts don’t require this level of detail since there is no visual component (but also no opportunity for interaction).
Storytelling is a powerful tool for YouTube success. Dive into the top YouTube story formulas that work wonders for content creators in our article on Top 11 YouTube Story Formulas That Work.
10. Will You Hire An Actor To Deliver Your Message?
Your company’s CEO or in-house team can indeed deliver the message. But when you have a big idea and want to make sure your audience remembers it, hiring an actor is often the best way to go.
But hiring an actor isn’t as easy as just walking into Hollywood and picking a name out of the phone book (or Google).
You need to think about who you want to play your character, how they will fit with what they are saying, and how they look while delivering their lines. This is key because it adds authenticity and helps engage viewers in what is being said on screen.
If this sounds like something you want help with then read on!
11. How Will I Convey The Message Visually If I’m Not Hiring An Actor?
- If you don’t have the budget or resources to hire an actor, and you want to convey your message visually, consider using an animated character.
- You could also use an infographic. Infographics are a great way to present stats and information quickly and clearly. They can be used in videos too!
- You might also want to try out some video testimonials from real people. Video testimonials are a great way of showing others how they feel about your product or service without them having any kind of script at all!
- And if you’re looking for inspiration on what kinds of things these videos might include (such as customer reviews), take a look at other videos that have been successful in this area first – then try making something similar for yourself!
12. How Much Time Do I Have To Make People Believe In My Message And Get Them To Take Action?
Before you write your next video script, think about how much time you have to make people believe in your message and get them to take action.
Is this a quick video where you’re trying to convey the basics of your business? In that case, the best length is probably around 60 seconds or less the shorter the better!
But if it’s more of an explainer video or testimonial video (say, one that explains how someone used your product), then 2 minutes might be just fine.
If you don’t know what kind of video you want yet, take some time for research so that when it comes time for writing scripts and shooting footage, everything will go smoothly.
13. Is Your Script Written For Specific Personas Or Buyer Personas?
- Personas are fictional characters that represent the people who will be watching your video. They are based on research about them but don’t get locked into specifics or details.
- It’s important to have a specific person in mind when writing your script because you want it to resonate with their needs, preferences, and concerns.
- Create personas by interviewing real people who fit the description of your ideal customer(s).
- Ask questions like: where do they live? What do they like to do for fun? What are their biggest concerns related to your industry? How do they learn more about products/services like yours? etc
- Use these answers as inspiration when coming up with content ideas for videos and keep reading below!
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14. How To Do The Messages You Often Send Relate To What Your Viewers Need Now
Once you’ve done the research, it’s time to write your script. You can use a lot of different types of scripts depending on what kind of video you’re making.
For example, if you’re making an explainer video or interview-style video, certain conventions make sense for those formats.
If you’re writing a sales pitch script, think about how important each message is and how many times it needs to be repeated for maximum impact. Think about what the user needs to do next and then decide which messaging format makes sense for that action:
Does he need an FAQ? A call-to-action button? An email signup form? Whatever it is your job as a writer is to make sure every word counts so don’t waste any space!
15. What Are The Top Three Points You Want To Get Across In This Piece Of Content?
Now, let’s talk about the most important part of any video: the script.
The main objective of a script is to tell your story and get your message across in an engaging way.
One of the simplest ways to do this is by making sure you have three main points that you want to get across in your video.
The more specific those points are, the better! We recommend using phrases such as “I want my viewers to know…” or “My goal with this piece is…” instead of vague statements like “this should be helpful for everyone who watches it.”
Why do these three points matter so much?
Well, they will shape everything else you do when creating your video from scripting out your introduction and conclusion down to visual design decisions like which fonts look best on screen vs being read aloud (hint: italicized fonts).
These three key messages give direction for every other aspect of each step along the way and are also critical for determining if what we create meets our standards when it comes time for launch day!
Conclusion
In the end, the most important thing to remember is that even though you may be a great writer, you may not be able to write a script from scratch.
If this is your first time creating videos for your business or organization, then it’s best to reach out for help from someone who has experience in developing content for video platforms like YouTube or Facebook.
This way they can guide you through each step of creating a compelling script that will resonate with your audience and drive them towards action!
Further Reading
Video Production Questions: Discover essential questions to ask during the video production process to ensure a successful and engaging final product.
Five Questions to Ask When Writing an Explainer Video Script: Learn five crucial questions that can guide you in crafting an effective explainer video script.
How to Write a Video Script: Check out this comprehensive guide on how to write an impactful video script to captivate your audience.
FAQs
What are the key elements of a compelling video script?
A compelling video script should have a clear storyline, engaging dialogue, and a strong call-to-action to encourage viewer interaction.
How do I make my explainer video script concise yet informative?
To make your explainer video script concise, focus on the core message, avoid jargon, and use visuals to supplement information.
What role does storytelling play in a video script?
Storytelling is crucial in a video script as it captivates the audience, evokes emotions, and helps convey complex ideas in a relatable manner.
How can I ensure my video script aligns with my brand’s voice?
To ensure your video script aligns with your brand’s voice, maintain consistency in tone, style, and language throughout the script.
Are there any specific guidelines for writing a video script for social media platforms?
When writing a video script for social media, keep it short, attention-grabbing from the start, and optimize for mobile viewing.
Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.