YouTube Video Script Writing Mistakes You Need To Stop Making

Writing a video script can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Sure, you want it to sound natural and authentic, but that doesn’t mean it should read like a transcript from a conversation between two friends.

Think of your video as an opportunity to teach your audience about something new the kind of thing that makes them go “huh?” followed by “ohhhh.”

You’ll never get them there if you write in too much detail or get bogged down with unnecessary details. And if you don’t get them hooked at the beginning?

Then they’ve moved on and won’t watch any further! So let’s dig into some common mistakes many producers make when writing their videos:

Five Common Mistakes New Screenwriters Make – YouTube

Takeaways
1. Avoid Poor Storytelling: Crafting a compelling story is crucial to engaging your audience and keeping them hooked throughout the video.
2. Clear Call-to-Action: Don’t forget to include a clear and actionable call-to-action at the end of your video to guide viewers on the next steps you want them to take.
3. Minimize Jargon: Keep your script accessible to a broader audience by avoiding excessive jargon or technical language that might confuse or alienate viewers.
4. Know Your Audience: Tailor your script to resonate with your target audience’s preferences and interests, ensuring that your content speaks directly to their needs.
5. Review and Revise: Regularly review and revise your video scripts to refine and improve them over time, learning from past mistakes and incorporating valuable feedback.

Table of Contents

You Have Too Many Sentences

One of the biggest mistakes people make when writing YouTube video scripts is using too many sentences.

You should be using shorter sentences and shorter words. If a sentence is more than 20 words, it’s probably too long. If your word count exceeds 100, you need to shorten things up.

Also, watch out for long paragraphs and instead break up those blocks of text with lists or bullet points where appropriate so they’re easier to read quickly on the screen. Also, avoid text-heavy slideshows that take forever to load and slow down the viewer experience!

Writing a compelling video script requires careful consideration of various factors. Discover the 15 essential questions you should ask before crafting your next video masterpiece and avoid common pitfalls. Learn more about asking the right questions to elevate your scriptwriting game.

Your Sentences Are Wordy

When you write your scripts, you need to make sure that each sentence is as simple as possible. This means using short sentences and words. Your goal should be for each sentence to communicate the most information in the shortest amount of time.

Here’s an example: The old man sat down on his porch and watched the sunset over the horizon with his dog by his side.

When I rewrite this into a script, I might write something like: “The old man sits down on his porch and watches the sun set over the horizon with his dog by his side.” See how much shorter it is? The new version gets right to the point without saying too much or being wordy at all!

You also want to avoid passive voice when writing YouTube video scripts since viewers tend not to like reading it too much (also because their eyes will get tired!). So instead of saying “We were attacked by zombies,” it would sound better if we said, “Zombies attacked us!”

You Have The Wrong Point Of View Or Pronoun Usage

You are using the wrong point of view.

The point of view is the perspective from which you’re speaking to your audience. It’s how you position yourself about them and what you say.

In this case, my advice is always to use the first person point of view (I/me/my) because that’s how people speak naturally; we refer to ourselves using “I” when telling stories or recounting events.

The second person (you/your) should also be avoided as much as possible because it can make viewers feel like they’re being talked down to or lectured at, which no one wants!

Of course, there are some exceptions where third-person pronouns would be appropriate for example, if your video has multiple hosts with distinct personalities who could each have their viewpoints on something but these tend not to be common occurrences unless you’re producing a show like “Talking Dead.”

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You Have Misplaced Modifiers

A misplaced modifier is a word or phrase that describes something other than the noun it should be describing.

For example, if you said, “I ate a piece of cake that was on the table,” your reader would be confused because “cake” seems to refer to the book you just finished reading. Modifiers need to go with their nouns!

Here are some examples:

“I bought a new house.” (The house isn’t new.)
“She walked into her parents’ room.” (Her parents aren’t in their room.)
“My friend went camping with me last weekend.” (Your friend didn’t go camping with you.)

You Have Unnecessary Direct References To Your Channel Or Logo

You may have written a script for your next video and it’s full of direct references to your brand, logo, or other details that are already well-known by subscribers.

But when you’re just starting as a YouTuber, these references might be hurting your SEO and preventing people from finding your videos without Googling you by name first.

The solution? Use established keywords and phrases in place of mentioning any names or logos. For instance: “I’m here today with my favorite book on Amazon.”

If that feels too generic for you (or if there’s no way around mentioning those details), then fine but make sure there’s the context for the mentions.

A good example would be a video where I’m trying out different types of DIY projects from Pinterest on my kitchen countertop; if I want an example of how I put together some new furniture, I’ll probably say something like “I saw these tables in my friend’s apartment” instead of just saying “this is what Ikea looks like.”

You Skip The Introduction And Jump Into Your Content

You have a great idea for a video, and you know that it’s going to be awesome. So you write up your script and jump straight into the content, but what happens when you get to the end? You find yourself wondering why no one watched it.

As much as we all want our videos to go viral, don’t forget about the importance of an introduction.

The intro is where you give context for your video so that viewers understand what they are about to learn or see. It also allows them to decide if this information is valuable or not before they invest any time in watching it.

Here are some tips on how best to do this:

Your video script doesn’t match your brand’s voice.

In a perfect world, you’d be able to write a script that sounds exactly like your brand. But that’s not realistic or likely so what do you do?

First of all, let’s talk about why it’s important to have your video script match the way you speak in videos.

Think about it: why would anyone want to listen to someone read an upbeat script in a monotone voice? If they don’t like the way you speak naturally, they’re not going to watch your videos anyway!

Instead, try writing out your scripts as if they were spoken by a character. Perhaps this person is someone who works at the company and gives tours of their office space.

Or maybe they’re an expert who teaches others how-to tips on cooking healthy meals using only natural ingredients from local farmers’ markets (and all of this should be done while wearing stylish clothes from Target).

Either way, this technique will help ensure that people feel more connected with what’s being said and thus want to stay tuned for longer than just one minute (or three seconds!).

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You Don’t Use Enough Visuals In Your Script

People love visuals. They’re easier to understand, they make your point more impactful, and they give the reader a chance to rest their eyes.

You can use visuals in a variety of ways:

Make sure that you are using visuals that support your points. If you have a script about how to cook a healthy meal but all of your images are of greasy deep fried foods, then you need some new images!

Use visuals to engage the reader. Adding an image of someone eating or drinking while reading your article can make it more relatable (and therefore more interesting).

Use visuals to break up text and make it more visually appealing; especially if the topic is dry or boring!

This will help keep people engaged when they might otherwise get bored reading through paragraphs upon paragraphs outlining the information that is not relevant right now but maybe later on down the road once things start getting heated up again (which would happen if only there wasn’t so much damn text in between!).

Your Words Are Too Complicated For Your Target Audience

A lot of people make this mistake. It’s not just because they don’t know the right words to use it’s also because they’re too lazy to look up a thesaurus. They think they shouldn’t have to, and that everyone should understand everything they say no matter how complex their vocabulary is.

That’s why we hear so many people talking about “the paradigm shift” and “the grassroots movement.” Yeah, okay guys great catchphrases! Helpful for us non-geniuses out here in the trenches!

But if you want your audience on board with what you’re saying, try using some simpler language instead:

The new model is based on an entirely different model than the old one was based on before it was replaced by this newer but older version of itself that we’re using now…or something like that?

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Your Script Is Too Personal/Personal

This is a mistake that many new video creators make. To be honest with you, we’ve all been there. And the reason it’s so easy to do this is that you know your message and you want to share it with the world.

But the problem with sharing your personal experiences and beliefs in a script is that it can come off as self-centered or preachy.

You don’t want your viewers to tune out just because they feel like they are being spoken at; instead, think about how you can use stories from your life as metaphors for what will resonate with others watching.

Your Script Is All About You And Doesn’t Even Mention Your Customers’ Needs And Pains

If you’re going to make a video that sells, your script must focus on the customer and their needs, rather than just allowing the viewer to hear you talk about yourself.

When writing any kind of content for your business, consider what your customers’ needs are and why are they visiting your website or buying from you.

What problems does this solve for them? What do they want to get out of it? What questions do they have related to what you’re offering up in terms of content? These are all things that should be considered when writing scripts.

You might also want to think about how other people describe the problem (your audience), so that if someone were sharing their story with a friend who had not yet heard about it, how would they describe it in their own words?

That way when someone reads through the copy and hears their own story told back at them through one sentence after another without stopping along the way with anything else but facts and figures throughout those same sentences!

Crafting a video script that captivates your audience is an art. Dive into the essentials with our comprehensive guide on video script writing 101. Master the art of engaging storytelling to keep viewers coming back for more.

Conclusion

If you’re still struggling to find the right voice for your brand on YouTube, we recommend checking out our guide to creating a YouTube channel.

It has a ton of great tips on how to create a channel that truly represents who you are as an organization and why people should subscribe!

FAQs

What are common script writing mistakes?

Common script writing mistakes include poor storytelling, lack of a clear call-to-action, excessive jargon, and failure to consider the target audience’s preferences.

How can I improve my video script for better conversions?

To enhance video script conversions, focus on a compelling hook, concise messaging, a strong value proposition, and a clear and actionable call-to-action.

What elements should I include in a YouTube video script?

A YouTube video script should include a catchy introduction, engaging content, a structured storyline, relevant keywords, and a strong ending.

How can I make my YouTube video script more engaging?

To make your YouTube video script more engaging, use humor, storytelling, interactive elements, visuals, and personalized content that resonates with your audience.

How do I write a YouTube video script that ranks well on search?

To write a YouTube video script that ranks well on search, conduct keyword research, optimize the script title and description, provide valuable content, and encourage viewer engagement through likes, comments, and shares.

Costantine Edward

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.