Any quality brand video must begin with an outstanding script. Understanding how to write a video script is critical to ensuring that your videos connect with the audience and help you accomplish your marketing objectives. Acting, backgrounds and music will enhance the narrative, but a tight script is what steals the show. Here is a short guide on writing a video script.
Step 1: Set Goals
While setting goals, it is crucial to think about the nature of your audience. Who are you targeting with the video? How do you want them to react? Create a bullet list of the objectives you want to accomplish with your video – and go back to it throughout the writing process.
Step 2: Build a Narrative
Before starting to write a script, it is important to outline the goals for a video. Are you trying to humanize your company? Sell a product? Explain how a service can benefit the customer?
The biggest problem with many brand videos is the lack of a gripping story. While the script may be hitting the right talking points for a product or service, the video will not connect with the audience without a narrative.
Start with an emotional hook, try to keep the message of the video simple, and ensure that it is telling a story. Use statistics, personal stories and a satisfying conclusion to make sure that your video is memorable for anyone who watches it.
Step 3: Find the Perfect Tone
While you are writing the script for your video, be sure to identify the ideal tone for your audience and objectives. For instance, a video that is targeting teenagers should have a lighter and funnier vibe, while a video that targets adults may be more serious.
Some script writers find that it is easier to create a first draft, which includes the bare bones of what they want to say. Then a second round of writing allows them to add in the necessary humor or personality to strike the desired tone with the video
Step 4: Cuts
If you are like most script writers, the first draft of your brand video will be too long. Do not stress. Cutting is a major part of the writing process.
Identify lines that are too long and cut them down. Why use 20 words to say something that you can convey in 10? Remember that people have limited attention spans, especially when watching videos online
Step 5: Settle on a Call to Action
The final step of how to write a video script involves having a call to action within the video. Identify your ideal CTA, which could can be a request to share the video, sign up for a free trial, provide an email address or buy a product.
It is important to put the call to action at the right stage of the video, while keeping it in theme with the rest of the content. The call should feel natural, but it should also be forceful enough that your audience will react by taking action after they watch your content.
By following these five steps, you can learn how to write a video script for your next brand video. Need more info? Just ask!
