I usually focus on my blog posts’ visuals, numbers, and video marketing, but the video script is also important.

The script contains all the spoken words and instructions for creating the video. It’s like a screenplay but usually much simpler and shorter.

If you want your video content to be delivered, it’s worth spending time on the script.

Different Types of Scripts for Different Types of Videos

Not all scrips are written the same way because not all videos are the same.

For instance, here are a few of the more popular types of videos:

• How-to videos (including explainer videos and screenshot videos)
• Talking head videos, often used for news and thought leadership, or for “A message from [insert name of important person here]
• Recruitment videos
• Animated videos
• Training videos
• Sales videos
• Branding videos

There are many other kinds of videos, but you can see how differently you will have to write your script just from this shortlist.

For example, a talking-head video is 100% dialogue. No instructions. No descriptions.

A screenshot video would be only the narrator’s spoken words, plus instructions for moving through the screenshots to keep time with the narration (or vice versa).

A Training video might be more complex, where two or more people interact as they use equipment or move through a facility.

The script for such a video might resemble a screenplay more, with a description of motions and interactions and possibly even sound effects.

So, the type of video will determine how long a script you need and whether you can cut some dialogue because visual cues will help deliver your message.

Start Writing with the Outline

I’m assuming you’ve already done your homework and know what you want to say and who is in your audience. As with any other writing, it helps to create an outline.

First, write your logline. That’s a one or two-sentence description of the video. There’s a logline for every famous movie.

The logline will focus everybody on a common goal. And if the first draft of your script doesn’t deliver what the logline promises, you know there is some editing work to do.

Next, describe how you want to start the video

Then, make a list of the key points you want to make. A simple bullet list will do, perhaps with a few notes attached.

Finally, note how you will finish. Will there be a call to action?

Will there be a summary that reminds viewers what they’ve already begun to forget?

This is really just a line or two. We are just outlining here.

Depending on the type of video, you might want to create a storyboard.

This looks a bit like a comic book. What it does is match visuals to text.

Illustration credit: Focus Photography

You don’t need a storyboard for a talking head video. But for explainer videos, branding videos, or training videos, it is usually quite helpful.

Storyboards are especially important if numerous people must approve or provide input so that they can see your vision a little more clearly.

At this point, the storyboard would be in draft form. It would undoubtedly grow to twice, thrice, or even four times as long once your full text is developed.

Make it Passive-Easy

When people begin to read an article, they prepare psychologically to do some work.

Not much work, mind you. If a piece isn’t easy to read, you will lose readers.

But video is almost entirely passive. I wrote earlier that:

“Watching videos doesn’t require the viewer to do anything and requires no effort. This means it is a passive act of receiving information. Once exposed to a video, especially those that play automatically, you are immediately drawn to look at it.”

When people begin to view a video, they prepare psychologically to do even less work than when they read.

It bears emphasizing how important this outline phase is. All the blog posts on my website are well-structured.

They are organized to make it easier for you to find information and follow the flow of the post.

It is even more important for the flow to make 100% intuitive sense to the viewer in a video.

People don’t want to work to understand what you have to say.

Plus, it’s easy to scroll up to the previous headline with a blog post.

With a video, it’s frustrating to try to go back to re-evaluate something you missed or misunderstood because you were distracted momentarily.

Short, Short, Short

Video scripts are short. They are like really short movies, but even shorter.

Regular screenplays run about 15,000 words for an hour-and-a-half movie.

The novel for that movie would likely run somewhere between 60,000 and 80,000 words.

To put that into perspective, to adapt this blog post for Hollywood, we would need just 200 words. That would include dialogue, scenery, and directions.

So be prepared to write clearly and concisely.

And you want those few words to work hard for you because viewers want to do passive-little work.

So, you need to follow the guidelines of plain language writing in the dialogue.

Use short sentences, simple words, and very simple sentence structure.

Picture your 90-year-old immigrant mother or grandmother watching the video.

If they can’t understand it, you know there is some editing work to do.

Test Your Script

Do a dry run. Or do several dry runs. See how it sounds. Check for tongue twisters or words that might trip up your narrator or one of the actors.

Test it out on your 90-year-old immigrant mother or grandmother. If you don’t have one, borrow one from somebody else.

And be prepared to edit, erase, scribble and tweak until your script is perfect.

Accompanying Text

Videos sometimes stand on their own. But not always. You might want to give a video version and a text version.

People can then consume your information in the way they wish, and perhaps in both ways.

One advantage is that you can include much more detail in the accompanying text.

Another advantage is that you can give context for your video.

The accompanying text should also be written in plain English.

People want easy. If they have to slow down their reading to think about what you just said…you will lose them.

Are You Ready to Write Your Video Script?

If you know what you want to say and you can envisage your target audience, you are ready to start writing your logline and outline, of course.

A well-structured video script will lead people through your message smoothly and effortlessly.

Plain language writing will ensure they don’t get caught or lost along the way. Your message will make perfect sense.

And testing will help you identify any shortcomings you might have missed as you structured and wrote the script.