How to Write a Video Marketing Script

  • SocialBull
  • 2022-12-20 00:00:00


Making a nice marketing video is an excellent approach to communicating with businesses as well as present and future customers. On the other hand, making a video appealing to a particular target group may be challenging and time intensive. You must create something that will resonate with the target audience; otherwise, they will forget about it as soon as they finish watching it.

There are several techniques to make a marketing video really effective, and they all begin with writing. Writing a marketing video screenplay may and should be a fun process. Still, adhering to some structure and preparation is important to ensure that the video is precisely matched to your brand, product, and target audience.

 

What is a video script?

A video script is a roadmap for how your video will develop. It's an underutilised tool that will set your video marketing unique.

A step-by-step script is essential in video content development, from content sequences to voice-overs and everything in between. It not only removes the guesswork from the video editing process, but it also makes recording a lot faster and easier.

 

What is the need for Video Scripting?

You certainly go for most things in life with some strategy in mind, so why should there be a difference in video marketing?

Because video scripts take time to write, some individuals skip this phase entirely. However, drafting a screenplay for your video might save you time in the long run.

Writing a script makes sense only when all of the moving pieces of making a video are considered - shooting, editing, voice-over, music, and so on. A video script makes you follow a comprehensive step-by-step framework throughout the development process.

Books and movies are examples of significant works. Before they go into production, they should work from a screenplay or a content plan. It enables the project to function smoothly and efficiently. Videos should be no exception.

Once you've mastered it, you won't make a video without first drafting a screenplay.

 

Steps to writing a video Script

 

1.    Select your target audience

Any marketing endeavour benefits from having the correct buyer persona. This is true in the case of video.

Because videos cost more time and money to produce than an internet ad or blog, your video must communicate to a specific target.

So, before you begin creating characters or a short for your video, you must first determine who your video is intended for. Your video script's intended audience can have an influence on the following:

1.    Your video's duration and format
2.    Where do you put your video?
3.    Lighting, set, and costume.

If your video is intended to raise brand recognition, you may be reaching a wide and varied audience. But what if you're launching a new product or feature? In such an instance, you should target your audience to purchasers who will most likely experience the pain your solution addresses.

If your video is intended to increase employee or customer retention, you may want to take a different approach. Before you begin your script short, go through the facts, reviews, and testimonials. This will assist you in developing the tale and dialogue to which your audience will respond.

 

2.    Select the format for your video

The first guideline for creating video scripts at any level is to always format them appropriately. All movie screenplays are formatted the same way, and while the guidelines are simple, they may be strict. Breaking them is one of the simplest ways to convince a reader to throw away your script. With one exception — the duration — there are no hard-and-fast standards for video marketing formatting.

The conventional rule of thumb for video script length is that it should be roughly two words per second. The greatest marketing videos, according to Lemonlight, are generally between 30 seconds and 1 minute and 2 minutes long. This is how it is broken down:

1.    30 seconds video = 60-word script
2.    1 minute of video = 120-word script
3.    2 minutes of video = 240-word script

It's critical to adhere to this guideline as closely as possible so that you only write what you can put into your video. The average reading speed is the basis for this rule. Your reader might be your CEO, a paid spokesman, or an actor. It can be shot in a talking head interview style or as a voice-over recorded separately and played over another video.

 

3.    Make an outline

Writing a video marketing screenplay, like any other writing or marketing assignment, is all about delivering a captivating tale. In this scenario, you should keep the video brief and punchy, but depending on your objective, it may need to be longer.

The goal of generating an overview or brief is to create an easily digestible framework that you can communicate with everyone involved in the video's production. This is also worth discussing; you'll want to ensure that anyone in control agrees with your tone and brand messaging.

Consider the following questions at this stage:

1.    Marketing objectives
2.    The goal of the video
3.    You want an emotional response from the viewers.
4.    Participants in the project
5.    Invitation to action
6.    video's instructional or informative points

The initial brief will serve as the project overview, and your outline should describe the actual plot flow of the video.

 

4.    Choose your video's primary character.

Instead of telling your audience what your product can achieve, video marketing allows you to show them. Characters are also important in the narrative. Choosing your primary character before you start writing your script can let you focus on telling a tale rather than merely selling a concept. This will assist your viewers in connecting with and engaging with your video.

Your primary character may already be your ideal consumer or your CEO. They may be a celebrity, a product cartoon, or a narrator who talks in your brand's voice. If not, identify who will be the centre of your video before you begin creating your video screenplay.

If you're not sure who your primary character is, consider your purpose and target audience. Consider who your buyer persona would like to hear from at that point in their journey.

Next, sketch up your primary character. You may utilise your primary character's habits, quirks, and voice to construct a picture for your viewers that will help them remember and react to your film.

 

5.    Make a brief 

By creating a brief, you and your team may capture the answers to the most critical project questions. This helps everyone involved understand who, what, when, where, and why your video is important.

Assume you're three-quarters through the editing process. It's a significant problem if your employer or co-worker wants to rework half of your film entirely.

This type of challenge might have an influence on your budget, schedule, and promotions. With a brief, you can point to the goals and project plan that your team developed together and say, "Actually, that's not what we agreed to."

After that, you can proceed.

In your brief, concentrate on your objectives, topic, and key takeaways.

A brief does not have to be fancy or follow any particular pattern. However, some important questions should be included to create a good video script.

 

6.    Begin drafting your script in sections

Your video script does not have to be elaborate. You're not submitting this script for any prizes; its sole aim is to be functional. A strong screenplay allows the persons on camera to convey their messages while sounding and acting genuinely.

 

1.    Write casually

A script is different from a college paper or a marketing research study. You should compose the screenplay in the way you want the video subject to talk.

"I'm going to produce a video after reading this blog post," rather than "I am going to create a video after referring to this blog post," will read much better on camera. Keep sentences brief and to the point, and avoid complicated statements.

 

2.    Make it exhaustive

A script is more than just dialogue. Include these elements if your video requires several shots, characters, or scenes. Include any required information concerning the set or stage activities, such as a costume change.

Essentially, you want the screenplay to be detailed enough that you can pass it off to someone else to film, and they will understand it.

 

3.    Write for your intended audience and platform.

Maintain a conversational tone in your writing for the individuals you're attempting to engage with, and adequately incorporate humour, tone, and inflexion.

For example, if you're producing a short-form video for Facebook, you should explore using sentence fragments to keep your script shorter. However, if you're creating a long-form explanation film for your website, be as comprehensive as feasible.

 

4.    Script each and every word

It's fair to believe that you can scribble down the essential bullet points for a screenplay and then wing it on camera, especially if you're familiar with your subject matter.

As a result, we recommend scripting every last word. This will help you stay organised during filming and save you much time later.

 

7.    Video Editing

Writing is complex, and it's easy to become frustrated if you want your video script to be great on the first try. It is recommended to go through two to three rounds of editing to remove any unnecessary words from your text.