The origin point of most marketing videos is a written script.

With a script, you'll have a functional outline of what the video is trying to accomplish, lines of dialogue for people to exchange, and instructions for actors who might be involved.

Of course, there are many types of videos out there, some of which don't require a script at all. But for most video marketing operations, a good script is quintessential to accomplishing your visibility and engagement goals.

This demands the central question: what makes a marketing video script effective?

The Role of a Video Script

A video script has a handful of main purposes:

·         High-level direction and outlining. First, your marketing video script is going to provide you with high-level direction and outlining. This is your opportunity to generally detail what you want to include in the video and how you want it to flow. It's imperative for both better understanding your goals and figuring out how you want to execute them.

·         Actor and creative guidance. Scripts also play a role in guiding actors and other creatives in how to produce the video. This is your chance to instruct them on how to build or interact with the set, where to move, and even how they should emote.

·         Messaging and details. Perhaps the most obvious purpose of a video script is to provide details related to messaging. Depending on the nature of your video, your script may include lines of dialogue, messages to be shown on screen, or direction for how to implement visual messaging.

Do You Need to Have a Video Script?

Is it necessary to have a script for your marketing video?

The short answer is no. In fact, there are a few types of videos where a script could actually be a detriment. For example, if you're hosting an interview and you want it to seem authentic, a script could actually interfere with your presentation. If you're trying your hand at improv comedy, a script would defeat the purpose.

Outside the scope of these fringe cases, however, it's a good idea to have a video script in place. Even if you don't follow it exactly, and even if it isn't perfect, a video script gives you a road map for the video you want to produce. Even the writing process is valuable, helping you narrow the focus of your goals and verify the best ways to achieve them through this medium. Whether you're working on explainer videos, tutorial videos, or general video content, having a plan in place ensures your message is clear and engaging.

So how exactly do you write a video script in a way to maximize its effectiveness?

The Pre-Writing Process for Your Video Script

Everything begins with pre-writing. Before you put pen to paper or start clacking on a keyboard, you should thoroughly review your motivations for this marketing video, the basis for your messaging, and the possible directions the video could take.

·         Goal setting. Strong marketing pieces are goal-oriented. That's why the first step of the process needs to be considering and setting specific goals. Why are you making this video? What do you hope it will achieve? Who are you trying to reach, and what are the best ways to reach those people? What action do you want to motivate them to take? Crafting clear goals is one of the most important video scriptwriting tips to ensure your project stays focused.

·         Market research. Next, do a deep dive into your target audience. You probably already know who your business's target demographics are, but think about those people in a video marketing context. What types of videos are they most likely to consume and engage with? What types of video messages are going to be most appealing to them? How can you distinguish your video in a way that's going to resonate with this audience? Understanding these preferences will also help you refine your video script outline.

·         Competitive research. After that, you should do some competitive research. Are there videos similar to this already in the market? Are any of your closest rivals and competitors producing videos like this? If so, watch those videos to learn what they've done well, what they've done poorly, and how you can distinguish your own videos. The better you understand the other video clips out there, the better you'll be able to make your own.

·         Creative brainstorming and concepting. When you're done with all this preliminary work, you can start creative brainstorming and concepting. What visual or audio motifs do you want to include in this video? Who is going to be included and how are they going to interact? You don't need to decide specific lines of dialogue or even a framework for the video at this point, but you should nail down some key concepts before you start the drafting process. This phase is essential for writing video scripts that align with your creative vision and goals.

Writing an Effective Video Script

Once all the prewriting is done, you can begin writing your marketing video script in earnest. There are no hard rules for how you do this, but there are some fundamentals that you'll need to keep in mind.

Good scripts typically follow a handful of structural rules. They're usually organized in a way that makes it clear to readers and producers how the video is going to flow. They also usually include a variety of information, including:

·         Sluglines. Sluglines are short, informative sentences that lay out the time and place where a scene occurs. This is especially helpful if you're filming a live-action video.

·         Action lines. Action lines describe what’s happening in the scene. Think of it as a placeholder for the visuals of your video.

·         Dialogue. Lines of dialogue indicate who's going to say what and when. This category can also apply to verbal messages shown on the screen.

When writing your script, pay especially close attention to:

·         Timing/volume. How long do you want this video to be? Sometimes, you need a video that can fit in a tight, 10-second space. Sometimes, you need a video that's hours long. The length of your script obviously determines, at least in part, how long your video is, but because delivery of lines can vary so much, it's very hard to determine an appropriate length from the beginning. Still, you can compare your script to others and do some exploratory readings to make sure you're in the right ballpark.

·         Conciseness. No matter how long your video is, you should focus on making your content as concise as possible. Conciseness is effectively a measure of how much information you're conveying compared to how many words you're using. A concise script is very dense, making sure that every line is useful to the video in some way. Some lines can be informative. Some can be entertaining. Some can merely set the stage for the rest of the video. But at the end of the day, every line in your video script should serve a specific purpose. If it doesn't, you should probably cut it.

·         Authenticity. These days, effective marketing demands authenticity. People have a tendency to tune out messages from brands that seem insincere or manipulative, and they pay little attention to advertising without a soul. If you want your video to resonate with people, it needs to be authentic to your brand. Eliminate cliches and platitudes, and instead focus on sincere messaging. This can be very difficult to do, especially if you're writing on behalf of an organization and for actors you may never meet, but you need to do your best with it.

·         Originality. A good video script is also original. Remember, there are lots of brands like yours producing and syndicating videos as part of their marketing and advertising efforts. Chances are, your audience has seen many of these videos already. Don't simply rehash or copy something that's already out there; instead, come up with something novel, even if that means pushing the boundaries a bit.

·         Persuasiveness. Persuasiveness is the heart of good marketing. Accordingly, you need to make sure your video script is persuasive. What action are you trying to get people to take? What concepts are you trying to convince them of? How does your target audience think and feel, and what are the best ways to move them? Sometimes, you can persuade people via logic. Other times, you'll need to persuade them via emotions. In nearly all cases, you'll have an easier time persuading people if you can convince them that you're an authority on the matter. Just keep in mind that every video script should have a clear call to action (CTA) to motivate your viewers to do something.

Rehearsal and Rewriting the Script

Unfortunately, even the best video script writers can't perfectly predict how their words are going to be acted or presented in an actual video. In fact, you might be surprised at how quickly or slowly some lines go, or how terrible certain lines sound when said aloud by an actor.

That's why it's important to rehearse and tinker with this script after it's written. Whether you're working on a brand video or a different type of video project, getting the script right is crucial to keeping your audience's attention throughout.

Get a group of people together to do a dry run of the script and see how it sounds and feels. This is also a good opportunity to time it to make sure you're well within your time parameters.

After the rehearsal, get some feedback and see if there's anything you can improve. In some cases, you'll have to make a few small tweaks for the script to be more effective. In other cases, you may need to fully rewrite the script. But no matter what, there will likely be opportunities for improvement.

Filming, Editing, and Beyond

At this point, you should be ready to start filming or producing. Your script will likely be treated as final, but don't be afraid if you have to make a few changes as you figure things out in the production studio. After more rehearsal and consideration, you may need to change some lines, edit the overall structure of the video, or revisit some concepts that don't seem to be working as well as you imagined. This is a natural part of the process, and it's only going to make your video better.

After you finalize your video and start utilizing it in your marketing efforts, you can measure its effectiveness and use that data to improve your video script writing approach. For example, did people leave your video after just a few minutes in large numbers? If so, it could be a clue that your video script wasn't compelling or interesting enough at the beginning. Was your call to action especially successful? If so, consider incorporating it and similar calls to action into your marketing video script templates in the future. The more scripts you write, and the more data you gather, the easier it's going to be to put together a compelling marketing video script template for your brand.

Are you interested in putting together a spectacular marketing video script?

Are you ready to present your brand in a visual medium the way it deserves to be presented?

We’re here to help. Contact us today to learn more about our video production process!

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