Your audience’s attention span is short, and your video needs to survive the massive amount of content your viewers consume online – how do you write a script that resonates with your viewers? And how do you make sure it’s short enough to not bore your audience but long enough to leave an impression? Whether you’re a scriptwriter or a small business owner trying to boost your reach, in this blog, you’ll find out more about writing a script where every word holds weight.
The Importance of a Great Explainer Video Script
Scriptwriting serves as the blueprint for your explainer video. It outlines the entire storyline and guides the visuals that need to accompany it, ensuring a clear and engaging presentation.
Effective storytelling is key to keeping your audience captivated. Organizing ideas logically helps viewers grasp the topic you’re presenting. Rushing through this step can make it challenging to correct a poorly structured video later.
Once the script is approved, the next step is creating a storyboard. Both the script and storyboard are crucial as they guide design and animation teams in creating the visuals needed for the explainer video production. This collaboration ensures a cohesive and impactful final product.
You can read the case study detailing how we developed the script and storyboard for a corporate video production for our client, Artha.
Approaches to Explainer Video Scripts
There are two main types of stories you can tell:
- Problem-Solution Approach: Use this when you’re talking about a common problem your product or service solves. You start by talking about a problem that your viewers can relate to. Then, introduce your product, highlighting its features and how it solves the issue. This strategy is well-liked and efficient. Take a look at this ad film we created for our client, Adishtu, where the video follows a similar problem-solution approach.
- Stand-alone Story Approach: Choose this if you’re introducing something entirely new, like a new product or service. Begin the video by presenting the product and explaining its benefits right away. This approach is useful when people aren’t familiar with what you’re offering. Have a look at this product video we produced for our client, Nature Perfect Essentials, where the video follows a similar stand-alone story approach.
Structuring the Script
Creating scripts for explainer videos for businesses or brands are a bit like making a three-part story:
- The “What” Act: Start by showing the problem your business helps solve. Introduce the main characters and the problem they face, which is like the main challenge in a story.
- The “How” Act: Next, reveal how your company comes to the rescue and solves the problem. Your brand steps in as the hero to help the characters overcome their issue.
- The “Why” Act: Finally, explain to your audience why they should pick your company to solve their problem. Share details about your product or service, its special features, and what makes your brand the best choice. This part is where you tell them why you’re awesome.
Explainer Video Script Formulas
When creating a video script, there are different templates you can use to make it effective and quick:
- Meet Bob Formula: Introduce a character like “Bob” who faces a problem similar to your audience. Present the problem, offer a solution, explain how it works, showcase the results, and end with a catchy tagline and a clear call to action. In this ad film we created for our client, Philips, we applied a similar ‘ Meet Bob Formula’ approach.
- Cut to the Chase Formula: Get right to the point! Address the problem, position your product as the “Secret Sauce” to solve it, explain why it’s effective, and provide a call to action.
- Cookie Cutter Formula: Aim for a concise and broad approach. Address a general audience, highlight the problem, present your solution, explain how it works, and end with a clear call to action. This appeals to a larger group of people by keeping it straightforward and inclusive.
How to Write an Explainer Video Script
Explaining a complicated idea in a short video is like doing a magic trick. It’s a challenge to simplify the concept, tell an exciting story, showcase your brand’s style, and leave a lasting message—all in a limited number of words. Many explainer videos fall short because this task is tricky.
The main issue is often not having enough know-how. Fortunately, we’ve cracked the code on what makes an explainer video great. No need to worry if it seems like an ordeal to you, we can get your script and video done at an affordable price and a quicker pace!
1. Identify Your Story
When making your explainer video, clarity is key. Some videos can get messy, confusing viewers or taking too long to get to the point. Avoid this by keeping it simple and telling one clear story.
Your story usually fits into solving a problem or explaining a process. These formats guide you to craft a strong script, even if your video doesn’t perfectly fit one category.
Remember these important rules:
i) Be clear and confident to build trust from the start.
ii) Answer the viewer’s likely questions in the story.
Ask yourself a few questions to find your story:
- Why am I telling this? Have a goal to shape your message and script.
- What’s my angle? How are you helping the viewer?
- Why should people care? Tailor your message to your audience’s needs and the problems you’re solving.
- What value does this provide? Share valuable information.
- What should my viewer remember? Your conclusion should stand out in the crowd.
Keep your story at the center of your scripting process. And if you need assistance in creating a compelling explainer video, consider hiring a professional video production company. We’re here to help!
2. Break Down Your Story
Explaining stuff is like telling a story to a little friend. We use simple words and lots of excitement to share ideas, even if someone knows a lot already. The goal is to tell the story clearly and quickly. You can also find out what the ideal length of an explainer video is based on your requirements!
Imagine making a book for grown-ups that’s as cool as a children’s book – fun, easy to understand, and not too long. Short videos are like saying, “I value your time!”
Here are some tips:
- Share your story in just five sentences. It helps keep things clear and straightforward.
- Use short and easy sentences, like chatting with a buddy.
- When unsure, choose simplicity. It’s a winner!
3. Hook Your Viewer to Your Story
Suppose your product helps people have faster Internet, and that’s awesome! When talking about it, focus on what matters to them—speedy Internet. Speak to them like a friend, using words that make sense. Avoid fancy words that might puzzle them. Make them feel like they’re in charge. Keep it simple and relatable!
4. Add Emotions
You can make your viewers laugh or touch their hearts to keep them interested. Start with something exciting to catch their attention. You don’t need a super legendary story, just a good, engaging tale. Use your way of speaking, stories, facts, or anything that helps convey a feeling. Just be sure it’s relevant to the subject.
Show your brand’s personality in how you talk. People like connecting with real, friendly humans. So, let your warm and friendly side shine, even if you’re talking about serious or technical stuff. Let them see the approachable friend in you!
5. Check The Duration
Short and sweet is the way to go for explainer videos. They’re usually around 30 seconds to 3 minutes long—just enough to get your point across. However, currently, brands need 30-second explainer videos to quickly capture attention and convey their message. Keep an eye on your words. A good pace is about 130-150 words per minute. That’s like talking comfortably and not rushing. Try reading it out loud to get an idea of the timing, but remember, you’ll read faster since you know the script well. So, take that into account and ensure it’s a good fit for the video’s duration.
6. Adjust for Voice Overs
Writing for videos is a whole different ballgame compared to blogs or ebooks. It might seem easy, but it has its own rules, especially when voiceover is involved. One can create best videos with professional voice overs to make content even simpler and easier to understand.
Make your words easy to say:
i) Keep it simple; avoid complex words.
ii) Voiceover artists are great, but even they stumble on tricky words. Opt for shorter, smoother phrases.
Make it sound natural:
- Rewrite any awkward or unnatural sentences.
- Imagine speaking like you talk to a friend. Simplify complex sentences to make them flow smoothly in the script. Keep it smooth and effortless.
7. Show Instead of Just Saying
Here’s a golden rule for all types of writing, whether you’re just starting or a pro: Show more, tell less. Our brains process videos a whole lot quicker than text—about 60,000 times faster, says Psychology Today. So, make the most of it!
You’ve got awesome visual tools like animation, moving graphics, cool data displays, and lively text. Let these tools do the hard work. Showing information visually helps you save on words and explains things way better. Let your visuals shine and do the talking!
8. Test Your Script
To make sure your script connects with real folks, let real folks have a look. Test it out with some friends or colleagues – it doesn’t have to be a big deal. Their reactions will give you hints on what to tweak and make better.
At the very least, share the script with a colleague or friend. Hearing it read aloud can give more insights. Always good to have another pair of eyes and ears to ensure it’s just right. More opinions can often mean better results!
Extra Tips
i) Watch out for using a cartoon character as a narrator—it can feel a bit too much like a gimmick. People don’t need a character like “Sally” or “George” to guide them through your explainer. Including human characters is fine, just don’t overdo it.
ii) Edit your script thoroughly. It’s rare to get it perfect on the first try. Short sentences work best. Make sure the tone matches your message. Tell a clear and engaging story, removing anything that seems out of place.
iii) Show off what you know. People click on your explainer because they want to learn something. Share your expertise throughout the video to establish your brand as a trustworthy source. Providing this value will make your viewers happy.
Crafting a script for your video is a bit challenging. You want a script that’s special and helps your explainer video work well. To help you decide between a product video and an explainer video, check out our blog on how to decide which video is right for your product.
Every company has its own group of people they’re trying to reach, and these folks have their own tastes. So, the words you use, how you say things, and what you talk about in your script need to match your business. These details are super important for making a top-notch explainer video.
If you need help with creating a great video, consider hiring a video production company like ours. Every step of the way, we’re here to help you!
