With video content getting all of the play in our feeds, it’s no surprise that 94% of marketers say videos have increased user understanding of their product or service. All great video campaigns start with good writing, so think of your script and copy as the blueprint to the overarching goal of your marketing video’s story. If you need a little help honing your video writing skills, don’t fret! We break the process down into four easy steps.
What Makes Good Writing For Video—Four Simple Steps
Know Your Audience
The first step to writing a stellar script is identifying your target viewer. When you define your audience clearly, you can speak to them directly and effectively. Think of it as having a conversation with someone you know!
To get started, ask yourself questions like:
- Where does your target audience fall?
- Are they primarily men or women, or a mix of both?
- Where do they live?
- What do they do for work?
- What are their passions?
- Who or what do they love?
These questions provide a framework for marketers that dictate every aspect of a campaign. Consider an advertisement targeting Gen Z viewers versus an advertisement for Baby Boomers—these videos would look shockingly different. Your ability to target the right audience through theme, visuals, and messaging is the key element to your video’s success.
Simplify, Simplify
Now that you know who your marketing video is geared towards, it’s time to deliver your message! Simplifying your message is crucial to its delivery. Be careful not to dilute your message with too much detail. Consider the average attention span of your audience (roughly 8 seconds) and deliver your marketing message early by crafting a compelling hook.
Along with hooking your viewer at the beginning of your script, it is important to remember this: every line matters. You have a finite amount of lines allocated to a script, especially when writing one for shorter videos. So, make sure that every line is driving your video’s goal forward!
Set up the Structure
Let’s get down to business! There are typically two parts to writing for your marketing video—the script and the copy. The script is the foundational run-down for your video, while copywriting is the written part of the video that appears on-screen.
When you start writing a script and copy for your marketing video, keep these things in mind:
- Write for the Ear – Use simple language by focusing on short words and short sentences. Be sure to avoid any jargon or tongue twisters! Reading your copy aloud is also a good practice.
- Write for the Eye – Think about what people will see on the screen when the words are being spoken. Your scripted words need to match your scripted visuals in an illustrative way.
- Write to Engage – Use your wit! People will click away from a dull video in less than a second, so be creative and quotable in your writing.
- Focus on One Idea Per Video – If you are trying to convey too many concepts to your audience, they will quickly lose interest. If you have three ideas, don’t make one long video! Make three focused and compelling videos.
Before you put your script down and call it final, make sure that your writing has:
- A CTA: Call-to-actions are an absolute must, as they are in charge of telling your audience what to do next. Do you want them to sign up for a newsletter? Enroll in a free trial of your product? Whatever it may be, make it clear.
- A Place In The Sales Funnel: An understanding of where your video lies in the sales funnel will inform the language of your copy. A video positioned in front of audiences who are just getting to know your brand will sound different than ones for consumers who are about to put in their card information on your e-commerce site.
Tell Your Story
With only 37% of viewers watching until the end of a marketing video, good writing is the impact you need to grab viewers attention and leave them inspired for more. If you need help writing a marketing video that helps you reach your goals, give us a call today to get started!
