We’ve all seen our fair share of cringey video advertisements.

Whether it be a cheesy late-night infomercial, a boring company training video, or an annoying ad before your YouTube video, a poorly written script kills any chance of hooking the interest of the person on the other side of the screen. ☠️

If you want to write an effective video script for your business without prior experience, use our proven video scripting template. We’ll share the free template + five top tips for writing a marketing video script.

The A.A.A.A Formula: A Foolproof Video Scripting Template

There are dozens of video script templates out there. And there is, of course, more than one way to write a successful video marketing script. But when you’re just starting out, it’s wise to streamline your efforts and keep it simple.

We like the A.A.A.A formula for many types of marketing videos or advertisements. The components of the A.A.A.A formula are:

Attention: Grab the viewer’s attention in the first line
Agitation: Agitate a pain point that you will help them solve
Activity: Show them how to solve the problem
Action: Call them to action to get the solution

Download the free PDF version of this template here.

5 Top Tips for an Effective Script

Even though we’ve offered an example video script, you may want yours to look completely different. You can get creative with your script, and if you follow these top tips, you’ll be set up for success.

1) Start With a Brief to Cover Goals, Key Takeaways, Etc.

Before you start writing a video script, you should begin with a detailed brief. Script briefs help you avoid that frustrating situation where you’re almost ready to launch your campaign only to have a colleague ask to completely redo the entire thing.

A written brief allows everyone to be on the same page and know exactly what was (and wasn’t) agreed to. In your brief, get clear about these details:

What is the goal of the video?
Who is the ideal audience?
What is the specific topic?
What are the key takeaways viewers should learn?
What call to action do we want viewers to take after they’ve watched the video?

Try creating your brief in a collaborative document like Google docs. This allows everyone on your team to contribute and easily add or remove ideas.

2) Follow These Writing Best Practices

You don’t need to be a Pulitzer prize-winning author to write an effective video script, but you should have some understanding of what sets good writing apart from bad writing.

Write Conversationally

Gone are the days of over-the-top radio announcer advertisements. (Unless you’re doing it intentionally as a spoof.) Today, conversational scripts are by far the most effective.

Be sure to write your script in a conversational tone. Try your best to avoid sounding like you’re writing a research paper. Feel free to use common slang to sound more natural, i.e., “I’m gonna” instead of “I am going to.”

Write for Your Audience

Use the appropriate tone, inflection, and humor for your ideal audience. If you’re trying to reach retirees and senior citizens, avoid modern internet lingo like “it’s giving,” “big yikes,” and especially “ok, boomer.”

And even if you’re trying to reach young people, don’t go overboard with slang in a way that makes them feel like a caricature. Simply ensure your tone is appropriate for the demographic you’re trying to reach.

Script Every Single Word

You should never expect anyone to improvise when shooting your marketing video. Whether you’re using your colleagues or professional actors, it’s unprofessional to leave details up in the air.

Avoid the temptation to just write down the main bullet points of the script. This approach will just lead to a long and frustrating day of filming.

Script every last word. Yes, every single one. This includes dialogue, stage actions, wardrobe changes, and visual and audio elements. Even though it will take a little bit more time upfront, it will save you a ton of time and vexation during the filming and editing process.

Make It Thorough, but Keep It Simple

Believe it or not, the average human attention span is roughly eight seconds in today’s world.

Yikes!

So, while you may find the subject matter of your product or service fascinating enough to listen to for five minutes, it’s highly unlikely that your audience will.

Be as detailed as possible in your script, but keep it concise. Short videos require short scripts. Aim for one page, but no more than two. Plus, focus your editing process on trimming down unnecessary information wherever possible.

3) Include Spicy Takes

Just think about how many advertisements you see and hear every day. Your audience has seen the same exorbitant amount. Be bold enough to include information that truly shocks your audience’s system. What are you willing to say that others are too afraid to mention?

4) Have a Beginning, Middle, and End

Storytelling sells. Be sure to have a beginning, middle, and end to your video content, just like a good book or movie, only much shorter. Almost everyone is familiar with the basic storytelling structure, so having a beginning, middle, and end will give your audience a familiar path to follow.

5) Read Your Script Out Loud Before Finalizing It

Finally, it may feel a little silly, but it’s incredibly valuable to read your script out loud before sending it to production. This will help ensure your script flows seamlessly, feels natural & conversational, and will resonate with your audience.

Words that look good on paper don’t always feel natural when said out loud. It’s much easier to make changes before filming rather than during.

Your Script Writing Partner

You may be staring blankly at this blog, thinking that you’re doomed to still create a boring video. And that’s okay! When you want to have the most successful marketing video possible, you want an experienced professional to take the reigns.

Thankfully, you have the team at Stringline Pictures at your disposal. Our skilled production team can handle everything in the pre-production, principal photography, and post-production processes of filming— including scriptwriting!

We specialize in brand videos, commercials, corporate training videos, and more. Reach out today to bring your vision to life.