A good explainer video requires a strong script, but writing one is more complex than you might think! It takes a lot of planning and strategizing to develop a succinct script that captures the very essence of your business in a 60 – 90 second video. Scripts for explainer videos require detailed descriptions of your desired animations in addition to the voice-over script. However, with a bit of help, you can write your very own script with these five easy steps.
Understand The Goal of the Video
Not every business is the same, nor is every explainer video. Knowing how this explainer video fits into your marketing mix is crucial. We often ask our potential clients important questions such as; Who is the audience? What part of the sales funnel is your audience in? Where will the video live?
There could be multiple reasons for wanting an Explainer video, so meeting internally to discuss the ultimate goals for your video is beneficial for writing a solid script.
Find the Story
Once you understand the goals for the video, it’s time to hone in on the story you want to tell. The core of any good story is finding an emotional in-point. One of Explainly’s strategies for finding an emotional point in a company’s story is researching the audience’s most significant pain points. By tapping into the emotion felt by your audience, you can understand exactly what your audience is looking for in a product and then write a good hook to draw them in.
Writing the Script
Writing a good script for an explainer video is similar to writing good copy. Having an active voice and engaging the audience in your story is important. It’s helpful to lean on other copy your company has to inform the script, which will also help your explainer video stay on brand. Some of our clients have even just come to us with their CEO’s elevator pitch as the basis for an initial script.
Another important aspect of writing an explainer video script is keeping in mind the duration of your video. It is estimated that about 150 words equate to roughly 60 seconds of video. As with most copy, less is always better. Focus on the key points your audience needs to know and condense them into a script that explains the core concept behind your company.
Visual Descriptions
It’s one thing to write copy. It’s another thing to write a script for a voice-over artist. And it’s yet ANOTHER thing to write a script for an explainer video. In addition to the script, you have to write visual descriptions of what you’d like to see in your video. These descriptions will act as a precursor to your storyboard, so it’s important to write in a way that conveys what you want to see on screen.
It’s helpful to think of some of your favorite animated videos or reference other explainer videos you’ve seen. Take note of the movements, transitions, and characters, and incorporate those ideas into your visual descriptions alongside your script.
Refine and Revise
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and neither will your explainer video! Refining and revising your script is a paramount part of writing a script. Keep in mind that a voice actor will read your script, so it’s a good idea to read it out loud to get an idea of what you want the cadence of the script to be.
It’s okay to take a couple of rounds of revisions to perfect your script. Explainly often takes at least 2 rounds of revisions before locking our scripts. Your script will act as a blueprint for your video, so getting it correct from the start will be extremely beneficial to make sure your video has a solid foundation.
An explainer video script should be short, simple, and straight to the point. It’s also helpful to have an outside perspective to look at your script. An outside perspective is truly the ultimate quality assurance because if someone from outside your organization can’t easily understand your script, how can you expect your audience to understand?
An explainer video is an excellent asset to any company’s marketing mix! With these steps, you’ll be one step closer to making a stellar explainer video for your company. Want to learn more? Book a video consultation with one of our team members today!
