How (not) to write a brand video script
You might think this is writer bias, but the scriptwriting stage of a video production is the best bit. It’s no wonder we see more and more of our clients doing it themselves. Even when your job as writer is done, seeing a crew bring it to life is an incredible feeling. But, if you’ve neglected key areas on your video script checklist, your crew (and your audience) might not feel the same way.
Here are the seven most common mistakes we see from brand video scripts – and how to avoid them.
Don’t angle for too big an audience
There aren’t many differences between summer blockbusters and brand videos. But audience size is one. While the former is made to appeal to as many people as possible, your script shouldn’t be. Choosing a really specific audience will help you stand out against more generic stuff. Talk to your audience by industry, job role or even name and they’ll be hooked.
Don’t ignore the customer journey
Customers and prospects are subconsciously always looking for the first reason to click away, so you need to guide them – whether they’re just browsing or ready to buy. It means you need content in every corner of the map. When it comes to writing your video, ask yourself what your audience may already know about you and what they might like to learn next.
‘Winning scripts’ gently urge viewers to the next step. They don’t march them to the finish line.
Don’t surf too many channels
What works on LinkedIn may sink on TikTok. So when you’re writing your script, consider the channel for your finished video – and what you’ll need to grab attention. If you already know your audience and where the video sits in the journey, this should be smooth sailing.
Don’t build up to the point
Once the fundamentals are set, you’d think the writer would be itching to get going. So, why do so many scripts start slowly? These writers think they need to build up to a big finale. Don’t make the same mistake – your audience might not stick around. Instead, start with a snappy statement, a big promise or, like we did for Microsoft, an answer to a question the audience doesn’t yet know. And keep building. You’ll find viewers can’t resist reaching the end.
Don’t try to say it all
We get it. Video scripts aren’t easy to write and video productions aren’t cheap. Surely it’d be better value to cover your whole value proposition. But for the same reason this blog post doesn’t get into what happens before and after scriptwriting, your video is better when it’s just saying one thing. One message is easier to remember than a handful. And, with 60 seconds or so, you’ve got plenty of chances to communicate it for maximum sticking power.
Don’t take too long
Save your four-hour epic for the festival circuit. A brand video script should be short. And while you might think that’d be easy when you’re working with a single message, it’s often harder than it seems. We recommend around 60 words of script per 30 seconds of video. That’s about the length of this paragraph. Make it count!
Don’t tune out tone of voice
Films have had sound for close to a century now. Yet many writers still overlook the effect it has on the finished video. And it all starts in the script, with your brand’s tone of voice. If you’re working with a voiceover artist, live actors or, as was the case for this Majestic Wine video, expert interviewees, they’ll be speaking for your brand. Even if you choose to use captions on-screen, your audience hears you through what they see in your video.
Don’t worry, you’ve already done something right
There are plenty of ways scriptwriting can go wrong. But, by reading this video script checklist, you’ve made the right first step. And there’s more advice where that came from. From scriptwriting to storyboarding, shooting to sharing, our team would love to put more of our experience to work for your brand video – check out the rest of the blog or, to talk about a specific project, get in touch.
