In 2018, I wanted to create an exhilarating video trailer for my first book, The South African: True Colours. Even though I had this amazing idea in my head and a very small budget amidst laws that I had no clue of, I still went ahead. Interestingly, I received so much support in likes, views, and comments on the trailer, posts and articles.
Two years later, I took all the knowledge, comments, and experience after working with creatives on building designs, and just like any artist, the work of art was never perfect. I realised the covers and trailer needed reworking.
The countries where I ran my campaigns since 2018 were India, South Africa, the United States of America, Ireland, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, Spain, Canada and sometimes Pakistan, if my budget permitted. Sometimes reach would expand to other countries such as the United Arab Emirates too, it just depended on the interest and my target audience.
All that being said…, here’s what to bear in mind when making a video and writing a video script.
Introduction
Capture your audience with a hook. Usually, insights from company data and the main issues the market faces will give you a clue to what the hook should be. The keywords section below can be of help.
Try to break down complex information so that it flows better. It also helps search engines understand the content.
- Use the correct social media friendly formats
When strategising your video deployment, it’s crucial to contemplate its intended platforms, such as YouTube and various social media channels. Take into account aspect ratios suitable for each platform and pinpoint specific segments you may wish to excerpt for enhanced promotion or engagement.
- Research your words
Video has an unparalleled ability to convey emotions and establish connections, making it a potent tool for persuasion and engagement. Not only that, video is easy to digest.
When planning your video, delve into thorough research within your niche. Identify the prevailing themes, discussions, and keywords that resonate with your target audience. By integrating these insights into your content, you can ensure that your message aligns closely with the interests and preferences of your viewers.
For instance, if you’re creating a business video that aims to articulate your company’s mission and the transformative power of its products, it’s essential to showcase real-life examples of impact. Highlight how your products have positively influenced customers’ lives and contributed to their success stories.
The best thing to do is take the most prevalent responses that come through from clients and start there. The responses show how clients’ lives have been impacted and transformed.
Keep referring to the most common words that customers are using.
- Use storytelling
Harness the power of storytelling, forging a profound connection with your audience, leaving an indelible mark that ensures your content resonates long after…
- Keep it simple
Use simple words, often these are the same words customers use. This expands from frustration of the problem to hope from the several sorts of solutions they thought would work, arriving to satisfaction of succeeding with the product or company.
Often the same words seem to repeat, and usually, they are keywords that will hit home to the target audience looking for a solution to their problem.
- SEO optimisation
Identify which words are searched online the most by customers so that the video can reach those looking for a solution, however, do not stuff too many of those keywords.
Optimise your descriptions, captions, headings and subheadings.
By far I’ll add the most important point of all:
- Purpose
What is the main purpose of the video, and ultimately who’s it going to benefit? This is the audience the video script is ultimately for.
When content provides value, it’s likely going to be shared.
- The length of the video script
Normally, a 2-minute video is roughly 320 to 360 words and a 3-minute video between 480-540 words.
- Practising the script
Aim for 120 words. If you’re stumbling on words, then try to simplify the script by incorporating words that sound more like the way you’d speak. Perhaps sentences are long. Try shortening them, making them effective, to get the point across. Take pauses, read slow, and breathe, this will help you time yourself.
You can also have a look at Video Creation: Learnings from Campaigns Across 12 Countries video.
There are many elements to consider when making a video and writing a video script.
In terms of the video itself, these are common questions to ask:
- Who will be the protagonist in the video?
- Would it be delivered through a mixture of clips, images, or using animation, or other options?
- Where are the areas where you’ll be using music, live recording, and other clips?
In case I have missed anything, below are some links that can help you even more.
https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/how-to-write-a-video-script-ht
https://www.techsmith.com/blog/how-to-write-script-for-video/
https://www.synthesia.io/post/how-to-write-a-video-script
Drop us a comment below and follow us or share this article on Instagram, Tiktok, and Facebook.
Yours sincerely,
T. Dench Patel
