Growth Strategies

6 Ways to Write a Script for a YouTube

6 Ways to Write a Script for a YouTube

My basement had a green screen. I remember being a little girl with pigtails and dreaming of becoming a movie star. A tripod, an old camcorder, and a bunch of props, including the largest pair of sunglasses in the world, set me on my way to creating video magic. There was no YouTube video script, no brainstorming, just the idea that came to me when I looked at the camera.

This became my favorite form of entertainment and a nuisance to everyone else.

Now, looking back, I can see one thing that would have made a big difference. Or at least allowed our long-suffering family to take a break from their spur-of-the-moment rambling. All it takes is to write a  YouTube video script.

Ok, so maybe I wasn’t the next George Lucas. A video script can be the best way for your content to go from “rambling children” to “top-notch marketing”, especially if your YouTube video is to become viral.

Why create a YouTube video?

You don’t want to share my childhood dreams of one day walking down the red carpet. You don’t have to spend time writing a video script and editing it, then posting it on YouTube and encouraging your target audience to view it. What are the benefits?

YouTube is big. According to Backlinko, more than 2 billion users are large. This means that your content can reach a large global audience without you even having to work a sweat.

Even better, many of these users can access YouTube via social media. This content-sharing website is accessible via platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. This is good news for your video marketing strategy and overall marketing strategy, as it means that this platform is well-suited for an omnichannel approach.

Even if your video content doesn’t go viral on social media or make it big, the truth of the matter is that video content can help your brand message to the next level. Videos can be made and promoted depending on how they are created.

  • Simplify complex topics.
  • Engage viewers using both visual and audio content.
  • Support a brand personality by creating or supporting it.
  • Direct traffic to your site.
  • Describe a complex process or product quickly (often called an explanation video).

YouTube video marketing can be a fun and fresh way to reach your audience. You only need a good idea and a script.

Also read: 15 Essential Steps To Grow Your YouTube Channel

YouTube Video Scriptwriting: 6 Easy Steps

Here’s the thing about YouTube: There are no rules.

There are few guidelines, like the Community Guidelines or Policies. If you want your content and social media platforms to be successful, you will need to understand the “culture” of each platform.

Perhaps it is better to say YouTube has rules. However, these rules are more flexible and less restrictive than the Snapchat videos that have a 6-second limit.

It’s more important to write a YouTube video script aligned with your overall goal. This keeps you from going off-topic and encourages audience participation. All this without going into territory that might be better received on another platform. How do you achieve this?

1. Select your focus

First, decide what type of video you want. Do you want to create a product demonstration? An explainer video? An announcement about your latest service?

No matter what idea you choose, remember that your video’s focus will dictate the expectations of your audience. This, in turn, will affect how you write your YouTube script.

Let’s say, for example, that you own a beautiful bed and breakfast and want to use hotel marketing to advertise your newly renovated rooms. You won’t be able to stand in the lobby and just talk about the changes. They’ll want to tour the rooms. Your YouTube script can be written as a voiceover to emphasize certain visuals and not distract your viewers. This type of video also tends to be short, like a “teaser trailer”, so your writing needs to be focused and concise.

2.  Outline your script

Once you have decided on the direction of your video, it is time to outline the script. Here you will outline the structure, taking note of the most important points and sketching your intro and end. A few notes might be added to help you remember which details you want to be covered in each section.

3. Write down any specifics

Here is where the fun begins.

A script doesn’t have to be able to spell every word you intend to say. If you feel more at ease (and more natural), When you are making up things on the fly, a too specific script can make your video look stilted. It’s best to only include the details that are most important.

A more detailed script may be better for you if you are prone to rambling or don’t excel at improv. This is what you sound like? Don’t worry, you can still create a script that feels natural. To ensure that your flow is perfect, you’ll need to put in more effort during the writing phase.

You should not stream live unless you have a camera. You’ll be able to edit your video before it goes live on your YouTube channel. You can be a bit crazy with your scripting. After you have seen the entire video, you will get a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t.

4. Practice practice and practice

You will need to practice your YouTube video scripts a few times before you go on set. Although it may sound like a rehearsal, this is part of the writing process. This is where you ensure that your content sounds good when spoken aloud. You can make any necessary edits if you spot awkward phrases or points.

5.  Kill your darlings

After you have finished filming your video, it is time to apply the oldest and most hated piece of writing advice: Kill your darlings. Although a “darling” may be a well-written line or an entire video section, it should not be used if it isn’t contributing to your overall goal. Your YouTube content will be stronger and more valuable to your viewers if you remove these sections. Remember to bring tissues, as killing your beloveds is a sad affair.

6. Save your work

After your video has been edited and polished, uploaded on YouTube, and is wildly popular among your audience, then you can move on to the next project.

Don’t.

You should not save copies of the original and edited video scripts. These are important documents that you will need in the future, especially if you plan to make a follow-up video. It is also easier to find details in a written script rather than having to go through a complete video to recall what you said. You put a lot into your YouTube script. Don’t throw it away!

Also read: 6 Reasons Why Video Content Marketing is Essential

Maximizing Audience Engagement with Share-Worthy content

You want your viewers to love your video content. Share it, save it, and quote it to friends. There are some best practices that will help you get there.

Make sure to test your equipment

You won’t have access to a professional studio if you don’t already own it. This means that you will likely be using common equipment and locations for your video shoots. This can lead to disaster if you don’t take precautions. There’s nothing more distracting that a microphone picking up background noise or a camera that doesn’t focus on you.

It is important to test your equipment before you start filming YouTube videos. This will help you present your content in its best light and allow you to get the most from the video script you have written.

Consider Audience Actions

Ask yourself what your audience wants to do when you create your YouTube video script or promotional material. Do they have to share the video via social media? Do you hope they’ll contact your sales team or book a product demonstration? Whatever your goal, ensure that you incorporate it into your video planning process. This will ensure that your content always aims at a single goal, which will lead to increased audience engagement.

Include title cards

Title cards are the video equivalent of H2 or H3 headings. These cards help you keep your video content organized, and make it easy to navigate. This is especially important for scripts that are longer than 30 seconds.

You can also use your description section to link to these title cards in order to direct viewers to the most relevant content. This can be done by right-clicking on your video and clicking “Copy video URL currently time” and then copying these URLs into the description.

Written by
Aiden Nathan

Aiden Nathan is vice growth manager of The Tech Trend. He is passionate about the applying cutting edge technology to operate the built environment more sustainably.

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