video script

Here’s a crazy statistic about the state of video: More video content is uploaded in 30 days than the major U.S. television networks have created in 30 years. (Insivia) And: 147 million Americans watch video on the internet, according to Nielsen. Well, you might ask… But does this mean video content is being consumed by our audience? Glad you asked. Yes, yes it does. 46% of users take some sort of action after viewing a video ad (Online Publishers Association) After watching a video, 64% of users are more likely to buy a product online (ComScore). 96% of B2B organizations use video in their marketing campaigns, and 73% of those organizations report positive results to their ROI (ReelSEO). Real estate listings that include a video receive 403% more inquiries than those without. 1/3 of all online activity is spent watching video. 59% of executives would rather watch video than read text (Forbes). Let’s be honest –  if you’re ignoring video, you’re missing out. Words are great and all, but in written form they can be a little overwhelming at times. Even if text is broken up by spaces and cool pictures, our consumers want a different way to digest information. Source: BestAnimations This is not (at all) to say written content is falling out of favor. In fact, written content is needed more than ever, with 85% of Facebook videos watched on mute and the captions read. Don’t forget that 47% of buyers read 3-5 blogs before interacting with a sales rep. So when it comes to the inbound marketing process, the written word is #1. [bctt tweet=”Did you know… 1/3 of all online activity is spent watching video. And 59% of executives would rather watch video than read text. Learn how to plan and script your best video via @JuliaEMcCoy” username=”ExpWriters”] For us, that primary format will never change (you’re reading a blog right now!). 99% of our customers come through our inbound content, and have for eight years now, so we know that it works. Videos are a trending content type because of a fundamentally human element that makes them much more relatable. Plus, it’s easy to consume them. Click play, sit back, enjoy. It’s as easy as that – no wonder people enjoy video content. It’s why people flock to sites like YouTube, whether they want to be entertained, informed, or both. About 1.9 billion logged-in users visit YouTube each month. Last September, I started focusing on growing my YouTube channel, and have remained committed to a minimum of publishing two new videos/monthly. (We publish 1-2 blogs per week, so those continue to take precedence.) I’ve seen incredibly great organic reach from it, solid traffic and even leads come our way – and even better returns after getting more strategic with my script and strategy. I’ll cover some of the strategies I use on a regular basis in today’s guide. If you’re a writer, you’ve probably looked to master most of the popular content types out there. Blogs, news articles, and web pages are all important. However, knowing how to write a great video script is also valuable. Think of it this way – a video isn’t an alternative to a written content piece. Instead, it’s a creation based off a well-written video script. Today we’ll go over how to write a great video script. Planning, creation, promotion – we’ll cover everything from beginning to end. [bctt tweet=”Learn how to write a great video script for better marketing videos, from planning to creation and promotion, in @JuliaEMcCoy’s new guide. ” username=”ExpWriters”] Creating a Great Video Script: The Complete Guide 1.    Defining Marketing Explainer Videos (and Their Benefits) 2.    How to Ideate Your Video – Matching Ideas to Goals 3.    How to Create Your Script – Drafting an Outline and Beyond 4.    Producing and Publishing Your Video 5.    Final Thoughts to Make Your Video a Success What is a Marketing Explainer Video? Why Should You Make One? “You want me to buy this? Well, why should I?” “Uh, well, let me explain that…” We’ve all been on one side of this dialogue at some point – maybe both. If you’re the person who is trying to explain how your good or service could benefit a potential buyer, hopefully your explanation is organized well enough so you don’t start the answer with “uh.” Sometimes we’re told the answer to this question should be organic – and in a way, that’s right. Yet, when we’re making a video, we want to sound like we’re reading from a script. The script is the key to a good video, especially one detailing a product or service. Image from IdeaRocket A good explainer video uses time efficiently – saying exactly what the listener is looking to hear by tackling the important points in direct succession. Consider these tips when you want to make an explainer video: Be Concise: You can be descriptive, but try to start with a simple 1-2 sentence pitch that summarizes your product and what it does. Know Your Audience: Focus on who you are writing to – but more importantly, focus on what problem you can solve. People watch explainer videos to find out how you can help them. Be specific, and cut to the chase quick. Consider Consulting Outsiders: Sometimes it helps to have a fresh perspective when writing your script. When in doubt, ask previous customers for feedback. When you’re looking to create a great script, you have a few options. You can look for a sample video script to fill in, or use it as inspiration for your own template. But, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Before we start writing the script, let’s talk about the research portion. Step One: Ideate Your Video – Matching Ideas to Goals The great thing about writing a video script is that you start the same way you would if you were writing a blog, product description, social media post, or any other type of copy. [bctt tweet=”Strategy should precede a … Read more