We have no shortage of reports and metrics to show that video content is dominant in terms of attractiveness. It should come as no surprise, then, that so many brands continue to use explanatory videos as an important part of their strategies.

But as versatile and effective as the explanatory formula can Sometimes it’s easy to forget that this is only the case if your video comes from a flawless script!

So in this article, we’re going to draw on the collective knowledge and experience of some of the most experienced animation video producers to break down how to write the perfect explanatory video script.

That way, you can be sure that the next explainer your company is working on will meet your expectations and more!

Identify your story type

Storytelling is an essential part of the explanatory formula. So if you want to get your message across effectively, you need to first find out what type of story it is and then choose the narrative elements that go with it.

In most cases, the story of your explainer video falls into one of the following two categories: Troubleshooting or Process passage.

Troubleshooting

The problem-solving storyline enables you to present your product or service as the savior of your customers. You start with presenting the problem your audience shares within the first few seconds of the video. Then the story arc will make a natural transition to the solution you suggested.

Since the focus of the story should always be on the solution, not the problem, you should spend more time on it. Your goal is to make your viewers interested in your product or service and not worry or frustrated about the problem they already have.

Process guidance

The process walkthrough type of story explains the ‘how one‘of a product or gives an overview of your service.

In contrast to the problem-solving structure, the process inspection is not a problem, but follows a linear journey that focuses exclusively on the solution and its application. In this self-contained story, your character uses your product or service to successfully complete a task.

Choose the right type of explainer for your story

Now that you know what type of story you want to tell, it is time to choose the explainer video that goes best with it.

Some of the most popular options for presenting your story are animated, Whiteboard, Live action, and Screencast Explanatory videos.

Animated explanatory video

Animated explanatory videos are probably the most widely used type of explanatory videos as they are the best option for explaining services or intangible products that do not have physical features, such as: B. a software.

These videos allow more creativity and flexibility thanks to the appealing graphics and attractive graphics.

Whiteboard explanatory video

Whiteboard explainers use a certain – and very distinctive – Animation style that, as the name suggests, shows a story and its characters as if drawn by hand on a whiteboard. These elements are animated and play out from each other to create a sense of fluidity that will continue the story smoothly through to the end and make it fun to watch.

Live action explanatory video

Live-action explanatory videos are a great alternative if you feel like your story can benefit from that extra human touch, by showing real people performing a task or explaining a process. These videos can also have some animation and moving graphics in them to keep things visually interesting.

These type of explanators are good choices for people-centric products and services, such as the healthcare industry.

Screencast explanatory video

Screencast explainers are usually preferred by software companies because they can show their users how they are using their product.

These videos contain images of a screen showing a website, software, or application being used to demonstrate its key features. Essentially, screencast explanatory videos are trying to show how your product works and how you can interact with it.

Follow the three-act story structure

The three-act structure template works very well not only for narrative fiction and movies, but also for two-minute explanatory video scripts!

By building your story around this structure, you can break your video down into smaller, easily recognizable sections that make writing the script a smoother experience. Additionally, a structured story can help the viewer follow your story from build to finish, understand it, and clearly remember it long after watching your video.

Every story clearly has to have a beginning, a middle and an end. Well, the structure of the story in three acts follows the same principle:

• Act 1 (What?): In the first act, you need to make it clear to your viewers what the problem is. Here you take one of your weak points and present it in a way that makes it relatable.
• Act 2 (As?): In the middle of your script, you need to introduce yourself and demonstrate how your product or service can solve the problem presented in the first act.
• Act 3 (Why?): After all, you sell yourself. Explain why the audience should choose your product or service over other options in the market and what makes your solution unique.

Trust me, if you break your story down into these three sections, planning your script will be a lot easier!

Bring emotion into your story

The best stories are the ones that evoke an emotional response in the audience, and that is what your explanatory video’s script should be aimed at. Building a connection with your audience through emotions is the best way to ensure that you are remembered. So try to pull their hearts out if you can.

Mind you; You don’t necessarily have to make her cry. You can also create emotion by showing empathy in your storytelling and showing that you understand your audience and the pain points or hardships they may be experiencing.

Some good ways to do this can be by referring to any thoughts and feelings you may have as you ponder your problem and eventually come up with the solution, or go into detail about the impact the problem has on your life.

Show your sense of humor

Adding a touch of humor to your script is another useful way to make your content memorable and get your viewers’ attention early on. People are usually bombarded with overt promotional video content, so humor can help them feel more comfortable and overcome this stigma.

Your audience will be more receptive to your offering if your script has a fun start, but it can be difficult to decide when and how much it takes. In fact, wrong humor is so easily noticeable that it can even make your video look bad in the eyes of your prospects.

Learn from experienced agencies and try to show your sense of humor through the animations in your video rather than placing everything in your script to keep your message clear.

Keep an eye on the tempo and length of your script

Two of the most appealing aspects of explainer videos are that they are short and easy to digest. So how long (or short!) Should your video be? The answer to that depends entirely on the topic and content you are covering.

Most explanatory scripts are 1 to 3 minutes long; more than that is inadvisable because people are starting to lose interest. If you cannot adequately explain your product or service within that time frame, you should probably reconsider your script.

Sometimes the solution can be so simple that it is simpler and simplifies wording and arrangement.

As for the pace of your scripts, the voice-over should be around 125 and 150 words per minute to get your message across effectively. We don’t recommend filling more than 160 words per minute as you can easily overwhelm your viewers, which ultimately leads to them dropping your video.

Write a draft of your script and record yourself reading it aloud. Listen to anything that sounds difficult to understand, such as sentences that are too long.

Include CTA at the end of your script

When a prospect watched your video through to the end, all of the hard work you put into your script has paid off! Fountain, nearly. They are most likely already interested in your offer, but you need to give them the last nudge.

You can (and should) tell them what to do next by adding a succinct call-to-action (CTA) at the end of the piece. These elements can affect or disrupt the sale or conversion that you are seeking. So make sure you have at least one CTA and it’s short and straightforward.

About ten seconds should be enough if you have clear and specific instructions on what your viewers should do after they watch. It might not sound like a lot, but you can easily use the last few seconds to display a short text like “Click the button to get a free demo” along with a working button that directs the user to the page where they can access the demo.

Conclusion

Spotting a good script can be difficult, but catching a bad one is incredibly easy. For an explanatory video to have a positive impact on your business, it needs to have a well-thought-out script.

It is not an easy task and it certainly cannot be done overnight. However, we have listed some of the most important elements to consider when planning your explainer in order to set it up for success.

Hopefully you’ve inspired our tips and suggestions so you can start creating great explainer videos right away!

Bio Victor Blasco:

Victor Blasco is an audiovisual designer, video marketing expert and founder / CEO of the explanatory video production company Yum Yum videos. In addition to running the company, he is a lifelong student of Chinese philosophy and a passionate geek of anything science fiction related.