A guide on how to create an engaging short video script.

Many people often skip the scripting step for their videos, instead filming spontaneously, resulting in rambling videos that lack a clear message and fail to achieve the desired effect. This article will provide a detailed guide, showing you how to create a short video script in a systematic, professional, and creative way, even if you are a beginner.

Why write a script for a short video? 

You might think, "Why would I need a script for a 15-60 second video?" This is a common mistake many video creators make. Investing time in a script offers unexpected benefits, yet it's often overlooked. This leads to many negative consequences for marketing and brand promotion, especially for businesses. Let's look at the reasons why you should create a script before shooting a video:

• Define your message clearly: A script helps you precisely define the content you want to convey, avoiding situations where the beginning is strong but the ending is weak, or the video is rambling and lacks focus. Many cases of impromptu video production in the hope of high views end in embarrassing results, because viewers don't understand the message the video is trying to convey, or the video is long and crammed with vague issues, etc.
• Optimize your time and effort: Having a script in hand lets you know exactly what scenes to film, what camera angles to use, and what lines to say. This makes the filming and editing process much faster and smoother. Conversely, without a script, improvising will result in a video lacking structure, easily becoming rambling and unfocused, causing discomfort for the viewer.
• Increase the chances of it going "viral": A well-structured script with a compelling hook at the beginning, valuable content, and a strong call to action (CTA) at the end will maximize viewer engagement and sharing. Many people think that simply having a beautiful video and a good voice will make it go viral, but this isn't entirely true. A video with a clear script and an engaging opening few seconds will lead viewers to enjoy the video until the very end.
• Demonstrate professionalism: A well-scripted video always gives a polished, professional feel, helping to build credibility and trust with the audience. A video without a clear script will bore viewers, fail to engage them, and create a sense of unprofessionalism, leading to a lack of trust in the products or services you're promoting.
• Easily reusable and expandable: From an original script, you can easily adapt it into many different versions, or develop it into a long-running video series. This is one of the strategies many brands are implementing. Short, engaging videos, broken down into series, make it easy for viewers to grasp the information and follow each episode in a captivating way.

5 Steps to Creating a Short Video Script for Beginners

To create a complete script, follow these five simple yet highly effective steps.

Step 1: Define your Goals – Target Audience – Publication Channels

This is a fundamental step that determines the success of the 50% video. Before brainstorming and writing the script, clearly answer these three questions:

• Target: What is the purpose of making this video? To increase brand awareness, sell products, share knowledge, build a community, or simply for entertainment? Clear objectives will guide all content.
• Object: Who are you talking to? Who are they, how old are they, what are their interests, and what problems are they facing? Understanding your audience helps you use language, visuals, and music that resonate with them.
• Upload channel: Will you post your videos to TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts? Each platform has its own algorithm, format, and user culture. For example, TikTok videos are often fast-paced and use trending music, while YouTube Shorts can be a bit more educational.

Step 2: Search for and select ideas

Good ideas can help videos go viral. However, not everyone knows how to find and choose ideas that suit their video goals. To help you create an engaging short video script, here are some elements to help you easily brainstorm ideas for your video:

• Competitor research: Observe what other channels on the same topic are doing and which of their videos have the most views. Analyze why it's successful and learn from it (but don't copy). From the ideas you gain from their videos, you need to be creative to turn those ideas into your own product; absolutely do not copy the original exactly. Current video platforms are very strict about copying ideas from others; content creators must generate their own original ideas.
• Listen to your audience: Read audience comments and messages to see what issues they're interested in and if they have any questions you need answered. Based on these comments, you can also create content that suits your audience.
• Catching the trend: Leverage trending music, memes, and challenges on the platform. This is the fastest way to get your video prioritized for distribution by the algorithm.
• Keyword research tools: Use tools like Google Trends, Ahrefs, or the search bar of the platform itself (TikTok, YouTube) to see what people are searching for related to your field. Thanks to these tools, creating videos is now much simpler and easier. However, you must know how to utilize them effectively and not rely entirely on them, as this can make your videos look mechanical, formulaic, and lacking in uniqueness.
• The "Problem Solving" Formula: List the problems and pain points your target audience is facing and create a video offering solutions. This is one of the secrets to making your videos more engaging.

Step 3: Choose a suitable script structure.

A clear structure will help guide the viewer's emotions and keep them engaged until the very end. Here are three classic and most effective structures for short videos:

HBC formula (Hook – Body – CTA)

• Hook (Bait – first 3 seconds): Shocking, intriguing questions, a bold statement, or a striking image are all ways to capture the viewer's attention from the very first seconds. For example: "Don't buy an iPhone 17 if you don't know these 3 things!"
• Body (Main content – 10 to 45 seconds): Present the core content concisely and succinctly. This is the part that solves the problem and provides value to the reader.
• CTA (Call to Action – Last 3 seconds): Instruct the viewer on what to do next. Examples: "Follow me for more helpful tips!", "Comment the product you want me to review next!", "Product link in bio!".

The PSS formula (Problem – Solution – Success)

• Problem: Highlight a problem, a pain point that the audience is experiencing. For example: "Are you still not pronouncing English correctly?"
• Solution: Offer your solution, product, or tip to solve that problem. Example: "Try this XYZ pronunciation practice app now."
• Success: The solution showed positive results after implementation. For example: "After one month, my pronunciation is as good as a native speaker."

Storytelling Formula

• Tell a short story with a beginning, middle, and end. The story could be about a personal experience, a successful case study, or an inspirational tale. People are always drawn to stories.

Step 4: Write the script in detail using two columns.

This is the time to turn ideas and structure into a complete script. A professional and easy-to-implement method is to divide the script into two columns: IMAGE (Visual) and AUDIOHere's an example of a short video script about a laundry detergent product:

Don't rush to start filming; take your time to read the script aloud several times to answer the questions.

• Do the dialogues sound natural? Cut out the complicated, clichéd words. Write as you would in everyday conversation.
• Is the pace too fast or too slow? Make sure that the length of each scene is appropriate to convey the message.
• Is that appealing enough? Ask yourself: “If I were the viewer, would I want to watch this entire video?” If the answer is no, go back and make the “hook” stronger.
• Check for spelling errors: Even a small mistake can make you look unprofessional.

Once your short video script addresses the questions above, you can begin filming. Depending on the project, the video will be filmed and broadcast on suitable platforms. You can refer to major channels to learn from them and develop your own ideas.

Tips for creating compelling short video scripts

As we've shown above, you can define goals and brainstorm ideas for short videos. However, to make your videos more engaging, don't forget the following tips:

• The 3-second rule: If you don't capture your viewers' attention in the first 3 seconds, you'll lose them forever. Invest your most in the "Hook" section.
• Create curiosity: Don't reveal everything at once; use questions and ambiguous statements to pique the viewer's curiosity.
• Leverage the power of text on screen: Many people watch videos in silent mode. Adding titles, subtitles, and keywords to the screen helps them still understand the content.
• Emotions are key: A successful video is one that touches the viewer's emotions (joy, sadness, surprise, empathy, etc.). Incorporate emotional elements into your story.
• In short, it's power: Cut out all the unnecessary details. Every second in a short video is precious. Get straight to the point.

Hopefully, this article has provided you with the necessary information about creating engaging short video scripts. Developing a script before filming will save you time, effort, and money. You can refer to large channels with similar themes for ideas to develop your own channel. Remember to be creative and build upon existing ideas; avoid copying them verbatim to prevent your videos from violating platform policies.