VIDEO SCRIPT WRITING SERVICE
Optimizing the tone, pace, and content of B2B video marketing messaging
The impact of video marketing
Video certainly packs a marketing punch. A well-produced video can a deliver a far more effective, convincing message in a much shorter time-frame than traditional marketing. The statistics back this up: according to Wyzowl's 2020 Video Marketing Statistics, 80% of video marketers say video has directly helped increase sales, and 95% of video marketers say video has helped increase user understanding of their product or service.
But video is just as important from an SEO-perspective. In fact, 87% of video marketers say video has increased traffic to their website. How come? Well, you can publish keyword-optimized content in a format that is immediate and eye-catching. It enables you to reach a whole new audience, and it encourages people to share your message. In short, video marketing can also help to create more impressions, click, shares and backlinks, and that boosts your search-engine rankings.
The versatility of B2B marketing videos
Video is such a versatile marketing tool. First, they are extremely accessible to anyone with internet access, both to watch and to produce. As the Digital Marketing Institute says, anyone can hop onto their laptop and create their own video in under an hour.
This means that video marketing is not restricted to the big brands; small local companies can participate too. Second, there are many ways you can incorporate video into your marketing strategy. Here are the main types of marketing video currently being used by businesses of all sizes:
Once you've made your video, you can publish it on a variety of platforms: your website, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Vimeo, and more. Which platforms you choose depends on your marketing message and the audience you're trying to reach.
“81% of video marketers say video has helped increase the average time their visitors spend on a page.”
Video Marketing Statistics 2020 by Wyzowl
The importance of script writing in video production
Video marketing is not only about images. It’s also about the spoken word. Adding a dialogue or narration allows you to inject emphasis and emotion that isn't possible with images alone. It reinforces your visuals and creates a connection with the viewer. And that is why you need a video script: a chronological list of scenes, action, and dialogue that appear in your video. Without a script, you’ll have trouble conveying effectively the tone, pace, and content of your marketing message.
Writing a script is a crucial part of video production. It helps you plan your message, create a coherent structure, and work out exactly what to say. It even helps you estimate the length of your video. But it's also your opportunity to make good use of keywords for search engine optimization purposes. This maximizes your return on investment. The more searchable you make your video on platforms like YouTube, the more successful it will be.
How does script writing differ from article writing?
Writing a script for a short video is very different to writing a blog post or an article. Think of it as writing a simple, engaging story that has a clear beginning, middle and end. You're writing primarily for the ear, not the eye, so script writing includes these elements:
Timing is also an important consideration: How long it will take on average to read out the script. The average reading speed is three words per second, which is 180 words a minute, but that varies according to the style and content of your video and the speaking style of the narrator or actor. If the length of the video is determined before the script is written, a close eye has to be kept on the word count.
My approach to writing a corporate video script
Define the video's goal, audience, topic, and length
Most scripts are written before the video is produced. However, if the video’s key components are the visuals, and you simply want a voice-over (as in a product demo), then it makes sense for me to write the script afterwards. That enables me to fit the dialogue to the screen shots. Either way, my first step, as with any copywriting project, is to define your video's goal and audience, the topic and video length, and the call to action, and to put all that into a creative brief.
Produce an outline, intro, dialogue, and CTA
Once the creative brief or scope of work is done, I plan an outline, craft an introduction that will hook the audience (and introduce any actors), write a dialogue for each screen shot, and finish off with the call to action so that viewers know what to do after watching. I usually work with two columns: on the left I write the script, on the right I insert comments and instructions for the actor/narrator and video producer.
Review, modify and mark the script
The final stage is to send you the first draft for you to review, and to process your feedback. I'll also coordinate with any creatives on the project, such as your marketer and video producer, if that helps the project along. I mark the final draft for the narrator or actor so they know (if it's not obvious) which words should be stressed, where to pause, and what emotion to express.
Ready to venture into video marketing and need a script?
Tell me your script writing needs by emailing me at helen@write-for-business.com or calling me on 360-525-8277.
Once I have a clear idea of the size and complexity of your project, I can send you a customized quote.