Writing Better Explainer Video Scripts
3 Approaches To Writing High-Performing Explainer Video Scripts
When it comes to explainer video scripts, there simply is no “one size fits all.” There is no exact template or one-size-cookie-cutter formula that works for every need. If you google “explainer video scripts,” you see all sorts of blog entries or articles talking about surefire ways to write “awesome,” “killer,” or “epic” explainer video scripts. If only it was that easy!
With that said, let’s move on to three effective approaches to structuring explainer video scripts that should help you create more high-performing videos. Note: these are meant to be frameworks for how to organize your messaging in general. We’ll leave things like tonality (e.g. using humor or no) and video length for other discussions.
- Problem-Solution-Benefit: This is perhaps the most common approach to explainer video scripts and pitches in general. The typical flow goes like this:
Problem: Outline the current pain points that your target is experiencing.
Solution: Present your solution in a clear way. How is what you offer going to alleviate the aforementioned pain?
Benefits: What are the real, tangible end benefits to your audience? What’s truly in it for them?
No matter how you decide to design the creative elements of your video or presentation (i.e the execution), it’s hard to go wrong with this framework. If you ever watch Shark Tank, most of the good pitches touch upon all three of these components. Sure, there are rare cases when you’re developing a product or idea that’s so novel, no real “problem” currently exists (e.g. you’re basically fulfilling an unmet desire that people might not even know they had), but that’s the exception, not the norm.
- Inverted Pyramid:
This approach to explainer video scripts takes a page from the world of journalism. Journalists use this the inverted pyramid technique to illustrate how information should be prioritized and structured in a text. It’s a common method for writing news stories (and has adaptability to other kinds of texts, e.g., blogs and editorial columns) in a way that communicates the essential information in the initial sentences.
This format can be valuable for two reasons. First, readers can leave the story at any point and understand it, even if they do not have all the details. Second, it conducts readers through the details of the story. The exact same principle applies to using this approach for explainer video scripts. Here, you present the “must know” information upfront, right from the beginning of the script. This can serve as a compelling hook to get the viewer to continue on with you in the video, while helping ensure they get the gist (had to work this in with a name like Gisteo, right?) even if they click off the video after 15-20 seconds or before it ends.
- The “How It Works” Approach: This tactic can be great for a service overview or a high-level product how-to. In this approach, there is no in-depth discussion of the problem. It’s meant to be a self-contained story, focused on helping people better understand your solution and how it works in a clear, compelling way. This messaging strategy for explainer video scripts can be especially effective if the “what you do” is more obvious (and thus less critical) than the “how you do it.” Taking this approach enables you to really explain the nuts and bolts of a product or offering while skipping the more big picture “why we exist” type of explanation.
It’s important to note that these above-mentioned approaches are not mutually exclusive and many explainer video scripts can and do contain elements of all three. At the same time, you have to be careful to not overload your script with too much information. Trying to stuff too much into a single explainer video script is a common pitfall that we see out there, which can lead to long, bloated videos that ultimately may sabotage your marketing efforts.
I hope this discussion helps anyone looking to write explainer video scripts. If you would like to discuss an upcoming project with Gisteo, just give us a holler!
