How to write a video script (with a template to copy)

A simple 5-part structure for YouTube videos, lessons and social media, with a template you can copy and adapt.

A person writing in a notebook next to a laptop.
Photo: Alejandro Escamilla, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.

En bref

  • A good script has 5 parts: hook, promise, content in 3 points, summary and one ask at the end.
  • The first 5 seconds decide whether people stay: start with the result, not the introduction.
  • Write the way you talk, with short sentences and one idea per sentence.
  • There is a template to copy at the end of the article.

A good video script has 5 parts: a hook in the first 5 seconds, what the viewer will get, the content in 3 points, a summary and one clear ask at the end. Write it the way you talk, in short sentences, and read it aloud before recording.

The 5-part structure

  1. Hook (5 seconds)A question, a number or the end result. It decides whether people stay.
  2. Promise (10 seconds)What the viewer will know or be able to do by the end.
  3. Content (3 points)Three ideas, in order. Any more and people forget.
  4. SummaryRepeat the 3 points in one sentence each.
  5. AskOne action only: subscribe, comment, visit a link.

Template to copy

Video script (3 to 5 minutes)
HOOK
Did you know [surprising fact or problem]?

PROMISE
In the next [X] minutes, I’ll show you how to [result].

POINT 1
[First idea]. For example, [concrete example].

POINT 2
[Second idea]. This matters because [reason].

POINT 3
[Third idea]. Try [simple action].

SUMMARY
So: [point 1], [point 2] and [point 3].

ASK
If this helped, [action]. See you in the next video.

Astuce : Paste the template into CueTwin and replace what’s in square brackets. The teleprompter shows the estimated length as you write.

Write like you talk

  • One idea per sentence. If you need a breath halfway, split it.
  • Say “you” and talk to one person.
  • Swap hard words for the ones you use in conversation.
  • Write numbers the way you say them, if it helps you read.

How long it should be

At 130 words per minute, a 3-minute video has about 390 words. To check, use the script length calculator.

Review before recording

  • Read it aloud and mark where you stumble.
  • Cut everything that doesn’t serve the promise at the start.
  • Check the hook is in the first two sentences.

Questions fréquentes

Should I read the script word for word?

You don’t have to. Many people use the script as support and ad-lib a little. With a teleprompter that follows your voice, the text waits when you leave the script.

How long should the hook be?

Up to 5 seconds, or one or two sentences. That’s where most people decide whether to keep watching.

What about Reels and TikTok?

Use the same structure, shorter: hook, one point and the ask. About 65 to 80 words fit in 30 seconds.

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How to write a video script (with a template to copy) — CueTwin