There is an argument to be made about the average attention span of an internet or social media user. Video is an accessible type of content which can allow you to retain a user’s attention far more than a blog post or case study ever could. According to published research, 48% of customers want to see video content indicative of what they are about to purchase. On top of that, 95% of marketers plan to continue their investment into video content, making it an exciting marketing prospect for 2021.

This is where smarter video script writing and video content planning can come into play and help captivate your audience more easily. Let’s take a closer look at what makes corporate videos so appealing, as well as how you can write better scripts for them going forward.

How to start with video script writing

We’ve established the fact that video content can help improve your marketing strategy and attract new leads easier than written content could. However, what’s the value of corporate videos and writing scripts before entering production? Corporate videos are inherently more formal and professional than video blogs or freeform content seen on YouTube. They serve the purpose of presenting your value proposition, products and company as a whole to B2C and B2B leads alike.

With content publishing tools by Metigy powering your video content, you will be able to transform your ideas into storytelling powerhouses. Making such a reliable tool stack a part of your video strategy moving forward can drastically improve your business’ brand recognition as a result. That said, some of the most crucial reasons as to why you should start with video script writing include:

• Ability to present your product portfolio, company culture and employees easily
• Improved brand awareness and industry authority due to content accessibility
• Ability to transcribe and translate content into multiple languages for worldwide viewers
• Improved SEO ranking of your content, website and brand as a whole
• Ability to repurpose older video content and share it via social media, email or blog posts
• Highly profitable marketing strategy given how accessible video content is

1. Set your corporate video strategy goals early on

To make the most out of your corporate videos, you should settle on a direction early on to avoid unnecessary revisions later on. Depending on the industry you operate in, and whether you will outsource any video production, some of the questions you should ask yourself are:

• What do you intend to achieve with the videos? (Raise sales, raise conversions, attract B2B companies…)
• Will you use corporate videos to explain your products/services? (Short promo or long tutorial videos)
• Are the videos for internal or external use? (Are you creating training videos or sales content?)
• What do you want the viewer to do once they finish viewing the video? (Define your call to action)

2. Structure the flow of information in your video scripts

Writing corporate video scripts is much like writing short blog posts or essays. You should plan your videos carefully by outlining each script before you fill in the blanks. A simple intro/body/conclusion structure can work well regardless of the content itself.

You should always rely on writing tools such as Hemingway Editor, Readable and to those which offer custom term papers to format your scripts properly. Take the above-discussed questions into consideration when filling in the blanks in your script and your corporate video’s message will be communicated effectively.

3. Explore video content type options

Given how flexible video content is, you can implement it in a variety of ways to achieve your goals. There is a wide range of content types you can use in your corporate video strategy. Some of the video types to consider are:

• Brand videos (intended to promote your business)
• Product videos (used to promote products/services individually)
• Testimonial videos (collaboration videos with customers/clients/influencers)
• Interview videos (podcast-type discussions with industry representatives and experts)
• Advertisement videos (videos typically seen on television and YouTube advertisement)
• Tutorial videos (how-to guides and explanations on how to use your products in the best way)

These content types are only a glimpse into what you can do with corporate videos once you get a handle on script writing. Make sure to always take your publishing platform into consideration when choosing which video type to produce. Social media users favor short-form clips while you can attach more comprehensive videos to email, YouTube or blog posts on your website.

4. Edit out the unnecessary fluff in your video script writing

Speaking of content length, it’s best to keep your corporate videos on the shorter side to engage the viewer more effectively. A general rule of thumb is to keep your videos around a 2-3 minute mark, less if you intend to publish on social media. Videos which are intended to comprehensively explain how your products or services work can go over that, but don’t assume viewers will stick around.

Edit out any unnecessary fluff and sentences which don’t directly address the topic of the video. Rely on simple terminology and a conversational tone of voice to allow as many people as possible to enjoy your corporate videos. At the end of the day, the point of your video is to entice a certain action in the viewer through your call to action. Everything apart from that is subjective and prone to editing.

5. Read the scripts aloud with coworkers

Reading your video script aloud once it’s written can give you plenty of insight into what works and doesn’t work. Grab a coworker or friend and read the text once or twice out loud to one another. Pay attention to some of the finer details related to flow of information:

• Are there any difficult-to-pronounce words, abbreviations or terms present?
• Is it easy to understand how to emphasize and punctuate each paragraph, question and statement?
• How long does it take for you to read the script?

Remember – it’s not too late to edit and restructure your script during the writing phase. It will become considerably more difficult to do so if you start filming with a half-baked script – take your time and spruce it up.

6. Pair your script with complementary visuals

Videos rely on their visuals as much as they do on the script itself. Thus, you should pay close attention to your visual design decisions for corporate videos. Some of the visual styles you can try out include face-cam videos, animation, slideshow, as well as professionally produced videos with backdrops or sets.

Take a look at your written scripts and see if you can nail down what style would be best suited for their visuals. You can also look for inspiration with online influencers and brands which can help inspire your video production decisions. Poor or inadequate visuals will lower the quality of your content – be mindful of how you produce your videos and your audience will respect that.

Corporate video storytelling: Wrap up

While it is true that corporate videos are more professional and reserved than typical influencer content, they can still enable an assortment of creative storytelling. You can produce multi-part series on your employees and their daily lives or tutorial videos on how to use your brand’s products in different situations.

Corporate videos can also be used for seminars, meetings and presentations as a means to communicate your ideas more clearly and concisely. Start by setting concrete milestones for your business’s video marketing strategy and by writing good scripts to complement those goals. Before you know it, you will fall into a routine of outlining, writing and formatting scripts prior to entering full production and subsequently publishing them.