Tips + Techniques


Video Scriptwriting: 4 Tips for Marketing Success

September 14, 2022

By Mary Vance

© kosmos111

Do you struggle to get your videos noticed on social media? With the continuing rise in popularity of TikTok and Instagram Reels, video content is rapidly becoming the ruling form of social connection. The question for photographers becomes, how can I engage in video marketing to boost my brand? One answer is, learning to master video scriptwriting when working on video content.

But it’s not easy to make unique, effective, and impactful video content. First off, there’s a lot of other photographers vying for the ‘trending now’ spot. Plus, with video, you can’t just hide behind the work like you can with photos or written copy. Video requires a transparent, personal connection between the viewer and the face of your brand, aka you. The way to get your message to come off authentically in a world of trending filters and transitions is, again, video scriptwriting.

[Read: 8 Easy Ways Photographers Can Create Engaging Video Content]

Yes, you need to write a script. Short-form videos require fast, concise messaging, but when the recording light goes on, it’s easy to find yourself floundering or wasting time with tangents and filler words like “like” and “um”. A script can fix this by giving you a clear outline of what to say and when to get your message seen. 

But how do you script a video pitch without sounding fake?

There’s actually 4 easy tips to follow for efficient and impactful video scriptwriting:

  1. The Hook
  2. Pain Points
  3. The Promise
  4. Call to Action (CTA)

1. The Hook


Your hook is what draws your audience in. This isn’t the watered-down introduction you learned about in high school lit class, though— your hook needs to be the very first few words you say, and it needs to immediately resonate with your audience, grabbing their attention and stopping their scroll. 

An example of a good pitch.

Don’t waste time on introductions or long set-ups. Get right to the heart of the matter: find a problem you can fix. Then, engage your audience by phrasing it as a question. “Do you struggle to get your videos noticed on social media?” has a lot more punch than, “Writing short-form video content is difficult,” or, worse, just introducing yourself. “Hi, I’m [name],” was good on the first day of school, but on social media, where people flick past videos faster than you can say your name three times, there just isn’t time to waste on explaining who you are. You have to grab your viewers’ attention immediately.

An example of a bad pitch.


2. Pain Points


Once you have your hook, address the audience’s pain points. Whatever problem you pointed out in your hook, expand on it. Tell people why it’s a problem. Pick it apart and point out every little inconvenience that comes as a result of that problem. This gives your message weight. You’re telling your audience, “There has to be a better way to deal with [the problem you just established in your hook].” 

Don’t give your audience the solution yet- let them realize why they need the solution first. This leads into the next part of a good video: the promise.

3. The Promise


You’re going to fix the problem. Tell your audience that. Explain how you plan to remedy this giant issue you’ve been going on about in your hook and pain points. Tell them in no uncertain terms how they’ll get better service or experience or value by choosing your brand specifically. Tell them about the unique process you use to capture gorgeous images, or the money they can save by choosing your package. Whatever it is, the promise is the time to (concisely) share it with the world. 

4. Call to Action


Finally, we come to the CTA, or the call to action. The call to action tells your audience what they need to do to get all the awesome benefits you told them about in your promise. Be clear, specific, and action-oriented. Tell your audience to click the link to book you today, or follow your account, or join your e-mail list. Make sure they know what you want them to do once the video finishes. Don’t squander the foundation you’ve built in the last three steps by backing out with a wishy-washy, “Thanks for watching!” Use the momentum you’ve built throughout the video and channel it into a direct course of action. 

Following this process, you’ll be writing memorable, impactful video content in no time. 

…Well? What are you waiting for? Get scripting!

Mary Vance is a former biochemist and dancer turned wife, mom and photographer. A native North Carolinian, she now calls Washington home and has fallen in love with the beautiful landscapes and moody weather.