Explainer video script is the barebone of an engaging explainer video. Without a well-written script, an explainer video might just be a pointless piece of content that floats around on your website.
In this post, we have an infographic: “The Ultimate Cheatsheet for Writing Explainer Video Scripts” made by Breadnbeyond.
But before we get to the infographic, let’s take a deeper look into what a compelling explainer video script should always have and how each of them should be:
Take for example this line from an explainer video by Breadnbeyond:
“Okay, you suddenly experience that AHA! Moment discovered that ingenious product or service idea that’ll change the world!”
Addressing people who just discovered an ingenious product idea (instead of using ‘startup owners’), means directly speaking to a target market with strong buying intent with minimal use of less common word.
Back when DropBox first launched, cloud storage wasn’t quite popular to the public. They used an analogy to relate with viewers through an animated explainer video. Analogy is a great tool to introduce a new type of product or service that is completely new to the public.
Here’s the DropBox’s original script:
“You’ve been there. You’re about to buy lunch, and realize your wallet is in your other pants.”
The video then continues to introduce a magic pocket, where you can get all the stuff you need anytime and anywhere. This magic pocket is the analogy of DropBox as a product that helps people organize their files so that they never lose it. Here’s the video in case you haven’t seen it:
“You’ve set up your blog, and it’s starting to gain subscribers. You’re super excited about it, but sending out 500 newsletter emails is just too much work, not to mention handling the replies…”.
“... You lose precious productive time to write more high quality content. And your content quality drops…. Along with your subscribers.”
“What if you could automate all your newsletter in a few simple steps, and keep it going with minimum maintenance? Introducing, CoolEmailAutomation.”
Instead of using the generic description of your product, try to put a unique perspective. We’ve been using an email automation software for examples so far, let’s stick to that. A very generic description of an email automation software would be something along the line of:
“CoolEmailAutomation helps you manage your subscribers and schedule newsletter so you don’t have to!”
Instead of that, we’re going to put a unique perspective on our email automation software:
“CoolEmailAutomation gives you more time to write high quality blog posts while steadily nurturing your existing subscribers for you.”
That way, it’s less about your product and more about the benefit that users will get.
It means that you need to research your competitor and determine which feature of your product is worth showing off. The goal of giving the pros of your product is to put your competitors away from the “good product” and replace it with yours.
Let’s continue building our example script.
“CoolEmailAutomation’s simple UI makes every operation intuitive and easy to execute. Burning the midnight oil? We’ve got Dark Mode to save your eyes. You don’t need to scramble through meticulous setting to set up your campaign, we do that for you! And the best part is, wait for it, you can access CoolEmailAutomation from any device.”
“Do you think CoolEmailAutomation is pretty cool now? Wait until you try it yourself. We have a special price and a 7-day trial just for you.”
In other words: add a few extra seconds to your explainer video dedicated to showing your company’s essential information such as phone number, website, and email address.
And that’s all you need for a conversion-boosting explainer video script!
Here’s the Ultimate Cheatsheet for Writing Explainer Video Scripts, specially made for you :)
![The Ultimate Cheatsheet to Explainer Video Scripts [INFOGRAPHIC]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMhhf7WzAZULdsPOeWSMfJxSMxeGd-QUc4MP0MsUgqowuOwl3E3lYKOCfFD5fkKXKjlDxdNppPQhiWHdHNc18cRaYYkZgYC9Y5VIq9MNSYiafI6rmRaqwmwOOl-a3xXWL74LT6ukjhkrc/s1600/video-script-writing-cheatsheet.jpg)
In this post, we have an infographic: “The Ultimate Cheatsheet for Writing Explainer Video Scripts” made by Breadnbeyond.
But before we get to the infographic, let’s take a deeper look into what a compelling explainer video script should always have and how each of them should be:
1. A Relatable Opening Hook
Any product pitch needs a strong opening line to get people’s attention. Many explainer videos have an exaggerated hook which can make them somewhat obnoxious. The simplest opening line can get the best result by directing them to the right persona.Take for example this line from an explainer video by Breadnbeyond:
“Okay, you suddenly experience that AHA! Moment discovered that ingenious product or service idea that’ll change the world!”
Addressing people who just discovered an ingenious product idea (instead of using ‘startup owners’), means directly speaking to a target market with strong buying intent with minimal use of less common word.
2. The Problems
After catching viewers’ attention with a strong opening line, reel them even deeper by relating to their which your product can solve. Include the problem that you can solve in a relatable day-to-day context to give the impression that it may happen to viewers as well.Back when DropBox first launched, cloud storage wasn’t quite popular to the public. They used an analogy to relate with viewers through an animated explainer video. Analogy is a great tool to introduce a new type of product or service that is completely new to the public.
Here’s the DropBox’s original script:
“You’ve been there. You’re about to buy lunch, and realize your wallet is in your other pants.”
The video then continues to introduce a magic pocket, where you can get all the stuff you need anytime and anywhere. This magic pocket is the analogy of DropBox as a product that helps people organize their files so that they never lose it. Here’s the video in case you haven’t seen it:
3. The Bad Solutions
In industries with tough competition, you may need to include how your product is better than the current existing solutions. These solutions can be in the form of other products (competitors) or non-product (something that people have to do). Let’s say that I want to make an explainer video for my new email automation software, here’s how I’d bring up the existing solution.“You’ve set up your blog, and it’s starting to gain subscribers. You’re super excited about it, but sending out 500 newsletter emails is just too much work, not to mention handling the replies…”.
4. Why Those Solutions Are Bad
After mentioning the current solutions, you need to mention why they suck. This will be your leverage to get people into checking out your product. Picking up from the last example:“... You lose precious productive time to write more high quality content. And your content quality drops…. Along with your subscribers.”
5. Product Introduction
Now you’ve reminded the viewers that their current way of doing stuff is not the most effective way. There is a better and much easier way to do the same thing. Enter, your solution.“What if you could automate all your newsletter in a few simple steps, and keep it going with minimum maintenance? Introducing, CoolEmailAutomation.”
6. Product Description
In many cases, product summary could be a very general information about your product with a few gimmicks mentioned. It’s quite obvious that is not the best practice at all. You product to be a stand out in your own explainer video.Instead of using the generic description of your product, try to put a unique perspective. We’ve been using an email automation software for examples so far, let’s stick to that. A very generic description of an email automation software would be something along the line of:
“CoolEmailAutomation helps you manage your subscribers and schedule newsletter so you don’t have to!”
Instead of that, we’re going to put a unique perspective on our email automation software:
“CoolEmailAutomation gives you more time to write high quality blog posts while steadily nurturing your existing subscribers for you.”
That way, it’s less about your product and more about the benefit that users will get.
7. The Pros of Your Product
If you’re in an industry where competition is tough, you need to have several strengths that your competitors don’t have. Many new companies overlook the little features like Dark Mode, mobile compatibility, or a simpler UI that their competitors don’t have – and it might just be the feature that some people are dying to have.It means that you need to research your competitor and determine which feature of your product is worth showing off. The goal of giving the pros of your product is to put your competitors away from the “good product” and replace it with yours.
Let’s continue building our example script.
“CoolEmailAutomation’s simple UI makes every operation intuitive and easy to execute. Burning the midnight oil? We’ve got Dark Mode to save your eyes. You don’t need to scramble through meticulous setting to set up your campaign, we do that for you! And the best part is, wait for it, you can access CoolEmailAutomation from any device.”
8. Irresistible Value Proposition
Now that you’ve established that your product is offers tons of benefits and is worth a try, it’s time to throw in the pitch. How you approach the pitch depends on the type of product you offer. Most Software as a Service (SaaS) offers a limited free trial. Companies that offer services usually pitch in the form of free consultation. Companies that sells product normally would offer limited discount code or send out a free sample for several early birds.“Do you think CoolEmailAutomation is pretty cool now? Wait until you try it yourself. We have a special price and a 7-day trial just for you.”
9. Enticing Call to Action
It’s only natural to throw in a CTA after you make a sales proposition. Keep in mind that a CTA is to entice viewers into taking a certain action – meaning you need to use all the momentum you’ve built from the beginning of the video into this step. You need to pour every creative, persuasive and compelling words into it.10. Essential Contact Information
In the age where we can just “Google” everything, many companies overlook the importance of including their websites, phone number, or email address on their explainer video. Sure – if your company’s website is well-optimized for search engine, it might show up in Google search. However, most startups’ websites aren’t well-optimized yet – which makes the likelihood of them getting a spot in Google’s knowledge card rather low.In other words: add a few extra seconds to your explainer video dedicated to showing your company’s essential information such as phone number, website, and email address.
And that’s all you need for a conversion-boosting explainer video script!
Here’s the Ultimate Cheatsheet for Writing Explainer Video Scripts, specially made for you :)
