Video ad script template
A reliable video ad script has four beats: hook, problem or context, proof or demonstration, and call to action. For a 15-second ad that is roughly 35 to 40 spoken words; for 30 seconds about 75; for 60 seconds about 150, at a natural speaking pace. Write one script per length rather than trimming a long one.
Updated
The four-beat structure
Word counts assume roughly 150 spoken words per minute, a comfortable conversational pace. Faster delivery is common on TikTok-style ads; slower suits explainers. Time a read-through aloud before you lock the script.
| Beat | Job | 15s | 30s | 60s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hook | Stop the scroll | 0–2s | 0–3s | 0–5s |
| Problem / context | Why this matters to the viewer | 2–6s | 3–10s | 5–20s |
| Proof / demo | Show it working; one claim, evidenced | 6–12s | 10–24s | 20–50s |
| Call to action | One next step | 12–15s | 24–30s | 50–60s |
Fill-in template
- Hook (one line): [the problem, the result or the surprising fact].
- Context (one or two lines): [who this is for and what is frustrating about the current way].
- Proof (two or three lines): [the product doing the job; one specific, true detail].
- Call to action (one line): [the single action, with what they get].
- On-screen text: [the hook in five words or fewer; the offer at the end].
Worked example: 15-second product ad
Every claim in that script would need to be true and tested for the actual product. A script template structures claims; it does not supply them.
| Time | Spoken | On screen |
|---|---|---|
| 0–2s | 'Ice still in it after a full day in the car.' | Ice after 24 hours? |
| 2–6s | 'Most bottles give up by lunchtime.' | Warm water close-up |
| 6–12s | 'Double-wall steel, and the lid actually seals.' | Shake test, no leak |
| 12–15s | 'Tap to pick your colour.' | Shop the bottle |
Adapting by placement
- TikTok, Reels, Shorts: creator voice, faster pace, sound on, captions on.
- Facebook and Instagram Feed: assume muted; the on-screen text must carry the message.
- YouTube skippable: brand and claim inside the first five seconds, before the skip.
- LinkedIn: one argument, captions burned in, professional but not stiff.