The Key to Successful Video Marketing: Video Scripts 01/19/16 | Four Columns Marketing In the world of digital media, videos are an effective marketing tool used to capture the attention of potential new customers and to visually communicate your brand message. One of the secrets to producing good video content is the video script. The script serves as the foundation of the video and helps articulate what you want customers to think and feel after watching. Below are a few tips to help you get started before jumping straight into filming. Take time to brainstorm It is important to outline the goals of your video. You want to engage the audience and make sure they understand what you're trying to communicate. Start by asking basic questions. Who is your audience? What is the purpose of the video? What do we want our audience to do? This will give you a good starting point. Communicate your message first What do you want your audience to take a way? The message of your video should be clear within the first 10 seconds of the video. Tell your audience immediately why they should continue watching. Waiting until the end of the video to do this risks the possibility of your audience missing the point. Keep it simple and short It's best to keep your videos short and to the point so you don't lose the interest of your audience. The typical rate for a video is 150 words per minute. The shorter, the better! However, your actual script can (and should) be more detailed to include all of the time, audio and video elements. Read it out loud Do a reading of your script out loud before you start filming. This way you can see if the dialogue flows and sounds natural. The goal is for the video to sound conversational and not stiff. Make any revisions necessary during this stage. Keep it authentic! Writing a video script can be intimidating, but by following these simple steps it can be a much easier experience!