Writing Engaging Video Scripts

Most creators are writing scripts the hard way. I spent 6 months building an AI system for YouTube. Here’s what I learned: The Problem With Manual Script Writing: Brainstorm for hours. Write for days. Edit endlessly. Result? One script per week if you’re lucky. What I Discovered: After analyzing thousands of top videos, I built a 5-step system that changes everything: 1. Hook Architecture Most hooks lose viewers in 3 seconds. I trained AI on 10,000+ viral openings. Now it generates hooks with proven triggers. 2. Story Structure AI doesn’t understand narrative flow naturally. I built prompts that force proper architecture. Setup, conflict, resolution. Every time. 3. Value Density YouTube rewards quick value delivery. My system ensures every 30 seconds has a payoff. No filler. Pure value. 4. Engagement Triggers I reverse-engineered viral video comments. Built triggers into every script. Questions, challenges, controversial takes. Systematically placed. 5. Algorithm Optimization Each script gets optimized for YouTube. Keyword placement, retention hooks, CTA timing. Everything systematic. The Result: Scripts that took 8 hours now take 2. But here’s the key: they’re better, not just faster. Here’s the Truth: Most people think AI replaces creativity. Wrong. AI amplifies systematic thinking. The creators winning on YouTube have one thing in common: systems. Stop writing scripts. Start building script systems. __ Enjoy this? ♻️ Repost it to your network and follow Matt Gray for more. Want more tips on how to grow on YouTube? Join our community of 172,000+ subscribers today: https://lnkd.in/eWVxapTn

I’ve generated ~40M social impressions in 2024. Here are 5 rules every single one of my videos follow. 1️⃣ Avoid Retention Editing Too many creators look at Mr Beast for inspiration, but fail to realize his audience is mostly children. Viewers want a more raw authentic experience with you. Ditch the sound effects and motion graphics. Just drop the value. 2️⃣ “But Therefore” Rule Any great story has peaks and valleys. Insert contrasting phrases like “but, however, except, therefore, or unfortunately" right after you deliver value to keep the audience continuously engaged.   3️⃣ Hooks that actually hook The hook is arguably the most important part of your video. Be menacle. Be intentional. Your hook should create a curiosity loop that can only be closed if the viewer watches the video all the way through. You’ll need a verbal hook (what you say), visual hook (what you show), and text hook (what the words on the screen say).  4️⃣ Write, write, and rewrite. I used to never write scripts. And that’s f*cking crazy. If you have an idea, start writing. It may not flow or make any sense. But just write. Jerry Seinfeld once said "the best way to write better jokes was to write a lot of jokes, and the only way to write a lot of jokes was to write every day." 5️⃣ There are never enough angles. Too many creators make the mistake of letting a clip breathe too long. Specifically on short form content. If you’re filming yourself doing work at your desk, don’t just film that clip for 10 seconds. Get 5 two second clips from different angles. This adds another element of depth to your video. This is by no means an all encompassing list. Nor do I believe this is the ONLY way to create video content. There are creators like Sam Sulek who just lets his camera rip for 45min straight. No edits. And it works (some how) These are just the 5 rules I currently like to follow. But what else would you add to this list?

How to Structure YouTube Videos for Higher Retention (full breakdown) One of the key elements for growth on YouTube is higher retention. If people don’t watch your videos long enough, YouTube won’t recommend them. Period. So, how do you structure your videos to maximize watch time and help grow your channel faster? Breakdown. → Nail the First 5 Seconds (The Hook) Biggest mistake: Wasting the intro with “Hey guys, welcome to my channel.” Instead, do this: [formula]: Start with a bold statement, a shocking fact, or an intriguing question. Make the viewer think, “I NEED to see where this is going.” Example: “Today, I’ll teach you about YouTube growth.” (boring, low retention) “90% of YouTube channels fail… here’s why yours won’t.” (creates curiosity) Make them feel like clicking away would be a mistake. → Set Up The Stakes (Why Should They Care?) Now that you’ve hooked them, you need to give them a reason to stay. Why should they care? What’s in it for them? [formula]: Frame the problem & promise the solution. Tell them what they’ll get by watching till the end. (micro hooks) Example: “Here are 3 tips for better thumbnails.” (no urgency) “Most YouTubers get stuck under 1,000 subs because their thumbnails suck…let me show you how to fix that.” (creates tension) →The Content Delivery (Keep It Engaging) This is where most videos lose retention. Mistakes that KILL watch time: Rambling, no clear structure. Talking too slowly, no energy. Overloading with info without examples or visuals. [formula]: Break your content into clear sections (use bullet points). Show, don’t just tell (use visuals, animations, B-roll). Keep pacing fast… cut unnecessary pauses & fluff. → The Retention Boosters or Micro Hooks (Keep Viewers Hooked) Want to increase your average watch time by 20-30%? [formula]: Open loops: Tease something later in the video to keep viewers engaged. “Stick around till the end because I’ll share a strategy nobody talks about.” Pattern Interrupts: Change shots, zooms, text pop-ups, sound effects—anything to break monotony. Storytelling Hooks: Facts are forgettable. Stories keep people watching. → End Strong (Retention Hack Most People Ignore) Worst way to end: Saying, “That’s it for today” (everyone clicks away). Dragging the outro for too long. [formula]: Deliver on your promise—wrap up the content fast. CTA: Get them to watch another video. “If you liked this, you’d love THIS video next [it’s the perfect follow-up] Never end with goodbye, but more of your content that complements the current one they are watching. Keep these in mind next time you’re recording your video! Use this as a checklist to make sure you always perform better!

You have 8 seconds. That’s it. Not to sell. Not to impress. Just to keep someone listening. Because in today’s world, attention isn’t earned. It’s lost quickly. The average human attention span? Just under 8 seconds. That’s less than a goldfish. So if you start with a long-winded backstory, a weak intro, or a “quick thought” that takes two minutes to land? You’ve already lost them. Here’s the truth: The first 8 seconds of anything you say determine whether people will keep listening. This isn’t about gimmicks. It’s about clarity. Intent. And how you show respect for someone’s time. Want to master the 8-second rule? Here’s how: 1. Start with the point, not the preamble. “Let me back up a bit…” = disengagement. “Here’s what I think we should do.” = engagement. People don’t need buildup. They need value—fast. 2. Drop your best line first. Don’t bury the insight. Don’t save the story’s punchline for the end. Lead with the line that makes them look up. 3. Use contrast. “This worked last year. It’s failing now.” Contrast creates tension. And tension creates attention. 4. Ditch filler words. If it starts with “I just wanted to say…” you’ve already wasted 3 of your 8 seconds. Be direct. Be kind. But cut the fluff. 5. Ask a question. Real curiosity pulls people in. “What would happen if we flipped the script?” That’s how you make ears perk up. 6. Get visual. Stories, metaphors, images; they light up the brain. “Saying yes to everything is like trying to run with bricks in your backpack.” Now they’re listening and picturing it. 7. Own your voice. Speak with calm, clear conviction. People don’t just hear your words. They feel your certainty. 8. Leave them wanting more. Not “Let me explain for 15 more minutes.” Try: “There’s a deeper layer to this; happy to unpack it if helpful.” Curiosity is a more powerful hook than explanation. You’ve been in those meetings. Someone starts rambling. You check your phone. They lost you at hello. Now flip it. You say one sentence that hits. Someone looks up. You’ve earned the next 8 seconds. And then the next. This isn’t just about being polished. It’s about being intentional. Because in a noisy world, clarity feels like leadership. So before your next pitch, update, or conversation, ask yourself: What can I say in 8 seconds that will make someone want to hear 80 more? Master that, and people won’t just listen. They’ll remember. ❓ Do you enjoy public speaking? ♻️ Repost to help others. ➕ Follow Nathan Crockett, PhD for daily posts about leadership, culture, and family.

My first B2B explainers were fully animated and... had embarrassing results. But last year, I discovered a format that increased booked calls by 21%. It's called a 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗗𝗮𝘆-𝗶𝗻-𝘁𝗵𝗲-𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲. And it's super easy to copy. (𝘊𝘖𝘕𝘛𝘌𝘟𝘛: 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘚𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘈 𝘚𝘢𝘢𝘚 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘴𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘩𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘢𝘪𝘥 𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘨𝘦. 𝘞𝘦 𝘈/𝘉 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘰 𝘷𝘴. 𝘯𝘰 𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘰). I explain how we did it (with examples) in the video below. For those who prefer reading, here's a simple 2-step takeaway: 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭 - 𝗪𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁 𝘀𝗼 𝗱𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 "𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺𝘀" 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁'𝘀 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 People always say "show don't tell" but here's how you actually accomplish it. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 you want to share in your explainer 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮 to trigger that explanation. EXAMPLE Problem → Overwhelmed BDR doesn't know how to start their day Feature → Sales tool that prioritizes which accounts to reach out to first Problem → Stressed solopreneur is overwhelmed with sales follow-up (me rn lol) Feature → CRM feature that automatically pings you to follow-up 2 days after Don't tell them what your product does. Show how your product fits in their lives. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮 - 𝗙𝗶𝗹𝗺 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗜𝗖𝗣 𝗴𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 Look how friggin' popular "Day in the life" videos are right now. It works because it's relatable. And your buyers want that. They can compare their days. They can empathize with different habits. They can see how the product fits into their lives. In other words, they can see 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 in your video. That's all it takes to make a viewer feel understood. ---- If you enjoyed this, you can shoot me a DM saying "day in the life" and I'll send over my 3 favorite examples.

I have generated $400M with Meta ads. Most of these results came from a rock solid understanding of video creatives. To date, we’ve produced 1,000s of them that’ve driven millions for clients. Here’s 5 components that make up a winning video creative: COMPONENT 1: Write A+ hooks Poor quality hooks = throwing money down the drain. It’s that simple. Viewers aren’t going to stick around & watch the rest of your ad if your hook is inadequate. Your hooks should either:  - Lead with a benefit  - Agitate a pain point  - Call out the ICP & do one of the above Keep them simple. Being too clever usually backfires. COMPONENT 2: Show the product early Your product is the crown jewel of the video ad. If it’s a product that viewers genuinely want because it solves a pain point? Or using it is beneficial to the viewer? Sometimes that’s all it takes to hook & hold their attention. Burying the product too deep in the ad = it might be missed entirely. Rookie mistake. COMPONENT 3: Use the “heartbeat method” Heartbeat method = quick edits every 1-3 seconds so the viewer doesn’t get bored. The truth is that attention-spans are at an all-time low. So using retention techniques to keep your viewers engaged is essential. The change could be:  - Zoom-ins  - Pop ups  - New visuals New & novel creative elements that help to hold their attention. COMPONENT 4: Make the “problem” you’re calling relatable This one goes back to your market & customer research. Having a clearly defined list of problems makes it easy to agitate them in ads. The goal with the ad should be to amplify the pains that problem brings. Almost bringing those pains “to life” to capture your viewers’ attention. Agitate the problem using both the ad’s visuals & copywriting. Good research x relevant visuals x copywriting = a winning formula to convey pain. COMPONENT 5: Put your solution on a pedestal You’ve just gone *deep* into a big problem that your viewers face. You’ve put them in an emotional state - now it’s time to present a solution. You want to present the product like it’s the only solution on the planet… Aesthetic shots. Eye-grabbing visuals & imagery. Text that outlines key benefits & showing how it alleviates the pains you pointed out. This is how you balance agitating pains & presenting a solution to those pains. The biggest takeaway here is that a LOT of moving parts go into winning video creatives. There’s even more I could discuss. The goal being to make each component winners in their own right. So when they do come together? It leads to a *complete* video creative & outperforms other ads on the newsfeed. Video in paid ads is only becoming more integral as we approach 2025. My advice is to get a good grasp of the fundamentals sooner rather than later. You don’t want to be playing catch-up down the road!

Your CTAs are failing. Here’s how to fix them. Your Call to Action (CTA) is the final push that turns attention into action. But too many CTAs fall flat—vague, uninspired, or buried where no one notices them. Here’s the truth: A killer CTA doesn’t just ask for a click or a sign-up; it commands attention, creates urgency, and shows the value of taking action. 📝 Here are 8 principles for writing CTAs that actually convert: 1️⃣ Clarity Beats Cleverness Don’t confuse them—be direct. 💬 Before: “Learn More.” 💬 After: “Get Your Free Guide Now.” 2️⃣ Create a Sense of Urgency “Limited Time Offer” works for a reason. 💬 Example: “Act before midnight to save 50%.” 3️⃣ Make It Personal Talk directly to your audience. 💬 Example: “Your deal is waiting—claim it now.” 4️⃣ Highlight the Benefit Show what’s in it for them. 💬 Example: “Boost your productivity in just 10 minutes a day.” 5️⃣ Simplify the Action One clear step—no hurdles. 💬 Example: “Sign up with one click to get started.” 6️⃣ Place CTAs Strategically Put them where they can’t miss them. 💬 Tip: Above the fold, at the end of emails, and on landing pages. 7️⃣ Use Strong, Action-Oriented Verbs “Claim Your Deal” > “See the Offer.” 💬 Example: “Book Your Spot Today.” 8️⃣ Test, Refine, Repeat Learn what works and double down on it. 💬 Example: Test “Get Started Now” vs. “Start Your Free Trial Today.” ✨ The best CTAs are clear, bold, and deliver on their promise. 💬 Challenge: Take a look at your most recent campaign’s CTA. Does it inspire action or leave room for doubt? Share your favorite CTA tips or examples below—I’d love to hear them! ♻️ Share this post with your team and save it for future campaigns. ✅ Follow Tom Wanek for more actionable marketing insights to level up your campaigns today.

I woke up at 6am the last 14 days to write documentation. My goal was simple. Document every single creative thing we do at Odyssey. The most important document? The 10 creative commandments. Let’s break them down. 1. Understand specifically who the creative is for You need to understand who they are and where they are in the buying process. Who they are: - Demographics - Their problem or desired outcome - What they are influenced by Where they are in the buying process: - Completely Unaware - Problem Aware - Solution Aware - Product Aware - Most Aware 2. Find the single most compelling insight Find it from past performance, competitive research, or customer reviews. 3. Use a storytelling framework Always use a storytelling framework as the foundation: - QUEST - Enemy - PAS - Outcome - AIDA 4. Leverage consumer psychology and the 7 human desires The 7 human desires are some form of: - Convenience / comfort - Social approval - Longer life span - Romantic companionship - Higher status in society - Protection of loved ones - Freedom from fear or pain These are the reasons why people buy things. 5. Write in the audience’s language Don’t write like a brand. Write in the audience’s language. How? - Find the words and phrases the actual customer uses - Be as SPECIFIC as humanly possible - Use numbers 6. Use references to accelerate the creation process A hero reference accelerates the creation process: - Make it easier to write your script / storyboard - Makes the creation process easier for the creator - Makes the editing process easier for the editor Utilize Foreplay to easily find, organize, and share creative references. 7. Respect the attention of your audience “If there is ever a hint of boredom, I cut it.” - Mr. Beast. Your competition for attention is one swipe away. Your audience does not have time to waste. Don’t make boring ads. 8. Start with the most compelling thing Mr. Beast uses the Inverted Storytelling technique in every video. This means that he shows a peek of the end result right in the beginning. With an ad, you have 1 second to capture attention. Stop thinking chronologically. Then tell the story you want to tell. 9. Show undeniable proof of the outcome The viewer is skeptical. You need to show undeniable proof that your product solves the problem / delivers the dream outcome that you claim. 10. Show macro shots to allow viewer to shop the product Think about when you shop for t-shirts in a store. You probably touch and feel the shirts to get an understanding of the quality of the material and how comfortable it will be. You need to recreate that experience with your digital ads. --- Those are my 10 creative commandments. What do you think I missed?

AI has completely changed how I write hooks at Good Future Media. It's become my best assistant for creating videos that stop the scroll. When I'm cutting podcast clips, I use AI to generate 10 different hook options. Then I pick the one I like best or mix elements from different versions. Really, it's an amazing tool for inspiration and getting past creative blocks. And when it comes to short-form vids, the opening line is everything. If viewers don't understand what they're getting in those first 3 seconds, they'll swipe away and your content never gets a chance. Because I learned this the hard way watching analytics on 100s of clips we created for The All-in Podcast and other clients. When people drop off immediately, it's almost always because the premise wasn't clear from the start. That's why I always ensure the hook is written clearly on screen if the speaker doesn't say something attention-grabbing right away. The viewer needs to immediately understand what payoff they'll get from watching. This is where AI helps me test different framings: - Is it a controversial take? - A counterintuitive insight? - A famous name? - A shocking statistic? This method helped grow accounts like 20VC from 0 to 225k followers. Because the right hook doesn't just capture attention, it also signals to the algorithm that your content is worth promoting. For anyone creating content: Nail those first 3 seconds with AI-powered hook options before worrying about anything else.

Here's what we've learned after producing 500+ videos for leading tech companies: 1. Start with the pain point, not the feature → Your first 7 seconds must resonate with your viewer's challenges → Hook them with relatable scenarios, not technical specs 2. Break complex concepts into digestible chunks → Use the "one idea per scene" rule → Layer information progressively to avoid cognitive overload 3. Visual hierarchy matters more than fancy animations → Clear typography & consistent colors > flashy effects → Use motion to guide attention, not distract 4. Script structure that works: • Problem (15 seconds) • Solution introduction (20 seconds) • Key benefits (30-40 seconds) • Social proof + CTA (15 seconds) 5. Sound design is your secret weapon → Professional voiceover sets the tone → Strategic sound effects enhance retention → Background music should complement, not compete The best part? When done right, these videos become your hardest-working sales assets 🚀 Currently seeing 3-4x higher engagement rates compared to static content across our client base. What's your biggest challenge when creating product videos? #B2BMarketing #SaaS #VideoMarketing #ProductMarketing #ProductVideo