---
name: short-video-scripts
description: "Write scripts for 15 to 90-second vertical videos on TikTok, Reels, Shorts and LinkedIn: one idea per video, hook banks across types, structures from tutorials to stories, beat sheets with time, visual, on-screen text and voice-over, ruthless cutting, captions for sound off, one call to action and hook variations to test. Use whenever someone asks for a short video script, Reels script, TikTok script, YouTube Shorts script, video hooks, product demo video script, creator brief or turning long videos into clips."
license: CC-BY-4.0
metadata:
  author: Afeez Adebayo
  author_url: https://afeezadebayo.com
  author_linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afeez-adebayo/
  author_x: https://x.com/za_icon
  source: https://afeezadebayo.com/skills-md/marketing/social-media/short-video-scripts/
  category: marketing
  subcategory: social-media
  version: "1.0.0"
  created: "2026-10-10"
  updated: "2026-10-10"
---

# Short Video Scripts

Short vertical video (TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, LinkedIn video) rewards one thing above all: holding attention. Viewers decide in a second or two whether to keep watching, and every slow moment loses more of them. Most brand videos fail because they start with a logo, explain context nobody asked for, cram in several messages or end without a reason to act. A good script fixes this before anyone picks up a camera.

This skill writes scripts for short videos from 15 to 90 seconds: hooks, structure, on-screen text, visuals and B-roll, voice-over, pacing, calls to action and variations for testing, across tutorials, stories, demos, myth-busting, testimonials and trends.

## Operating principles
1. **One video, one idea.** Several messages mean none is remembered.
2. **Hook first, context later.** Open with the most interesting moment, claim or result.
3. **Show, don't just tell.** Visual proof, demonstrations and faces hold attention.
4. **Write for sound off and sound on.** On-screen text and captions carry the message either way.
5. **Earn the ending.** Deliver the payoff, then give one clear next step.

## Script structures
| Structure | Flow | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Hook, steps, result | Claim, 3 quick steps, show the result | Tutorials |
| Problem, agitate, solve | Pain, why it's worse than it looks, the fix | Product demos |
| Before and after | Show the end, rewind to the start, show how | Transformations |
| Myth, truth, proof | Common belief, correction, evidence | Education |
| Story arc | Situation, tension, turning point, lesson | Founder and customer stories |
| List | "3 things..." with a quick visual for each | Tips and ideas |
| Reply to comment | Viewer question on screen, answer | Community and FAQs |

## Script template
```
Title / idea:
Target viewer and platform:
Length: (e.g. 30 seconds)

| Time | Visual | On-screen text | Voice-over or dialogue |
| 0-2s | Result shot: clean white trainers | "Clean white trainers in 60 seconds" | "This works better than anything I've tried." |
| 2-10s | Step 1 close-up | "Step 1: dry brush" | "First, brush off the dry dirt." |
| 10-20s | Step 2 | "Step 2: paste" | "Mix baking soda and washing-up liquid..." |
| 20-27s | Step 3 and reveal | "Step 3: wipe" | "Wipe, and look at that." |
| 27-30s | Final shot | "Save this for later" | "Save this for next time." |

Caption (with keywords):
Sound or music notes:
Call to action:
```

## When to use, and when not to
Use it for organic short video on any platform, creator briefs, product demos, explainers, recruitment videos and repurposing long content into clips.

Don't use it for paid ad creative testing in depth (the Performance Marketing `ad-creative-testing` skill) or long-form YouTube videos (`youtube-seo-growth`).

## Inputs to ask for, in one message
1. The idea, product or message.
2. Platform and target viewer.
3. Length and format constraints.
4. Who appears on camera, and locations or props available.
5. Brand voice and any claims rules.
6. Examples of videos the brand likes.

## Workflow

### Step 1. Pick one idea
Write it in one sentence.

### Step 2. Find the hook
Write ten hooks across types (result, question, mistake, bold claim, relatable situation, visual surprise); choose the strongest two to test.

### Step 3. Choose a structure
Match to the idea: tutorial, story, demo, myth-busting, list.

### Step 4. Write the beat sheet
Time, visual, on-screen text and voice for every few seconds.

### Step 5. Cut ruthlessly
Remove anything that doesn't move the viewer forward; aim for a cut or change every few seconds.

### Step 6. Add on-screen text and captions
Short, readable, placed away from platform buttons.

### Step 7. Write the call to action
One action: save, follow, comment, send, visit.

### Step 8. Prepare variations
Two or three hooks or openings to test with the same body.

## Hook bank
| Type | Example |
|---|---|
| Result first | "From 6 days to 2: here's how we close our books now." |
| Mistake | "You're probably watering your plants wrong." |
| Question | "Why is your Wi-Fi slow in one room?" |
| Bold claim | "This is the only spreadsheet formula most people need." |
| Relatable | "POV: it's Sunday night and you haven't planned any meals." |
| Curiosity | "We tested 5 cheap headphones so you don't have to." |

## Pacing guide
| Length | Beats | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 15 seconds | Hook, one point, payoff | Ideal for single tips |
| 30 seconds | Hook, 2-3 steps, payoff, call to action | Tutorials and demos |
| 60 seconds | Hook, story or 4-5 steps, payoff | Stories and deeper explainers |
| 90 seconds | Hook, setup, development, payoff | Only if the story holds attention throughout |
Change the visual every two to four seconds: a new angle, close-up, text card or B-roll.

## On-screen text rules
- Large, high-contrast text in the safe area away from buttons and captions.
- One short line at a time.
- Match the spoken words or summarise them.
- Keep the hook text on screen long enough to read.

## Filming checklist
- Vertical 9:16, steady phone, eye-level framing.
- Natural light facing the speaker.
- Clean audio (a small clip-on microphone helps).
- Extra B-roll of hands, products and results.
- Several takes of the hook.

## Testing hooks
Post the same body with different openings over a week or two, or use platform features that test variations, and compare average watch time in the first seconds and completion rate. Keep a hook library of winners for future scripts.

## Further reading
- TikTok Creative Center: https://ads.tiktok.com/business/creativecenter
- YouTube Shorts creator resources: https://www.youtube.com/creators/shorts/

## Edge cases and judgement calls
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| No one on camera | Hands-only, screen recordings, text-led or voice-over videos |
| Complex products | One use case per video; series for depth |
| Regulated claims | Approved wording only; add required disclaimers |
| Repurposing long videos | Pick moments with a clear hook and payoff; reframe with on-screen text |
| Creator briefs | Give the idea, key message and must-avoid list; let creators use their style |

## Handoffs to related skills
- TikTok: `tiktok-organic`
- Instagram: `instagram-organic`
- YouTube Shorts and long form: `youtube-seo-growth`
- LinkedIn video: `linkedin-organic`
- Creators: `creator-employee-advocacy`
- Paid creative: the Performance Marketing `ad-creative-testing` skill

## Worked example
A project management app made 60-second product videos that opened with its logo and a list of features; most viewers left within two seconds. New scripts opened with relatable situations ("POV: three clients emailed asking for updates at once"), showed one feature solving one problem in under 25 seconds, used on-screen text throughout and ended with "follow for one project tip a week". Average watch time and completion rates rose sharply, and two videos became the account's best-performing content.

## Output format
```
# Short video script: <idea>, <date>
## One-sentence idea and target viewer
## Hook options (top two marked)
## Beat sheet (time, visual, text, voice)
## Caption and keywords
## Call to action
## Variations to test
```

## Common mistakes
- Opening with a logo or introduction.
- Several messages in one video.
- No on-screen text.
- Slow pacing.
- Endings with no clear action.

## Questions to ask before you script
- What single idea should viewers remember?
- What would make someone stop scrolling?
- What can be shown, not just said?

## Self-check before you answer
- Does the first two seconds earn attention?
- Is there one idea and one call to action?
- Are visuals and on-screen text planned beat by beat?
- Are hook variations ready to test?

---
Created by Afeez Adebayo, Marketing, SEO & Growth Expert
Website: https://afeezadebayo.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/afeez-adebayo/
X: https://x.com/za_icon
Source: https://afeezadebayo.com/skills-md/marketing/social-media/short-video-scripts/

Licence: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). You may copy, share and adapt this skill, including for commercial use, as long as you credit Afeez Adebayo and link to the source URL above. Keep this notice in any copy or adapted version.