Guide
Script structure for short video ads: 5 parts in about 75 words
Updated
A short video ad script has five parts: hook, problem, how it works, proof and call to action. A 30-second ad fits about 75 spoken words.
In short
- A short video ad script has 5 parts: hook, problem, how it works, proof and call to action.
- A 30-second ad fits about 75 spoken words, because people speak about 2.5 words a second.
- A 15-second ad fits about 38 words, and a 60-second ad about 150.
- The proof should get the most words, about 22 in a 30-second ad. The hook needs only about 8.
- To check a script's length, divide the word count by 2.5. That gives the length in seconds.
- Parts in a short video ad script
- 5
- Spoken words that fit in 30 seconds
- 75
- Words a second most people speak
- 2.5
The 5 parts of a short video ad script
Each part has one job, and they come in this order.
- The hook is the opening sentence. It gives people a reason to keep watching past the first 3 seconds.
- The problem says what is wrong, in the words a customer would use.
- How it works says what the product does and why that solves the problem.
- The proof shows it is true: a demo, a number, a before and after, or an answer to a common doubt.
- The call to action asks for one thing, like 'tap the link below', and gives a reason to do it.
A 30-second script, part by part
A starting point, not a fixed rule. If one part runs long, another has to get shorter.
| Part | Time | Words |
|---|---|---|
| Hook | 0 to 3 s | About 8 |
| Problem | 3 to 8 s | About 12 |
| How it works | 8 to 15 s | About 18 |
| Proof | 15 to 24 s | About 22 |
| Call to action | 24 to 30 s | About 15 |
Part: Hook
- Time
- 0 to 3 s
- Words
- About 8
Part: Problem
- Time
- 3 to 8 s
- Words
- About 12
Part: How it works
- Time
- 8 to 15 s
- Words
- About 18
Part: Proof
- Time
- 15 to 24 s
- Words
- About 22
Part: Call to action
- Time
- 24 to 30 s
- Words
- About 15
How many words fit in a short video ad?
People speak about 2.5 words a second, so count the words before you film.
- To get the length in seconds, divide the word count by 2.5.
- A script that is too long makes you talk too fast, or cut lines while you film.
- A short ad has room for one idea. Save a second idea for another ad.
Ad length and spoken words
| Ad length | Spoken words |
|---|---|
| 15 seconds | About 38 |
| 30 seconds | About 75 |
| 60 seconds | About 150 |
Ad length: 15 seconds
- Spoken words
- About 38
Ad length: 30 seconds
- Spoken words
- About 75
Ad length: 60 seconds
- Spoken words
- About 150
This is the whole editor
Highlight a phrase and a clip lands on those exact words. No timeline, no keyframes, no layers.
Example of a 30-second video ad script
This example is for a made-up product, a reusable coffee filter. It has 71 words.
It uses a specific number and plain words, and it compares the price with something the viewer already buys.
Example script: a reusable coffee filter
| Part | Words | What you say |
|---|---|---|
| Hook | 8 | I binned about 1,100 paper filters this year. |
| Problem | 12 | Every morning, same routine, same bin. The box runs out on Sundays. |
| How it works | 16 | This is steel mesh with holes fine enough to hold the grounds but not the oils. |
| Proof | 22 | That is why the coffee tastes heavier. Paper soaks up the oils. I just rinse this under the tap for five seconds. |
| Call to action | 13 | One filter, about the cost of two boxes of paper. Link is below. |
Part: Hook
- Words
- 8
- What you say
- I binned about 1,100 paper filters this year.
Part: Problem
- Words
- 12
- What you say
- Every morning, same routine, same bin. The box runs out on Sundays.
Part: How it works
- Words
- 16
- What you say
- This is steel mesh with holes fine enough to hold the grounds but not the oils.
Part: Proof
- Words
- 22
- What you say
- That is why the coffee tastes heavier. Paper soaks up the oils. I just rinse this under the tap for five seconds.
Part: Call to action
- Words
- 13
- What you say
- One filter, about the cost of two boxes of paper. Link is below.
Common script mistakes
Most first drafts go wrong in the same few places.
- The first sentence is background, like who you are or how you started. Put your most interesting sentence first.
- The hook is too long. About 8 words is enough.
- The proof is too short. A claim with no proof gives the viewer no reason to believe it.
- The ending asks for too much, like an offer, a guarantee, a discount code and a deadline. Keep one ask and put the rest on your landing page.
- The ad tries to say two or three things. One idea per ad is easier to follow.
Where Cutroom fits
Once the script is written, you film it once and Cutroom does the editing.
- You upload one video of yourself reading the script, up to 3 minutes long.
- Cutroom adds captions timed to your voice and puts b-roll on your words, and on Punch and Native it shortens the pauses.
- Cutroom keeps the lines you say, so if a part runs long, cut it from the script and film it again.
- If you film each hook for the same script as its own recording, you can make one version per hook and test them.
- A 30-second ad uses 110 credits, about $1.76 on any paid plan. Your first video is free, with no card, and you have 7 days to make it.
Questions people ask
- How many words is a 30-second ad script?
- About 75. People speak about 2.5 words a second, so a 15-second ad is about 38 words and a 60-second ad about 150.
- What is the best structure for a short video ad?
- Hook, problem, how it works, proof and call to action. Give the proof the most words and the hook the fewest.
- Does every short ad need this order?
- No. If your product is easy to demonstrate, you can open with the proof. If buyers doubt you, you can open with their doubt. Keep the total word count the same.
- How long should a video ad be?
- Pick 15, 30 or 60 seconds. A 30-second ad, about 75 spoken words, has room for all five parts.
- Do I need to say the call to action if the ad has a button?
- Yes, a short one helps. It tells viewers what happens next. Keep it to one action and one sentence.
- How do I explain how a product works without sounding technical?
- Describe it plainly, the way you would to a friend. Say 'steel mesh with tiny holes', not 'advanced filtration technology'.
Write about 75 words, film them once, and get a finished ad back. Your first video is free.
Try for freeYour first video is free, no card, and you have 7 days to make it. It carries a Cutroom mark; Lite at $19.99/month removes it