Video. Everyone agrees it’s a powerful marketing tool, but (spoiler alert) only if you make the most of it – otherwise it can quickly turn into a massive waste of time and budget. Here we share three things the best B2B video scripts contain.
Three things your B2B video script should have
Whether you like it or not: video content generates more clicks, traffic, shares and sales than written content.
Hey, we’re not dismissing the value of the written word (we are writers afterall), but cold hard facts are unavoidable. This means that today, a smart growth marketing strategy should contain both written & video content, and for some businesses a video first approach may even be preferable.
The reason for this is that video is an accessible way to consume information quickly. The habit has been growing over the past few years, and recent estimates reckon that by 2021 people will spend 100 minutes a day watching online videos.
It’s not just kids watching YouTube either. Businesses who use video see an increase in website traffic and the vast majority can confidently demonstrate a sizable increase in user understanding about their service or product (we all love well produced explainer videos!).
I’m pretty certain you already know this. I’m also certain that over the past six months you, like me, have become all too aware of the level of noise and competition around video content – particularly B2B video content on LinkedIn. Now, the challenge is not just about creating video content your target audience will love. It is about creating original B2B videos that will stand out in an ocean of visual content.
The killer question: how do you do that?
All great videos start with a script. The production element can all come later – first and foremost you have to decide whether you have something original and engaging to say to your audience.
At Attract & Engage we’ve spent years perfecting the art of writing B2B content – from press releases to keynote presentations, sales letters, emails and scripts. Our expertise ensures that the story & key messages cut through and speak to your audience. Over the years, we’ve learned there are three things that every good B2B video script must contain.
- The ideal structure
There are many uses for video within B2B marketing: advertising, case study, explainer, thought leadership, sales Q&A. Regardless of the purpose, developing the right structure is the foundation of information delivery with impact.
At A&E, we know story structure inside out – whether it’s knowing how best to frame your product or service within a story of ‘greater good’ or applying the traditional three-act structure to a case study video so your audience leaves with key message takeaways.
The writing techniques we use can be traced back to Aristotle’s 3 Persuasive Proofs – Ethos, Pathos, and Logos. Worth checking out if you are a writer or marketer.
- A perfect balance of show and tell
Video is a complicated format and so a good script must give direction to the camera person or animator to help bring the vision to life.
This begins by getting the balance of show vs tell right and knowing when to let the visuals do the talking (a fine art in itself).
Our writers look for visually engaging ways to share information as part of the good video script process. Central to this is their ability to convey visual ideas clearly and concisely to make sure that the original idea translates on screen.
- Timing
The biggest challenge in video script writing is timing, and here’s why…
Firstly, every second counts (literally!). Production costs for live video or animation can be high and as video script writers we want to help clients keep a tight rein on overall budget investment. Secondly, your B2B audience does not have the patience for a ‘The Godfather’ length epic. They want information to be fast and be gone.
Writing simultaneously concise and engaging video content – that packs in ALL of the required detail – is a skill that comes with experience.
It does sound like a lot, but we can help.
At A&E, we have years of experience writing B2B content for businesses of all sizes and industries, and for an array of purposes – from business introducers to service deep-dives.
This means we speak from experience when we suggest that, before you put pen to paper, you take time on script planning. Make sure you have a good understanding of your target persona, what challenges they’re facing, where they are in the sales funnel journey, and what exactly they’ll want to take away from watching your video.
The more understanding you have, the more targeted your messages can be, and the more likely your video is to result in clicks, shares and conversions. We look at this in more detail in this recent blog – Building Your Brand Story.
Want help building brand awareness growing sales? We’ve helped a ton of businesses do just that. Schedule a call and let’s talk growth marketing.
Connect with Jill Willis via LinkedIn
