A script helps you make a video that is clear, convincing and exactly what the brand asked for. It saves time while filming and editing, and it stops you from forgetting important points. It doesn't have to feel stiff: a good script still sounds natural.
Start with the brief
Before you write anything, read the brief carefully. Note the key messages the brand wants to get across, the target audience, what you must and must not say, the length of the video and the call to action. Some brands want to approve your script before you film. Check whether that applies.
The structure of a strong UGC script
- Hook (0 - 3 seconds). Grab attention immediately with a question, a bold statement or a striking image. Read How to create a strong hook in the first 3 seconds for tips.
- Problem (3 - 8 seconds). Name a situation or frustration your target audience recognises. This makes viewers think: "That's me."
- Solution (8 - 20 seconds). Introduce the product as the answer to that problem. Show it in use, not just in your hand.
- Benefits (20 - 26 seconds). Name two or three benefits that matter most to the target audience. Make them personal: tell how you experience it yourself.
- Call to action (26 - 30 seconds). Tell viewers what to do next, such as trying the product or visiting the website. Use the call to action from the brief.
Example: a 30-second script
For a fictional reusable water bottle:
- Hook. Show: you take a sip from an almost-empty glass and put it down. Say: "I used to drink maybe two glasses of water a day."
- Problem. Show: you at your desk, looking tired. Say: "By the afternoon I was always tired and grabbing another coffee."
- Solution. Show: you fill the bottle and point to the time markers on the side. Say: "Then I got this bottle. It has time markers, so I can see exactly how much I should have had by lunch."
- Benefits. Show: the bottle in your bag, on your desk, at the gym. Say: "It keeps water cold all day, it doesn't leak in my bag, and I now finish two of these a day."
- Call to action. Show: you hold the bottle up to the camera. Say: "If you always forget to drink enough, give this one a try."
Tips for writing your script
- Write the way you talk. Use short sentences and everyday words. Your script should sound like you're telling a friend about it, not like an advertisement.
- Note what you say and what you show. Write down the image for each part, too. This makes filming much easier, and helps you show the product in action.
- Keep an eye on the length. On average, people speak about two to three words per second. For a 30-second video, that's around 60 to 80 words.
- Read it out loud. You'll immediately hear which sentences sound unnatural or are too long.
- Don't learn it word for word. Use your script as a guide. If you memorise every word, it often sounds stiff. Keywords per section are often enough.
- Only make claims you can back up. Stick to the claims in the brief and your own experience. Never promise results that a product can't guarantee, such as health effects.
Tip: write multiple hooks
Brands often test different openings in their ads. Write two or three alternative hooks for the same script and film them all. This makes your content more valuable to the brand.
Common mistakes
Watch out for a long introduction before you get to the point, too many benefits at once, forgetting the call to action, mentioning the product only at the end, and a script that sounds like reading a product description aloud.
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