How to Write an Explainer Video Script (With a 60-Second Template)

The script decides whether an explainer video works. Beautiful animation can’t rescue a muddled message, but a sharp script makes even simple visuals land. If you’re planning an animated video for your website, app or launch, this guide shows how to write an explainer video script that is clear, short and easy to animate, with a 60-second template you can fill in today. It’s the same structure we use in Omebly’s explainer video service.

Quick answer: A good explainer video script follows four beats: the problem, your solution, how it works, and a call to action. For 60 seconds, write about 130–150 words of voice-over, put a hook in the first five seconds, keep to one message, and write visual notes beside each line so the animator knows what to show.

What an explainer video script needs to do

An explainer has one job: help a specific viewer understand one thing quickly enough that they take the next step. That means the script must:

• Speak to one audience. “Clinic owners in Dubai” is better than “everyone”.
• Carry one message. What should viewers remember tomorrow?
• Lead to one action. Book a demo, download the app, call for a quote.

Everything else is optional. Before writing a single line, fill in this sentence: “After watching, [audience] will understand [one message] and will [one action].”

How long should the script be?

Voice-over pace decides length. A common rule of thumb is roughly 130–150 words per minute for a calm, clear read. Faster reads sound like the terms and conditions at the end of a radio ad.

Video length	Voice-over words (approx.)	Best use
15 seconds	30–40	Social ad, teaser
30 seconds	65–75	Ad, landing page hero
60 seconds	130–150	Website or product page
90 seconds	190–220	Detailed product or service

Hindi and Arabic scripts may run a little shorter or longer than English for the same meaning, so time a read-aloud in each language you need.

The four-beat structure

Beat 1: The problem (0–12 seconds)

Open with a situation the viewer recognises. Be specific. “Managing appointments is hard” is vague; “Your receptionist spends two hours a day returning missed calls” is a picture.

Beat 2: The solution (12–25 seconds)

Introduce your product or service as the answer to that exact problem. Name it once, clearly.

Beat 3: How it works (25–50 seconds)

Show three steps or three benefits, no more. Three is easy to follow and easy to animate. Each step should be one short sentence.

Beat 4: Call to action (50–60 seconds)

Tell people exactly what to do and where. Repeat the brand name and show the URL or button on screen.

The 60-second explainer video script template

Copy this two-column template into a document and replace the brackets.

Time	Voice-over	On screen
0–5s	[Hook: a question or a relatable moment. ~12 words]	[Character or scene showing the moment]
5–12s	[The cost of the problem. ~15 words]	[Visual of frustration: clock, pile of tasks, lost customer]
12–25s	“That’s why we built [Product]. [One-line promise.]” ~30 words	[Logo reveal, product in context]
25–33s	“First, [step or benefit one].” ~18 words	[Simple UI or icon animation]
33–41s	“Then, [step or benefit two].” ~18 words	[Second animation]
41–50s	“And [step or benefit three], so you can [result].” ~22 words	[Happy result scene]
50–60s	“[Call to action] at [URL].” ~15 words	[Logo, URL, button, contact]

That adds up to about 130 words, which leaves breathing room for music and transitions.

A worked example

Here’s the template filled in for an imaginary appointment app for small clinics. It is an example only, not a real client.

• 0–5s: “Missed another patient call while you were with a patient?”
• 5–12s: “Every missed call is a lost booking, and someone has to call everyone back.”
• 12–25s: “That’s why we built ClinicSlot: online booking that fills your diary while you work. Patients book in seconds, any time of day.”
• 25–33s: “First, patients pick a time from your live calendar.”
• 33–41s: “Then, they get an automatic WhatsApp reminder before the visit.”
• 41–50s: “And your staff see every booking in one place, so the phone finally stops ringing off the hook.”
• 50–60s: “Start your free setup today at clinicslot.example.”

Read it aloud with a stopwatch. If you run over 60 seconds, cut words, not pauses.

Writing tips that make scripts easier to animate

• Write for the ear. Short sentences. Everyday words. Read every line aloud.
• Use “you” more than “we”. The viewer is the hero; your product is the helper.
• One idea per line. Each line becomes a scene, so cramming two ideas into one sentence forces a messy visual.
• Show, don’t list. If the visual can show “fast”, the narrator doesn’t need to say “fast, simple and secure”.
• Plan for silence. Captions matter because many people watch with the sound off. The W3C’s guidance on captions explains why they help everyone.
• Keep brand words consistent. Use the same product name and tone as your website and brand guidelines. Our guide to brand identity design covers voice and tone.

Plan ad cut-downs at the script stage

Mark which lines survive in a 30-second and 15-second version. Usually the hook, the solution line and the call to action stay. It’s far cheaper to plan these now than to re-edit later.

Common explainer script mistakes

1. Starting with the company history. Nobody cares who you are until they know what’s in it for them.
2. Trying to explain every feature. One message per video. Make a second video for the rest.
3. Jargon. If your customer wouldn’t say it, the narrator shouldn’t.
4. A weak call to action. “Learn more” is vague. “Book a free demo at…” is clear.
5. Approving too fast. The script is the cheapest stage to change. Once animation starts, changes cost time.
6. No visual notes. Leaving visuals to chance means more revision rounds later.

Explainer script checklist

• One audience, one message, one action written down
• Hook within the first 5 seconds
• Problem, solution, how it works, call to action
• Word count matches the target length
• Read aloud with a stopwatch
• Visual notes beside every line
• Works with captions and the sound off
• Cut-down lines marked for 30s and 15s versions
• Voice-over languages chosen
• Brand name, URL and tone checked

From script to finished video

Once the script is approved, a studio turns it into a storyboard, a style frame in your brand look, voice-over and music, then full animation. Should it be flat 2D or a 3D product shot? Our comparison of explainer videos vs 3D product animation helps you choose.

How Omebly can help

Omebly’s explainer video service includes the script and storyboard, custom illustration in your brand, 2D or 3D animation, professional voice-over and music, captions and subtitles, and versions for your website, ads and social. Voice-overs are available in English, Hindi, Arabic and other languages. Explainers start from $900 for a 30-second video, and after a free consultation you receive a fixed written quote within 48 hours. Revisions are usually two rounds at script, storyboard and animation stages, and milestone payments follow each approved stage.

We work with brands in Kolkata, Downtown Dubai and further afield, on calls in your time zone. Send us your draft script, or just your idea, through the contact page or on WhatsApp.

Fill in the template above, read it aloud once, and you’ll know exactly what your video needs to say.