YouTube Scripting Template
Hook bank, proof-stack frameworks, and format-specific scripting for vertical, Shorts, in-feed, and 16:9.
Who this is for
- In-house video teams producing at scale
- Creative leads briefing external producers
- Brands shooting their first batch for YouTube + Demand Gen
Why this exists
Most ecom video underperforms because one script is shot in one format and re-cropped for the others. The structure that works in Shorts kills in-stream and the in-stream pattern reads slow in Shorts. This template formalises the differences.
Read this first
A YouTube ad and a YouTube Short are different animals. Same channel, same algorithm family, opposite watch behaviour. The Short viewer expects a hook in 0.5 seconds and a payoff in 8. The in-stream viewer expects a 5-second skip option and a reason to stick past it. The script that works in one collapses in the other. This template puts the format-specific rules in writing so the production brief lands the right shape on the first cut.
Format-specific structure cheat sheet
Three-row reference covering the formats Ad-Lab ships in production. Same script, different cuts; the differences below are what changes between them.
| Format | First-frame demand | Optimal length | CTA placement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shorts (9:16, < 60s) | Hook + visual payoff in 0.5s. No fade-in, no logo intro. | 10-25 seconds. Above 30 seconds completion drops sharply. | Front-load offer in 0-3s, repeat at 80% of duration. |
| In-feed (1:1 or 4:5) | Question or pattern-interrupt + caption in 1s. Captions burn-in mandatory. | 12-20 seconds. The user is scrolling; reach the offer fast. | Mid-cut at 40-60% of duration plus end-card. |
| In-stream (16:9, skippable) | Hook in the first 5 seconds. Branded logo by 4s. | 15-30 seconds for performance, 60-90 for narrative-led brand. | Back-load past the 5s skip mark, end-card with verbal + visual CTA. |
| Bumper (16:9, non-skippable, 6s) | One sentence. One visual. One brand mark. | Exactly 6 seconds. | There is one CTA, and it is the entire ad. |
Script the batch in this order
Open with the proof-stack framework
Choose one: problem-solution, contrarian-take, demonstration, third-party-evidence. The framework defines how the script earns the viewer's trust before the ask. Don't mix two; one framework per script keeps the proof clean.
Write the universal middle (15-30 seconds of body)
Three to five short beats. Each beat advances the story (problem -> solution -> evidence -> what to do next). Write it long-form, then trim to the longest format you'll ship (typically in-stream at 30s). The shorter cuts then trim from this master without losing the story arc.
Decide CTA placement based on intent
Front-loaded CTA when the audience already has buying intent (retargeting, direct-response). Back-loaded CTA when the audience is mid-funnel and needs the proof-stack first. The decision is the script's, not the format's.
Format-specific edits
Cut the master into the four format variants. Shorts: trim everything except the hook + payoff + front-loaded CTA. In-feed: keep the question and proof-beat, trim the second proof beat. In-stream: keep all beats, place the CTA at end. Bumper: pick one sentence from the master, one visual, one logo. The script doesn't get re-written; the cuts do the work.
Reusable script skeleton
Use this skeleton when briefing a writer or shooting a batch. Each beat is a placeholder; the lengths in parentheses are the in-stream-30s budget that the shorter cuts then trim from.
BEAT 1 (0-3s): HOOK
[pattern: question / number / pattern-interrupt /
contrarian / demonstration / testimonial / founder]
Visual: [first-frame visual proof so the hook lands
without sound]
BEAT 2 (3-12s): SETUP THE PROBLEM
[name the problem in one sentence; this is what the
audience already feels]
Visual: [evidence the problem is real, not a
marketing line]
BEAT 3 (12-22s): SOLUTION + MECHANISM
[name the solution and ONE mechanism that makes it
distinctive; do not list features]
Visual: [demonstration of the mechanism in action]
BEAT 4 (22-27s): PROOF
[number, customer testimonial, or third-party
evidence; pick one, not all three]
Visual: [the evidence rendered as text + visual]
BEAT 5 (27-30s): CTA + END CARD
[one verbal CTA, one visual CTA, brand mark]
Visual: [end card with offer + URL]Pre-shoot checklist for the batch
- Six scripts in writing, each with hook + setup + solution + proof + CTA beats
- Three hook variants per script (18 hook lines total)
- Master shoot plan covering all script body needs (avoids re-shoots for missing beats)
- Vertical-first composition: framing the action so it survives the 9:16 crop
- Captions burned in for vertical and in-feed (subtitles optional for in-stream)
- Music + audio mix mastered for both with-sound and silent playback
- End-card variants in three formats (vertical, square, 16:9) ready to drop in
- Brand-mark placement specified per format (top-left for Shorts, end-card for in-stream)
- Approval cycle scheduled with the campaign team so cuts arrive when the campaign is ready to deploy
What good looks like after the batch ships
Eighteen ad units in the bank, format-cut into four variants each. The campaign team can deploy any of them on any surface without re-editing. View-through retention reads above 35% on Shorts and 25% on in-stream. The next batch's brief is informed by which scripts and hooks won this round, not by guesses. The agency's creative ops cadence is locked at one batch every two weeks indefinitely.
External resources
Authoritative references we link to alongside the template. Read them before running the audit.
- Google Ads, video ad formats overviewReference for the in-stream, in-feed, bumper, and Shorts ad formats.
- Google Ads, ABCDs of effective video adsGoogle's published creative framework. Useful as a script-writing prompt.
- YouTube Creator Academy, short-form best practicesHow YouTube describes the Shorts viewer behaviour. Required reading before scripting Shorts.
- Meta, creative best practices for short-form videoCross-platform vertical creative reference. Patterns transfer to Shorts and in-feed.
- Search Engine Journal, YouTube ads coverageTopic index for ongoing format and creative changes on YouTube Ads.
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