Story says Thirty seconds is plenty. The first three are the hook, the last five are the door. Everything in between just has to not wander off.
30 second explainer video script examples you can steal tonight
A 30 second explainer video script is about 70 words in three beats: the problem (5 to 8 seconds), what you do about it (15 to 18 seconds) and one next step (5 seconds). Below are three complete examples for different businesses and a fill-in template.
Your idea, ready to go“A 30-second explainer for my plumbing business, Pipewell: leaky tap at midnight, we come within the hour, fixed price, and one number to call.”
Make this filmSign up takes a minute. The idea is filled in, and you can change every word.
You know what your business does. You have said it a thousand times, at the counter, on the phone, at a barbecue to a cousin who was only half listening. The trouble starts the moment you try to write it down for a video and it turns into a paragraph that sounds like a tax form.
So here are three finished scripts you can read aloud, time and borrow from, each for a different kind of business. Then a template with blanks to fill. Steal the shape. Keep your own words.
What does a 30 second explainer video script look like?
A good 30 second explainer script is roughly 65 to 80 spoken words split into three beats: a problem the viewer recognizes, what you do about it, and one clear next step. Each beat is usually one or two scenes. On paper, that fits on a single sticky note, which is a great sign.
| Beat | Seconds | Words | Job |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. The problem | 0 to 7 | 15 to 20 | Make the viewer nod |
| 2. The answer | 7 to 25 | 40 to 50 | Show what you do, and how it feels |
| 3. The next step | 25 to 30 | 8 to 12 | One action, one address |
Example 1: a mobile dog groomer (friendly and funny)
Say you run a van that washes dogs outside people's homes. Your viewers are busy dog owners who dread the salon trip. Tone: warm, a little silly.
Scene 1 (0 to 7s): A muddy dog on a clean sofa. Voice: "Your dog found the one puddle in the whole park. And now the sofa knows about it too."
Scene 2 (7 to 16s): A bright van pulls up outside a house. Voice: "Suds on Wheels comes to your door. Warm water, gentle hands, no car ride, no waiting room full of nervous barking."
Scene 3 (16 to 25s): Fluffy dog trotting back inside. Voice: "Forty minutes later you get back a dog who smells like a dog you would actually hug."
Scene 4 (25 to 30s): Name and address on screen. Voice: "Book a slot at sudsonwheels dot com."
Why it works: the first line is a picture, not a claim. Everyone has seen that sofa. The service is explained by what disappears (the car ride, the waiting room), which is how customers think about it.
Example 2: a bookkeeper for sole traders (calm and trustworthy)
Now a quieter business. A one-person bookkeeping service for freelancers and tradespeople who hate paperwork. Tone: reassuring, no jokes about taxes, because nobody laughs about taxes in March.
Scene 1 (0 to 8s): A shoebox overflowing with receipts. Voice: "If your receipts live in a shoebox, and the shoebox lives under the bed, this is for you."
Scene 2 (8 to 18s): Receipts float out and file themselves into tidy folders. Voice: "Send me a photo of each receipt as you go. I sort them, keep your books up to date, and tell you what to put aside."
Scene 3 (18 to 25s): A calendar page turns without drama. Voice: "So the deadline is just a date, not a weekend."
Scene 4 (25 to 30s): Name on screen. Voice: "Start with a free chat at shoeboxbooks dot com."
Why it works: it names the audience in the first sentence, so the right people lean in and the wrong ones scroll on, which is also fine. The benefit is a feeling (a free weekend), not a feature.
Example 3: a neighborhood bike repair shop (short and punchy)
Finally, a shop that wants a quick film for its homepage and a tall version for social feeds. Tone: brisk, a little cheeky, lots of movement.
Scene 1 (0 to 6s): A bike leaning sadly against a wall, flat tire. Voice: "Flat tire. Squeaky brakes. A chain that sounds like it has opinions."
Scene 2 (6 to 17s): The bike rolls into a small shop and gets spun on a stand. Voice: "Drop it at Spoke and Chain before work. We fix it the same day, and we text you the price before we touch anything."
Scene 3 (17 to 25s): The bike zips down a hill with a happy rider. Voice: "Pick it up on the way home. Ride it like you mean it."
Scene 4 (25 to 30s): Address and opening hours. Voice: "Spoke and Chain. Twelve Mill Street. Open six days."
Why it works: the problem is three quick sounds, so the film starts fast. The promise about texting the price answers the question every customer secretly has.
Is there a fill-in template for a 30 second explainer script?
Yes. Copy this, fill the blanks, then read it aloud with a timer. If you run over 30 seconds, cut from the middle beat first; the problem and the next step are the load-bearing walls.
- Step 1
The problem (7s). "If you [everyday situation your customer is in], you know [the annoying part]."
- Step 2
Who you are (5s). "[Business name] [what you do in six words or fewer]."
- Step 3
How it works (8s). "You [first thing the customer does]. We [what you do]. Then [what they get]."
- Step 4
How it feels (5s). "So [the old annoyance] becomes [the new easy thing]."
- Step 5
The next step (5s). "[One action] at [one address]."
For the thinking behind each beat, our guide on how to write a script for a 30 second animation goes deeper.
How do you check a script before it becomes a video?
Read it out loud, standing up, with a timer running. Then read it to one person who does not know your business and ask them to repeat back what you do. If they cannot, the script is not ready, no matter how nice it looks on paper.
- The breath test Mark every place you breathe. Each breath is a natural scene cut.
- The stranger test Could a neighbor explain your service after one listen?
- The picture test Can you see an image for every sentence? "Solutions" has no picture. A shoebox does.
- The one-door test Count the calls to action. The right number is one.
If you can draw it, say it. If you can only put it in a brochure, cut it.
Turning your script into a film in Nine
Once the script reads well out loud, you can hand it straight to Nine. Choose A script and paste it in: your words, your order, and each paragraph becomes a scene, so write one paragraph per scene just like the examples above. Or start from your website address, and Nine picks up your name, colors and typeface first. The crew draws the film, adds a voice, music and sound effects while you watch, and checks it before you see it.
If a scene feels off, say so in plain words ("make the van brighter", "slow the last line") and get a new version, or tweak it yourself in the chamber. A 30 second film needs Film + Transparent at $169 a month; a trimmed 20 second cut fits the Film plan at $29. Details on pricing, and more on turning a script into an animated video. If you would rather skip hiring anyone at all, see making an explainer video without an agency.
Questions people ask
How many words should a 30 second video script have?
Between 65 and 80 words for a calm, clear voice. Energetic reads can stretch to about 85, but viewers on phones follow slower narration better. If your script is 110 words, it is a 40 second script wearing a disguise. Cut the middle rather than asking the voice to hurry.
What is the best structure for a short explainer video?
Problem, answer, next step. Open with a situation your viewer recognizes, show what you do and what changes for them, then give exactly one action with one address. This three-beat shape works for almost every small business, from dog groomers to dentists.
Should I put my company name at the start or the end?
Usually the end, with a quick mention in the middle. The first seconds belong to the viewer's problem, because that is what makes them keep watching. Your name lands better once they already care about the answer. A logo can sit quietly in a corner throughout if you want it visible.
Can I use one script for a 15 second and a 30 second version?
Do I need to write scene directions in my script?
It helps a lot. One short line per scene saying what we see ("a muddy dog on a clean sofa") keeps the pictures and words in step. You do not need camera jargon. Plain description is exactly what an animator, or a service that draws for you, needs.
Your idea, ready to go“A 30-second explainer for my plumbing business, Pipewell: leaky tap at midnight, we come within the hour, fixed price, and one number to call.”
Make this filmSign up takes a minute. The idea is filled in, and you can change every word.
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