Why I Use Outlines Instead of Word-for-Word YouTube Scripts
“Fail to plan, plan to fail.”
It’s a mantra I live by. I love this quote for so many aspects of life, but it is BEYOND true when it comes to planning YouTube videos.
If you aren’t outlining your videos, you’re wasting time. It’ll be much harder to film, edit, and stay consistent with creating content because there is no direction.
And I don’t just mean your content plan either. You need to plan what you’re going to say in your videos. That’s why I outline and bullet my scripts — but I never write them word for word.
Scripting is very limiting and becomes beyond frustrating. Unless you’re a news anchor, reading straight off a teleprompter or a piece of paper is not normal or comfortable.
We don’t talk like we write, because if we did, then our videos wouldn’t be relatable. Outlining scripts gives you the chance to loosen up on camera and create a video that’s more like a conversation than a sales call.
Once you start scripting your videos with an outline, you’ll find that you can stay on track like a pro while still being yourself.
Here’s how I plan out my scripts.
But First…
DO NOT just start writing your script, my friends. You need to plan out your content before you ever get started writing a script. And that starts with your title. Starting with this makes it much easier to write a better hook and keep your video on topic.
Random vlogging about what you’re doing today isn’t the reality of the YouTube world anymore. You’ve got to be clear about what you’re trying to accomplish with each piece of content you produce.
You’ll also create better content because if the title matches the content in the video, you deliver on your promise (I.e., the title). When you do that, people are much more likely to stick around and watch the whole video (p.s….this is great for your YouTube metrics).
The Hook
You have about three to five seconds to grab someone’s attention, so give them a reason to keep on watching! This is why you need to know your title first. Show them what’s in it for them.
And please — do not go on a long tangent without any relation to the title. Save the small talk for Sunday brunches. Your audience is clicking on your video to get the information you promised them in the title. Don’t make it harder than it already is to keep someone's attention.
Examples of a Great Hook:
My top-performing videos have a hook that immediately grabs attention. With a relatable title AND hook, it’s much easier to get people to stick around to the end.
“In this video, I’m going to share/walk you through/show you…”
“Have you ever…”
“Do you feel…”
“Is this you…”
Start using “you” focused phrases as soon as you can so that people feel like you’re talking directly to them.
Creating Content
This is the whole reason your audience is here. What are they going to be able to do after they finish watching your video? What are you trying to help them accomplish?
Create content that will serve your audience well, but doesn’t get redundant. Focusing on one topic is going to be very boring for your audience and won’t land you the conversions you were hoping for when you came on Youtube.
Instead, focus on the three core types of content:
Visibility content: building your audience
Community content: making connections
Sales content: focussing on your services/offerings/product
Basing your videos on this foundation will make it easier to create content pillars to further diversify your content. When you have a well-rounded list of topics (that are still related to your business) it’s much easier for your audience to relate to you and ultimately, make those valuable connections.
Examples of Content Ideas:
You don’t have to create 30+ minute in-depth trainings for your video to be helpful. That’s what courses and digital products are for. Your audience needs to be able to accomplish a quick win through watching your videos, like:
How to create a YouTube thumbnail
How to find and purchase a domain
5 Instagram post ideas
How to create Pinterest templates in canvas
Your Call to Action
This is what I see most business owners get wrong. We have to make that YouTube Algorithm happy, whether we like it or not — and that means creating bingeable content.
YouTube likes it when people stick around to watch more of your videos because it means they’re staying on their platform longer. So if people are watching your videos, YouTube will recommend your content to more people!
But you can’t do that if you’re not directing people anywhere. Make the action step very clear and easy to follow (can’t get much simpler than saying “hey watch this other video!)
Want to Learn More About Creating Killer Content (For Free?!)
Having a solid game plan is the most important thing you need to do before you ever hit that record button. You need to understand what it takes to sustainably grow a YouTube channel and how to stay consistent with it. Once you know that, you’ll have a better sense of direction for all of your videos.
