Short Video Script Structures: 8 Templates for Reels, Shorts and TikTok

Most failed short videos fail for the same reason: no structure. The person starts filming, talks for a while, remembers the main point halfway through and ends with “so, that is it”. A script does not have to be literary; it is a skeleton of three or four beats that you can fill in 10 minutes. Below are eight structures for 15–60 second vertical videos, each with an example for a small business, and practical advice on timing, on-screen text and editing.

1. The universal skeleton: hook, body, close

Part	Duration (of a 30-second video)	Job
Hook	1–3 seconds	Stop the scroll: a result, a question, a mistake, a number
Body	20–25 seconds	Deliver what the hook promised, in two to four steps or one story
Close	3–5 seconds	One action: save, follow, comment a word, write a message, tap the link

All eight structures below are variations of this skeleton. How the first frame and cover should look is covered in Reels cover size and the first frame.

2. Structure 1: Problem, solution, result

Use for: services and products that solve a visible problem.

1. Name the problem in the viewer’s words.
2. Show the solution in two or three actions.
3. Show the result and add the call to action.

Example (cleaning service): “Grout between tiles went grey? (problem) Mix this and this, leave for ten minutes, scrub in circles (solution). Look at the difference. Save it, you will need it (result + call).”

3. Structure 2: Myth and truth

Use for: expert content, objections.

1. State a common belief: “Everyone says a haircut at the roots costs the same.”
2. Say “in fact” and give the correction with a reason.
3. Give one practical conclusion.

Example (hair stylist): “Myth: toning damages hair. Truth: it uses mild pigments, damage comes from bleaching, not toning. If your hair is already bleached, ask for toning with a protective care step.”

4. Structure 3: Numbered tips

Use for: educational videos that get saved.

1. Hook with the number and the benefit: “Three things that make a bouquet last twice as long”.
2. One tip per 5–7 seconds, each with a number on screen.
3. Close: “Save this and send it to someone who buys flowers”.

Keep the list to three items for videos under 30 seconds; five at most for 60 seconds.

5. Structure 4: Before, process, after

Use for: any visual transformation: manicure, renovation, cooking, design, cleaning, tutoring progress.

1. Show the “before” for one or two seconds.
2. Speed through the process with a title for each step.
3. Reveal the “after” and pause on it.

Use only real results. It is also the easiest structure to repeat weekly, which makes it perfect for a series.

6. Structure 5: Story in three acts

Use for: building trust, brand history, customer cases (with permission).

1. Situation: “A client came with a kitchen of 6 square metres.”
2. Complication: “She wanted a dishwasher and a table for four.”
3. Resolution: “We did this. Here is how it looks now.”

Stories hold attention because people want to know how it ends. Keep it to one situation and one outcome.

7. Structure 6: Comparison

Use for: helping a choice: A against B, expensive against cheap, home against salon, old against new.

1. Show both options side by side or one after another.
2. Compare on two or three criteria that matter to the buyer (durability, price, time).
3. Give a clear recommendation for each situation: “if you need X, choose A; if Y, choose B”.

Be fair: viewers recognise one-sided comparisons right away.

8. Structure 7: Question and answer

Use for: answering real questions from customers; the easiest content to produce regularly.

1. Show or read the question: “A client asked me: how long does delivery take?”
2. Give a direct answer in the first sentence.
3. Add the detail or the exception, then the call to action: “Ask your question in the comments”.

The questions from your Inbox are a list of video topics. Replying to a comment with a video is a natural way to continue a conversation.

9. Structure 8: Behind the scenes and day in the life

Use for: warming up the audience, showing the people and the process.

1. Start with a specific moment, not “a day in my life”: “7:40, the first batch goes into the oven”.
2. Show three to five short scenes with a line of text for each.
3. End with a small hook for the next video: “Tomorrow I will show how we pack orders”.

10. Which structure for which goal

Goal	Structures to use
Reach new people	Numbered tips, myth and truth, before/process/after
Build trust	Story in three acts, behind the scenes, question and answer
Sell	Problem/solution/result, comparison, before/process/after
Get saves and shares	Numbered tips, comparisons, checklists
Start conversations	Question and answer, myth and truth

11. Writing the script: practical rules

• Write for the ear. Short sentences, everyday words, one thought per sentence. Read aloud; where you stumble, rewrite.
• Count the time. About 2–2.5 words per second means a 30-second video holds roughly 60–75 words including the hook. Often less is better.
• Cut the introduction. The name and the company can go into the caption.
• One video, one idea. If you have two ideas, make two videos.
• Show, do not tell. If you say “gently”, show the movement. Every line should have a matching shot.
• Text on screen. Put the key words (numbers, steps) as large titles inside the safe zone.
• Change the shot every 2–4 seconds with a different angle, a zoom or a cut to keep the pace.
• One call to action. Not “like, subscribe, share and write a comment”.

12. A one-page script template

Field	Fill in
Goal	Teach / prove / sell / start a conversation
Structure	One of the eight above
Hook line and on-screen text	Up to 8 words
Body: steps or scenes	2–4 items, each with the shot
Close and call to action	One action
Caption, hashtags, cover headline	Written after the video is edited
Length	15, 30 or 45 seconds

Film several videos in one session using this template: change the clothes or the background and shoot three to five scripts in an hour.

13. Mistakes that kill short videos

• A long greeting before the point.
• Promising a lot in the hook and delivering little.
• Too many ideas in 30 seconds.
• Reading text from a sheet with a flat voice. Memorise the key points and speak naturally.
• A wasted ending: “that is all, bye” instead of an action.
• No sound-off version: no text, no subtitles.
• Making a trend video that has nothing to do with your business.

14. How to do it in AI SMM

Use the AI content studio to turn a topic into a script: describe the video and the goal, ask for a hook with several variants and the structure you chose, and then edit in your own words. It also writes captions in your brand’s tone. If you already have long recordings, video clipping cuts vertical clips from them so you do not start from a blank script every time; the guide turn a YouTube video into Shorts shows the process. Then plan the clips in the planner for Instagram, TikTok and YouTube Shorts and see the whole week in one calendar. Comments with questions on Instagram and YouTube arrive in the shared inbox and become scripts for the structure “question and answer”. TikTok comments are not in the AI SMM inbox, so check them in TikTok itself.

FAQ

How long should a short video be?

As long as it takes to deliver the promise. Many educational videos work at 20–40 seconds. Longer videos are fine when each moment holds attention.

Do I need to write out a full script?

For beginners yes, at least the hook and the close. With practice a list of beats is enough.

Should I use trending sounds?

Only if they fit your idea. A sound that has nothing to do with your product can bring views from the wrong audience.

How many videos per week?

Two or three consistent videos are better than one burst followed by silence. See our short-form video strategy for a rhythm.

Choose two structures from this list, write one script for each and film both in one session this week. When you want more drafts and clips with less manual work, try AI SMM.