Short video : Let’s be honest: staring at a blank phone screen is terrifying.
You know you need to post on TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts. You’ve heard the stats—short-form video is the #1 way to grow a brand in 2025. But when you hit “record,” your mind goes blank. You ramble. You look awkward. And when you finally post it? 200 views. And most of those are from your aunt and her knitting circle.
The problem isn’t your camera, your lighting, or your face. It’s your script.
Great short-form videos aren’t accidental. They are engineered. Whether it’s a dance trend or a financial tip, the viral videos you see every day follow a strict psychological architecture. If you break that structure, the algorithm ignores you.
Today, we are going to fix that. We are ditching the “winging it” strategy and learning the Hook-Value-CTA formula.
The 3-Second Rule (Is Actually a 1-Second Rule)
In 2025, attention is the most expensive currency on earth. When a user is “doom scrolling,” their thumb is in a rhythm. Swipe. Swipe. Swipe.
Your shot video has exactly one second to break that rhythm. If your opening sentence is “Hey guys, welcome back to my channel,” you have already lost. They swiped away before you finished the word “guys.”
Why You Can’t “Build Up” Anymore
In a blog post (like this one), I can take a paragraph to set the scene. In a Reel, the climax needs to happen immediately. You don’t start with the backstory; you start with the explosion, then explain how the bomb was made.
The Holy Trinity: Hook, Value, CTA
Every successful short video script breaks down into three distinct acts.
- The Hook (0:00–0:03): Stops the scroll.
- The Value (0:03–0:50): Delivers the promise.
- The CTA (0:50–1:00): Tells them what to do next.
Let’s dissect them.
Phase 1: The Hook (Stop the Scroll)
The hook is 80% of your short video success. If the hook fails, the rest of the script doesn’t matter because nobody is watching it.
Visual Hooks vs. Audio Hooks
You need to attack both senses.
- Audio Hook: The first sentence you speak (or the text-to-speech voice). It needs to be controversial, surprising, or highly relatable.
- Visual Hook: What is happening on screen? If you are just sitting in a chair, it’s boring. Try walking, holding a weird object, or putting text on the screen that says “Stop Doing This.”
3 Examples of “Deadly” Hooks
Short video : Don’t use these generic openers. Swap them for these high-performing alternatives:
- Bad: “Here are 3 tips for better skin.”
- Better: “Your moisturizer is actually making your acne worse.”
- (Why it works: It creates fear and curiosity).
- Bad: “I’m going to show you how to use Excel.”
- Better: “Stop manually typing dates in Excel. Do this instead.”
- (Why it works: It promises a shortcut).
- Bad: “Check out our new coffee maker.”
- Better: “I tried the most expensive coffee maker in the world… was it worth $500?”
- (Why it works: It creates a story/stakes).
Phase 2: The Value (The Meat)
Short video : Okay, you stopped them. Now you have to pay the “attention tax.” You promised them something in the hook—now you have to deliver it immediately.
The “No Fluff” Policy
In a 60-second video, every word must earn its place.
- Delete: “So, I was thinking about this the other day…”
- Delete: “Um, basically, it’s kind of like…”
- Keep: Actionable steps.
If you are teaching something, use a list format. The human brain loves lists. “Step 1: Open Settings. Step 2: Click Privacy. Step 3: Turn off this toggle.”
If you are entertaining, focus on the Reaction. Show, don’t just tell. Don’t say “It was funny.” Show yourself laughing.(short video)
The Pacing Trick
You need to change the visual every 3–5 seconds. This is called a “pattern interrupt.” If you are talking to the camera for 60 seconds straight, people will get bored.
- Zoom in on your face for emphasis.
- Cut to a screenshot.
- Change the angle.
- Add text pop-ups.
Phase 3: The CTA (The Money)
The Call to Action (CTA) is where you get your ROI. But most people do this wrong. They ask for marriage on the first date.(short video)
Soft CTA vs. Hard CTA
You cannot ask for a sale in every video. The algorithm hates it, and users hate it.
- The Soft CTA (Engagement): Used for growth.
- “Comment ‘YES’ if you agree.”
- “Send this to a friend who needs to hear it.”
- “Save this for later so you don’t forget.” (This is the most powerful CTA for the algorithm right now).
- The Hard CTA (Sales): Used for conversion (20% of your videos).
- “Click the link in my bio to grab the template.”
- “DM me the word ‘READY’ and I’ll send you the details.”
CTA Script Templates
Here are three endings you can steal:
- The “Teaser” Ending: “But that’s not even the best part. Follow for Part 2.”
- The “Value” Ending: “I have a full list of these tools in my bio. Go grab it.”
- The “Question” Ending: “Which one would you try? Let me know in the comments.”
3 Script Templates You Can Copy Today
Stop overthinking. Just fill in the blanks on these templates.
Template 1: The “Myth buster” (Educational)
Hook: Stop doing [Common Mistake]. It is killing your [Desired Result]. Value: Most people think [Common Belief], but actually [Truth]. Proof: Here is why. [Explanation/Evidence]. CTA: If you want to learn the right way to do it, follow for more tips.
Template 2: The “Behind the Scenes” (Brand/Trust)
Hook: Have you ever wondered how [Product] is actually made? Value: Come with me to the [Location]. First, we [Step 1]. Then, we have to be careful not to [Risk]. Finally, we [Result]. CTA: Want to try it yourself? Link in bio.
Template 3: The “Listicle” (Viral Potential)
Hook: 3 websites that feel illegal to know. Value: Number 1: [Website Name]. It lets you [Benefit]. Number 2: [Website Name]. This one is crazy because [Benefit]. CTA: I can’t show you Number 3 here because it’s too powerful. Read the caption for the last one. (This forces them to open the caption, increasing dwell time).
Tools to Speed Up Your Scripting
You don’t need to write these on a napkin. Use technology.
1. ChatGPT for Brainstorming
Don’t ask ChatGPT to “write a viral script.” It will give you cheesy garbage. Instead, use this prompt:
“I need 5 controversial hooks for a TikTok video about [Topic]. Make them under 10 words. Focus on fear or curiosity.”
2. Teleprompter Apps
If you can’t memorize lines, don’t. Use an app like CapCut or BigVu which has a built-in teleprompter. It scrolls the text next to the camera lens so it looks like you are making eye contact.
3. The “Batching” Method
Do not script one video, film it, and edit it. That is inefficient.
- Monday: Write 5 scripts (takes 30 mins).
- Tuesday: Film all 5 scripts (takes 1 hour).
- Wednesday: Edit all 5.
Conclusion: It’s Not About Being “Perfect”
The biggest lie in content creation is that you need to be polished. Actually, raw content often outperforms highly produced content. If you stumble on a word? Keep it in. It makes you human. If your hair is messy? Who cares.
The script is the skeleton. Your personality is the skin. Focus on the structure—Hook, Value, CTA—and the algorithm will reward you.
Now, go write one script. Just one. And film it before you overthink it.
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