Video or Audio Script Advice

Web Design Planning and Recording a Website Video Script

This web design advice includes a script outline for recording audio for video or audio small business websites. For small business custom web design projects with video, the customer is expected to record the audio narration portion. In most cases you will be dealing with, and speaking to, customers contacting your small business, so it makes sense to have your voice on the video.

Steps 1 through 5 require client participation to plan and create the audio portion of the custom video production. You may want to review the full 12 steps of video production here, and sample custom web design videos here. Here’s an excerpt:

1. Plan Production: Agree on video message and overall content presentation
2. Video Content: Collect graphic elements, photographs, and illustrations for video
3. Slide Sequence: View slide sequence and begin rough outline of message for script
4. Create Script: Write final script for narration based on intro, main content, outro
5. Voice Content: Record the background voice narration as MP3 from the written script

Following is advice for creating the script for Step 4. It is easier to create your voiceover narration by reading from a script rather than speaking extemporaneously. This helps eliminate and at least minimize pauses such as ahhh, uhmm, or sighs while you continue the thought process. These unwanted sounds and others such as coughing or hiccups may be easily edited out of the narration, so not to worry about perfection.

In addition, the benefits of a script allow planning the narration flow in a natural and logical outline to deliver your small business sales message with maximum effectiveness. You can record a rough narration first if you prefer, and then type it out and edit before doing the final version for the web design. Consider the following free web design resources and advice to make your audio narration easier to create:

To record your narration in Step 5 review of free software from Audacity here with download links, and then watch this video for recording tips using Audacity.

Standard “Intro” or Introduction and “Outro” for Your Business

Much like television or movie production, each of your website videos should have a standard intro and outro. The introduction lets viewers know who you are and what you do. The outro is a closing reminder of your company product or service and should include a call to action. Once created, your intro and outro may be “canned” or stored to use in web design of all videos, so they need only be done once which saves money on future web design and small business video productions.

Script Outline Advice for Custom Website Video Narration

Script for Standard Intro

Recommended length: 15 seconds to 30 seconds
State your name, company, and location, and then a brief introduction of your product or service and the www address of your small business. This should be a generic introduction because it can be used in the web design over and over again for each video you do in the future.

Script for Each Custom Video

Recommended length: 3 minutes to 9 minutes maximum
I will provide small versions of your slides for each video which you can view in sequence and record as you speak about the featured small business product or service. After recording you can then listen and use the pause button while you type your script in a word processor. Next, review the typed script and edit as necessary for the best presentation in the finished web design. Finally, record your final script.

Script for Standard Outro

Recommended length: 15 seconds to 30 seconds
Make closing comments to thank the listener, summarize your services, and give contact information to learn more like your www domain or phone number. This closing outro should be generic, too, because it can be used in the web design over and over again for each video you do in the future.

Additional Options for the Audio Narration

While having the small business web design client record the audio is preferred, some may refuse for a variety of reasons. If you have a friend or employee willing to do the recording, that’s fine. Voice talent services are expensive, so web design using amateur talent to record the audio for your small business video is the most effective way to keep production costs to a minimum. Contact me by email with any questions.