Teleprompter techniques for short-form video

01

Budget words against seconds

At 150 words per minute, a 60-second script is about 150 words and a 30-second script about 75. Write to the budget before you record, because trimming on camera wastes takes. If the message does not fit the budget, split it into two videos rather than speeding up.

02

Make the hook the first line

The opening line carries the whole video: name the outcome, the mistake, or the question immediately. Skip greetings, channel introductions, and throat-clearing. Put the hook on its own line at the top of the script and rehearse it more than any other part.

03

Faster is not the same as rushed

Short-form delivery often sits between 150 and 180 words per minute, but the pace only works when the words are easy to say. Cut long words, keep sentences under ten words where you can, and set the scroll slightly below your maximum comfortable speed so you stay in front of the text.

• Breathe at line breaks instead of mid-sentence.
• Slow down for the one line the viewer must remember.
• If you stumble twice on the same phrase, rewrite it.

04

Write with captions in mind

Many viewers watch with the sound off, and your script becomes the caption track. Short lines turn into clean caption breaks, so keep one idea per line and put the important word early in the line where captions are easier to time. Say the key terms clearly; automatic captions copy your pronunciation.

05

End with one clear next step

Pick a single ending: a question that pulls comments, a loop line that leads back to the hook, or one action to take. Two calls to action split the response, and three get ignored. Give the last line its own paragraph so you land it instead of trailing off.