TikTok Script Prompt

What it does

Writes a 30-to-60-second video script engineered around the only metric that matters early: whether someone keeps watching past the first three seconds. Short-form platforms reward retention, and retention is won or lost in the hook. This prompt front-loads the hook, keeps the middle moving, and lands a payoff that earns the like or the follow — and it writes for the ear, since nobody reads a TikTok.

Write a script for a [30 / 45 / 60]-second short-form video (TikTok, Reels, or Shorts) on the topic below.

Structure it as:
- HOOK (first 3 seconds): a line that stops the scroll. Use a bold claim, a question, a "you're doing X wrong," or a surprising fact. Give me 3 hook options to choose from.
- BODY: the core point, broken into short spoken lines. Conversational — write how people talk, not how they write. One idea, building logically.
- PAYOFF/CTA: a satisfying close, then a simple call to action (follow for more, try this, comment your take).

Also include:
- On-screen text suggestions for the key moments (short, punchy).
- A one-line note on visuals or what to show while each part is spoken.

Rules:
- Total spoken words should fit the time (roughly 130-150 words per minute).
- No corporate tone. Contractions, short sentences, direct address ("you").
- Don't bury the point — make it clear what the viewer gets.

Topic / idea: [what the video is about]
Audience: [who it's for]
My niche or angle: [optional — what makes my take different]

How to use it

Pick the time length before you start — a 30-second script is a different animal than a 60. The prompt gives you three hooks; read all three out loud and pick the one that makes you want to keep talking. That's usually the one that'll make viewers keep watching. The on-screen text suggestions matter because a chunk of viewers watch with sound off, and the captions carry the hook for them.

Treat the script as a spine, not a teleprompter. The best short-form sounds spontaneous. Use the structure, but say it in your own words on the take.

Example output

Hook options: "Stop ending your emails with 'best regards.'" / "Three words are killing your reply rate." / "I tested this for 30 days — here's what happened."

Body: Short spoken lines building one point, with on-screen text cues like "[text: 87% never reply]."

Payoff + CTA: A clean takeaway followed by "Follow for the rest of the series."

Variations

Storytime format: Add "Write this as a personal story with a setup, a turn, and a lesson — first person, like I'm telling a friend."

Product/demo: Add "This is for a product I sell: [product]. Show the problem first, then the product as the fix. Keep it from feeling like an ad — lead with value."

Series: Add "This is part of a series. End on a small cliffhanger or 'part 2 tomorrow' so people follow to catch the next one."

Trend-friendly: Add "Keep the structure flexible so I can sync it to a trending sound or format. Mark where a beat drop or cut would land."

Common pitfalls

Slow starts. Any throat-clearing in the first three seconds ("Hey guys, so today I wanted to talk about...") loses the scroll. The hook is line one, word one.

Writing for the eye. Scripts full of clauses and semicolons sound stilted out loud. If a line is hard to say in one breath, cut it down.

No reason to stay. A video that's all hook and no payoff trains viewers to swipe. Promise something in the hook and actually deliver it before the CTA.

Who uses this prompt

Creators building a posting habit, small-business owners doing their own marketing on Reels and TikTok, social media managers scripting for clients, and anyone who freezes when the camera turns on. If you've got ideas but stall on "what do I actually say," this gets you a usable script in one pass.