A good short launch video script has four parts: a hook that names the problem, the product doing its main job, two or three specifics, and one call to action. For a 25-second video, that is about 4 seconds of hook, 11 of product, 6 of specifics and 4 of call to action, using few words per screen.
The timings below are a starting point based on how we structure our own 25-second videos, not a tested formula. Adjust them for your product. The principle holds at any length: show one idea, show it working, and tell people what to do next.
The template
| Part | Time | What it does | Fill in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hook | 0 to 4 s | Makes the right person stop | A problem or outcome in under 8 words |
| Product | 4 to 15 s | Shows the main job on your real screen | One action from start to result |
| Specifics | 15 to 21 s | Answers "is it for me?" | Two or three short, true facts |
| Call to action | 21 to 25 s | Says what to do next | Verb, then what they get |
A worked example
Here it is filled in for HourSlip, a time tracking and invoicing app. This is from one of the example videos on our home page, where you can watch the result. All the facts come from HourSlip's own page.
| Part | On screen |
|---|---|
| Hook | Hours slip. Invoices shouldn't. |
| Product | Invoice the unbilled time, export a clean PDF, mark it sent, then paid. |
| Specifics | Round entries up. VAT, GST or tax. Per-client currency. Runs fully offline. |
| Call to action | Track the hours. Send the invoice. |
Notice what is missing: no welcome line, no company history, no list of every feature. Each line earns its place by showing what the product does or who it is for.
Five hook patterns, with examples
The hook carries the most weight, because it decides whether anyone sees the rest. Write several and test them. These examples use HourSlip and a made-up bug tracker for illustration.
- Name the pain. "Hours slip. Invoices shouldn't." Works when the problem is familiar and slightly annoying.
- State the outcome. "Your invoice, ready in a minute." Works only if it is true, so check the number against your real product.
- Call out the audience. "For freelancers who hate invoicing." Works when your buyer is easy to name and proud or tired of the label.
- Challenge the old way. "Stop rebuilding invoices in a spreadsheet." Works when you know exactly what people use today.
- Show the surprise. "Go to sleep with bugs. Wake up to fixes." Works when the product does something people assume they must do by hand.
Avoid hooks that could describe any product. "The all-in-one platform for modern teams" tells nobody anything. A quick test: if a competitor could use your hook unchanged, rewrite it.
How to write the product part
Pick one action and show it from start to result. Write it as a sequence of plain verbs, as in the HourSlip example: invoice, export, mark sent, paid. Then make sure the screen shows each one as it is named. If you find yourself describing a feature that is not on screen, cut the line or change the shot.
How to write the specifics
Specifics are short facts that help someone qualify themselves. Prices, platforms, integrations and limits all work, as long as they are true.
- Prefer a fact to an adjective. "Runs fully offline" beats "incredibly flexible".
- Use numbers only when you can point to where they come from. If your page says it, quote it. If it does not, either add it to your page or drop it.
- Never invent customers, results or ratings. Viewers may check, and your name is on the video.
Calls to action that say something
| Goal | Weak | Stronger |
|---|---|---|
| Free trial | Learn more | Try it free, no card |
| Paid purchase | Buy now | Pro is $29, once |
| Product Hunt day | Support us | We launched today. See it on Product Hunt |
| Waitlist | Sign up | Join the beta list |
Write two, and match each one to where the video will appear. A cold audience in a feed may respond better to a low-commitment offer, while a list of existing fans can take a direct one. Do not ask for upvotes in a Product Hunt video: its launch guide warns that this can get a launch disqualified.
Word count and pace
On-screen text needs time to be read, and it takes longer than you expect when you already know the words. Read each screen aloud at a normal speed, then add a moment. If it does not fit, cut words rather than speeding up. Keep each screen to one thought, and check it on a phone. For sizes and formats, see video formats by platform.
Check every claim before you record
- Underline each factual statement in your script.
- Find where your own page says it, and paste the quote beside it.
- Fix or remove anything without a source, and any price or number that has changed.
- Read the final script with someone who does not know the product, and ask them what it does.
Skip the blank page
LaunchTrailer drafts this structure from your product page: three hooks, three features and two calls to action, with the source quote beside each claim so you can check it. You can edit the copy in the preview and try it on your own URL with no card. You can also fill in the template above by hand, and if you make the video yourself, the launch checklist will help.
See it on your own product
Paste your URL and get your own hooks, copy and storyboard in a few minutes. Free, no card needed. Subscribe at $49 a month only if you want the videos.
Sources
Checked on November 1, 2026. Prices and limits change, so confirm them with the source.