youtube script template: aida + pattern interrupts
Structure long-form videos with attention-grabbing openings, informative chapters, and CTA-ready closes. This YouTube script template includes timestamping, interrupt ideas, and retention markers you can reuse across formats. For upstream research prompts and tool setups, our comprehensive AI script generator guide aligns your workflow from ideation to upload.
what aida looks like on youtube
attention
Land a promise in the first ten seconds. Show the win and who it helps. No backstory yet. A tight visual plus one clean line is enough.
interest
Open a loop. Tease the steps or the reveal. Share a quick reason you are worth a few more minutes. One sentence of context. Then move.
desire
Show outcomes. Use mini demos and before after frames. Add one proof point that fits the viewer. Time saved. Money saved. Fewer clicks. Keep claims grounded.
action
Ask for one step. A trial. A template. A follow up video that deepens the skill. Keep the path simple and visible.
timing map for common lengths
6 minutes
- 0:00–0:10 attention
- 0:10–0:40 interest with a fast agenda
- 0:40–4:30 desire through two or three steps
- 4:30–5:30 proof and recap
- 5:30–6:00 action with end screen targets
8 minutes
- 0:00–0:12 attention
- 0:12–0:50 interest
- 0:50–6:40 desire in three steps plus a micro case
- 6:40–7:30 proof and risk reducer
- 7:30–8:00 action and next video handoff
10 minutes
- 0:00–0:15 attention
- 0:15–1:00 interest
- 1:00–8:15 desire across four scenes
- 8:15–9:15 proof and objections
- 9:15–10:00 action with a clear fork for beginners and pros
Treat these as guides. Cut or add beats based on watch time data.
pattern interrupts that feel natural
Use small shifts. Do not shout. Rotate these every 30 to 60 seconds.
- angle change from head on to over the shoulder
- b roll that shows the cursor or the hands
- a question on screen that the next line answers
- a number card with one metric only
- a chapter bumper with a soft sound cue
- a short pause with a tight close up
- a prop that supports the point
- a comment screenshot that you address in one line
Mark interrupts in the script. You will pace better in the edit.
the reusable script sheet
Copy this and fill it before you record.
title
[your topic] youtube script aida
attention 0:00–0:10
state [win] for [who] in plain words
on screen text [win under seven words]
interest 0:10–0:50
set the stakes [pain in one line]
tease steps [a, b, c] without detail
why you [one sentence credibility]
desire 0:50–x:xx
step 1 say [action] show [visual] result [outcome]
interrupt [cutaway or question card]
step 2 say [action] show [visual] result [outcome]
interrupt [metric card]
step 3 say [action] show [visual] result [outcome]
proof and objections
proof type [metric or mini case or quote]
answer [one realistic doubt] with a calm line
action
ask for [single next step]
end screen targets
Keep sentences short. Each step should point to a clear on screen cue.
sample outline for an 8 minute tutorial
attention
Cut script time in half with a three line plan.
interest
Most creators over write. Then they cut in the edit and lose flow. We will plan with a simple map. Three lines. Hook. Value. Call to action.
desire step 1
Plan the hook. Write the win in eight words. Add a quick visual. Show a before frame where the viewer wastes time. Then the after frame with your method in action.
interrupt
Pop a number card. 45 percent higher hold rate when the hook is concrete.
desire step 2
Build value beats. Two steps only. Say the action. Show the screen. Highlight the cursor. Add a lower third with the result in five words.
interrupt
Cut to a comment that asked for proof. Answer in one sentence then return to the demo.
desire step 3
Close the loop. Repeat the win. Show a side by side. Old flow on the left. New flow on the right.
proof
Mini case. A freelancer trimmed edits by 30 minutes per short.
action
Grab the one page template in the description. Or watch the full breakdown next where we build a video from a blank doc. End screens point left to the template video and right to the advanced pacing video.
on screen text and visual plan
Use large type for the hook. Seven words max. Keep lower thirds clean. Avoid full sentences. Examples
- hook text: halve your script time
- beat text: step 1 plan the win
- proof text: 45 percent higher hold
Place captions high so they avoid UI. Keep face framing center weighted with headroom for end cards. Use screen capture for steps and a second angle for resets.
voice and pacing
Talk like you coach a friend. One idea per sentence. Pause for a breath after the hook and before the call to action. Keep music low. If the track competes with the voice, lower it again. Silence is fine for a beat when you want focus on the screen.
retention checkpoints
- at 0:40 remind the payoff in one line
- at 3:00 resolve one micro win so viewers feel progress
- at 6:40 recap the value in a short ladder of steps
Use these as soft anchors. Do not hard sell mid video unless the format demands it.
common mistakes and quick fixes
- long intros with backstory. fix by writing the hook last then move it to the top
- vague claims. fix by adding one number or one named example
- cluttered frames. fix by limiting on screen text to five words
- no end screen plan. fix by writing the handoff lines when you draft the hook
You now have a clean aida template that respects time and lifts watch time on longer videos. If you want stronger openings, study this bank of youtube hook ideas and shape your first fifteen seconds with proof driven lines.
