Script length
How many words is a 1-minute video?
A 1-minute YouTube video needs about 150 words of script, read at a conversational 150 words a minute. A slower, deliberate delivery fits about 120 words; a brisk, energetic one about 170.
By Founder @ Hookquill · Updated
At your speaking pace
The same 1 minute, at four speaking paces. Time yourself reading a paragraph aloud to find yours.
| Pace | Words a minute | Script length |
|---|---|---|
| Slow and deliberate | 120 | 120 words |
| Conversational | 150 | 150 words |
| Brisk | 170 | 170 words |
| Fast | 190 | 190 words |
Where the words go
How 150 words split across a 1-minute video, at 150 words a minute.
| Part | Words | Runs | Its job |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hook | 15 | first 2–3 seconds | Say the payoff or the problem before anything else. |
| Body | 117 | the middle | One idea, shown fast. Cut every sentence that does not move it. |
| Close | 18 | last few seconds | Land the payoff, or loop back to the first line so it rewatches. |
What changes at this length
- It can be a Short
- Since October 2024 YouTube Shorts can run up to three minutes, so a script this long works as a vertical Short as well as a regular video. Shorts are swiped away in a second or two, so the hook has to land in the first sentence.
Time your own script
Paste a script into the free calculator to see its exact runtime at your pace, or how many words a target length needs.
Questions
How many words is a 1-minute script?
About 150 words at 150 words a minute, the pace of a relaxed conversation. Between 120 and 170 covers most speakers.
How long should the hook be?
One sentence, said in the first two or three seconds. Short videos are swiped away fast, so lead with the payoff or the problem.
Should I write every word or use bullet points?
Write every word if you read from a teleprompter or record a voiceover; use talking points if you are natural on camera. Either way, plan the word budget per section so the video lands on time.