Script length
How many words is a 3-minute video?
A 3-minute YouTube video needs about 450 words of script, read at a conversational 150 words a minute. A slower, deliberate delivery fits about 360 words; a brisk, energetic one about 510.
By Founder @ Hookquill · Updated
At your speaking pace
The same 3 minutes, at four speaking paces. Time yourself reading a paragraph aloud to find yours.
| Pace | Words a minute | Script length |
|---|---|---|
| Slow and deliberate | 120 | 360 words |
| Conversational | 150 | 450 words |
| Brisk | 170 | 510 words |
| Fast | 190 | 570 words |
Where the words go
How 450 words split across a 3-minute video, at 150 words a minute.
| Part | Words | Runs | Its job |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hook | 54 | 0:00–0:22 | Confirm the click, open a question, promise the answer. |
| Setup | 32 | 0:22–0:34 | Why this matters now, and what the viewer will leave with. |
| Main section | 324 | 0:34–2:44 | The substance, in the order the viewer needs it. |
| Close | 40 | last 16 sec | Pay off the hook, then one call to action, not three. |
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 3-minute script?
About 450 words at 150 words a minute, the pace of a relaxed conversation. Between 360 and 510 covers most speakers.
How long should the hook be?
Plan the first 30 seconds, about 75 words, as the hook: confirm the viewer clicked the right video, open a question, and promise the answer.
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.