Script length
How many words is a 5-minute video?
A 5-minute YouTube video needs about 750 words of script, read at a conversational 150 words a minute. A slower, deliberate delivery fits about 600 words; a brisk, energetic one about 850.
By Founder @ Hookquill · Updated
At your speaking pace
The same 5 minutes, at four speaking paces. Time yourself reading a paragraph aloud to find yours.
| Pace | Words a minute | Script length |
|---|---|---|
| Slow and deliberate | 120 | 600 words |
| Conversational | 150 | 750 words |
| Brisk | 170 | 850 words |
| Fast | 190 | 950 words |
Where the words go
How 750 words split across a 5-minute video, at 150 words a minute.
| Part | Words | Runs | Its job |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hook | 75 | 0:00–0:30 | Confirm the click, open a question, promise the answer. |
| Setup | 53 | 0:30–0:51 | Why this matters now, and what the viewer will leave with. |
| 2 main sections | 582 | 0:51–4:44 | About 290 words each. Open each one with a reason to keep watching. |
| Close | 40 | last 16 sec | Pay off the hook, then one call to action, not three. |
What changes at this length
- Tight is the point
- At this length every section has to earn its place. Pick one promise for the video and cut anything that serves a second one; it is easier to make a second video than to rescue a wandering one.
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 5-minute script?
About 750 words at 150 words a minute, the pace of a relaxed conversation. Between 600 and 850 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.