How many words for a 30, 60 or 90-second video?

Which pace is yours?

• Slow (110–130 wpm) — explaining something new, teaching, a calm brand voice, or speaking in a second language.
• Normal (140–160 wpm) — most talking-head videos, vlogs, product demos and presentations.
• Fast (165–180 wpm) — energetic short-form videos and ads. Above this, viewers start to miss words.

The quickest way to find your own number: read a 150-word text aloud, the way you would on camera, and time it. If it takes 70 seconds, your pace is about 130 words per minute.

Leave room to breathe

A script that fits exactly into 60 seconds on paper rarely fits on camera. You pause after a key point, you smile, you show the product. Plan for 10–15% fewer words than the table says — about 130 words for a one-minute video at a normal pace — and you will not have to rush the ending.

Short videos: the first 3 seconds

In a 30-second Reel or TikTok, the first sentence matters more than the rest. Keep it under 10 words and make it a promise or a question: “Here's how to stop your steak from drying out.” Then the main point, then one clear action at the end. Three parts, roughly 10 + 50 + 15 words.

Checklist before you record

• The script is read aloud once and timed — not just counted.
• Long sentences are split; one idea per sentence.
• Numbers are written the way you say them: “twenty-five percent”, not “25%”.
• Names and hard words are spelled out so you do not stumble.
• There is a pause marked after the main point.
• The last line is a single, clear action.

Reading the script without looking like you read

A teleprompter puts the text right next to the camera, so your eyes stay close to the lens. The usual problem is speed: a scrolling prompter runs at a fixed pace, and if you pause, it keeps going. PrompterCast listens instead — the text moves when you speak and waits when you stop, and the line you are reading stays highlighted. You can also record the video in the same app while you read.