Guide

How to write an Instagram Reel script, with a template

A good reel script is short, written to be said out loud, and built so people keep watching. Here's the structure we use, and a template to copy.

The algrohack team · Published 9 November 2026

A hand-drawn open notebook with a script and timing marks, a pencil, a stopwatch, a phone on a tripod and a clapperboard.

The short answer

Write it in four parts: a few words of on-screen text, a spoken hook for the first three seconds, two to four short beats with timings, and a close.

At about 2.5 spoken words a second, a 30-second reel is roughly 75 words, a 60-second reel roughly 150, and a 90-second reel roughly 225.

Start from one idea, and something real

One reel, one idea. If you can't say what the viewer walks away with in a single sentence, the script isn't ready to write.

If a reel inspired you, get its words first and study the structure: how it opens, the order of its points, where the payoff lands. Then write your own version. Copying another creator's lines isn't fair to them, and Instagram says it recommends reposted content less anyway.

Related: Reel transcript generator

The four parts

On-screen text: 5-8 words on the first frame, for people watching with the sound off. Add to the hook rather than repeating it.
Hook (0-3 seconds): the problem, the result, or a surprising claim you can back up. About seven words at a normal pace. No greetings and no introductions.
Beats: two to four short points, each with a timing, each moving the idea forward. One point per beat.
Close: the payoff first, then one call to action, such as follow, save, or comment a word. Asking for three things gets you none.

Four stacked blocks with a small creator on top filming with a phone.

A template to copy

Fill in the brackets, then adjust the timings to your word count.

Reel script template

LENGTH: 0:45, about 110 words
ON-SCREEN TEXT: [5-8 words that add to the hook]
HOOK (0-3s): [the problem, the result, or a claim you can back up]
1. (3-15s) [first point]
2. (15-30s) [second point]
3. (30-40s) [third point, or the twist]
CLOSE (40-45s): [the payoff, then one call to action]

An example

A 25-second script on a simple topic. Each timing comes from the words in that line at about 2.5 words a second, which is why the beats aren't equal.

Example script

LENGTH: 0:25, about 63 words
ON-SCREEN TEXT: Same phone, better photos
HOOK (0-3s): Flat phone photos? Check where the window is.
1. (3-10s) With a window behind them, their face goes dark. Turn them so the window is beside them.
2. (10-16s) Then tap the face and drag exposure down a little, so bright areas keep their detail.
3. (16-19s) Same phone, same room, completely different photo.
CLOSE (19-25s): Save this for your next shoot, and send it to the friend who takes your pictures.

How many words for each length

Most people speak at about 2.5 words a second. Your pace may be faster or slower, so time yourself once and adjust.

15 seconds: about 38 words
30 seconds: about 75 words
60 seconds: about 150 words
90 seconds: about 225 words
3 minutes: about 450 words

Write it to be said, not read

Use short sentences and the words you'd use talking to a friend.
Read it out loud before you film. Anything you stumble on, rewrite.
Cut every sentence the reel still works without. Watching to the end is one of the things Instagram ranks on.

Keep it in your own voice

A script that doesn't sound like you is hard to deliver and easy to scroll past. Keep a few of your best past scripts or captions, and read them before you write.

If you use AI, give it those examples and the reel's real words, not just a topic. Without them, it writes in a generic voice that sounds like everyone else's.

Common mistakes

Opening with "Hi guys" or your name, which spends the three seconds that matter most.
Packing in five points when one would land.
Making a claim, a number or a story you can't back up.
Ending without a payoff, so the viewer has no reason to watch to the end.

Related: How to go viral on Instagram

Questions

How many words is a 60-second reel script?

About 150 words, at a normal speaking pace of around 2.5 words a second. Faster talkers fit more, and slower ones fewer, so time yourself once.

Should I write every word or just bullet points?

Both work. A full script keeps timing tight and stops you rambling. Bullet points suit people who sound stiff reading. Many creators write it in full, then film from the beats.

How long should a reel hook be?

The first three seconds, which is about seven words at a normal pace. Lead with the problem, the result or a claim you can back up.

What should the on-screen text say?

Five to eight words that add to your spoken hook, for people watching with the sound off. Don't fill the screen: Instagram says it shows reels that are mostly text to fewer people.

Can AI write my reel script?

Yes, if you give it the right material: the reel's real words, a few of your own past scripts and a target length. Our free AI script generator writes one from a topic, with no sign-up.