Explain Your Business in 60 Seconds: A Video Script
A 60-second explainer video structure for small businesses, with two full scripts (a plumber and a bookkeeper) and where to post it: website, Google and social.
To explain your business in 60 seconds, say five things in this order: the moment your customer needs you, what you do in one plain sentence, how it works from first call to finished job, one reason to trust you, and how to get in touch. That is about 140 spoken words. Put the video on your website's homepage and services page, and post shorter cuts on social media.
This guide is for owners of small businesses that sell a service: trades, cleaners, tutors, bookkeepers, salons, repair shops. Below is the structure, two complete scripts you can adapt, a 30-second version, and where each one should go.
Why a short video helps a small business
Most people choosing a local service are comparing two or three options on their phone. They want to know three things fast: do you do what I need, how does it work, and can I trust you? A written page can answer that, but many people will not read it. A one-minute video answers all three while they are deciding.
You do not need to appear on camera, hire a studio or film your premises. A clear script with simple pictures and a calm voice is enough. The script is where the work is, so that is where this guide spends most of its time.
The 60-second structure
| Time | Part | About | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0:00-0:08 | The moment | 15-20 words | The customer recognises their own situation |
| 0:08-0:15 | What you do | 15-20 words | One plain sentence: who you are, what you do, where |
| 0:15-0:40 | How it works | 50-60 words | Three steps from first contact to a finished job |
| 0:40-0:50 | Why trust you | 20-25 words | One or two facts the customer could check |
| 0:50-1:00 | How to reach you | 15-20 words | One way to get in touch, said clearly |
A few rules make it work:
- Start with the customer, not your name. "Water coming through the ceiling?" beats "Welcome to [Business name], established in [year]."
- Say where you work. Local customers need to know you cover their area before anything else matters.
- Describe the experience, not just the service. People cannot try a service before buying it, so walk them through what happens.
- Trust comes from facts, not adjectives. A qualification, a guarantee, how you price. Leave out "quality", "professional" and "passionate"; everyone says them.
- One way to get in touch. Phone, WhatsApp or a booking page. Pick the one you answer fastest.
If you want a general template for products and concepts too, our explainer video script template has a six-part version with sentence starters.
Worked example 1: a local plumber
Who watches: a homeowner with a problem right now, on their phone, after searching for a plumber nearby. One thing they should remember: this plumber gives a price before starting, and comes the same day for leaks.
Water coming through the ceiling? A tap that won't stop dripping? A boiler that gives up on the coldest morning of the year?
>
I'm [your name], a plumber covering [your town and nearby areas]. I fix leaks, blocked drains, taps, toilets and boilers, in homes and small shops.
>
Here's how it works. Call or message me with a photo of the problem. I'll give you a price for the job before I start, so there are no surprises. Then I fix it, tidy up, and show you what I did.
>
For leaks and floods, I keep time free every day for same-day call-outs.
>
I'm [your qualification or registration], and every repair comes with a [length] guarantee.
>
Call [number], or send a photo on WhatsApp, and I'll tell you what it needs.
That is about 125 words, a little under a minute at a steady pace. Fill the brackets with things that are true for you; if you do not offer a guarantee or same-day call-outs, replace them with something you do offer, such as fixed prices for common jobs or weekend hours.
What the pictures show: a dripping ceiling, a tap and a boiler; a van on a map of your area; a phone with a photo being sent; a price tag before the toolbox opens; a wrench on a pipe and a tidy floor; a clock for same-day; a badge and a handshake; a phone with a message bubble.
Worked example 2: a bookkeeping service
Who watches: a self-employed person or a small shop owner, on the bookkeeper's website, probably in the evening and probably worried about a tax deadline. One thing they should remember: send your receipts each week, and your books are always ready.
A shoebox full of receipts? A tax deadline getting closer? Evenings spent on spreadsheets instead of your actual work?
>
[Business name] does the bookkeeping for sole traders and small businesses in [your area], so you don't have to.
>
Here's how it works. Each week, take photos of your receipts on your phone and send them over. We sort them, match them to your bank statements, and keep your books up to date. Every month, you get a one-page summary: what came in, what went out, and what to put aside for tax.
>
When your tax return is due, everything's ready. No last-minute panic.
>
We're [your qualification], and we work with [the accounting software you support].
>
Book a free call at [website], and bring your questions. And your shoebox.
About 135 words. Notice the light ending. A small, friendly touch at the close makes the business feel like people, which matters a lot when the customer is handing over their finances.
The 30-second cut
Social feeds and short ads often need half the length. Keep the moment, what you do, one step and how to reach you; drop the rest.
Water coming through the ceiling? I'm [your name], a plumber covering [your town]. Send me a photo of the problem, and I'll give you a price before I start. Same-day call-outs for leaks. Call or WhatsApp [number].
About 40 words. Write the 60-second version first, then cut it down. Writing short from scratch usually leaves out the part that makes people trust you.
Where to post your business video
Your website. Put the 60-second version near the top of the homepage, next to your phone number or booking button, and on your main services page. This is where people decide.
Google Business Profile. Google's help pages say profile videos can be up to 30 seconds long, up to 75 MB and 720p or higher. Google's guidance for photos and videos of places also asks for media captured with a camera at the location, with the place as the main subject, and advises against graphics and text overlays. So for your profile itself, upload short real clips of your shop, van or finished work, and keep your animated explainer on your website, which your profile links to.
Facebook and Instagram. Post the 30-second cut in the tall 9:16 frame for Reels and Stories, or square 1:1 for the feed. Pin it to the top of your page.
WhatsApp. If customers message you there, keep the video ready to send to every new enquiry. It answers the first questions before you have to type.
Offline. A QR code on your van, shop window, flyer or invoice can link to the video page.
For a business with several services, make one 60-second video for the business as a whole first, then one short video per main service. For more ways to use video in your marketing, see our guide to whiteboard videos for marketing.
What to leave out
- Your history. "Family-run since [year]" can go on your About page.
- Every service you offer. Name three or four that people search for most; the full list belongs on your website.
- Prices that change. Say how you price ("fixed price before I start"), not the numbers, unless they are stable.
- A list of ways to contact you. One, said once, at the end.
If you are selling to other businesses, where the video goes out in sales emails and meetings, the shape is different: the problem gets more time and the proof gets more detail. Our sales explainer video guide has a 90-second structure for that.
Making your business video in KolaVid
If you would rather not appear on camera or animate anything, KolaVid turns a pasted script into a narrated whiteboard video. Each drawing appears as the narrator says it, with one idea on each board, so the plumber script above becomes a dripping ceiling, a phone with a photo, a price tag and a wrench, in time with the voice.
Paste your 60-second script, then choose the frame: Wide 16:9 for your website, Tall 9:16 for Reels and Stories, or Square 1:1 for the feed and WhatsApp. Pick the Hand-drawn style, the 1-minute length, a female or male voice and the narration language.
The video is usually ready in a minute or two. Download the MP4 for your website and social pages, or share a link in WhatsApp. Free videos carry a small KolaVid mark; paid plans remove the 2-minute limit and go up to 5 minutes. There is no editing timeline, so to change a line you edit the script and make it again. The marketing page has sample videos, and our step-by-step guide on how to make an explainer video covers the whole process.
FAQ
How long should a small business explainer video be?
About 60 seconds for your website, and 15 to 30 seconds for social media. One minute is long enough to say what you do, how it works and how to reach you, and short enough that people watch to the end.
Do I need to be in the video myself?
No. Showing your face can build trust, but many owners are not comfortable on camera. A drawn or animated video with a clear voice works well, and you can add real photos of your work to your Google profile and social pages.
Can I put an explainer video on my Google Business Profile?
Google allows videos of up to 30 seconds on a profile, but its guidance asks for camera footage of the place itself and advises against graphics and text overlays. Real clips of your premises or work suit the profile better; keep the animated explainer on your website.
What should I say first in a business video?
The customer's problem or moment, in their words. "Blocked drain?" or "Shoebox of receipts?" tells the right people straight away that this video is for them.
Write your 140 words today
Fill in the five parts for your own business, read it aloud with a timer, and cut until it fits a minute. If you want to see it as a video without filming anything, a free KolaVid account includes enough credits for one 2-minute video, no card needed.