Short answer
A YouTube ad script generator writes a timed, scene-by-scene script sized to the ad format you choose. Bumper ads last 5 to 6 seconds and can't be skipped, skippable in-stream ads can be skipped after 5 seconds, and non-skippable in-stream ads run 60 seconds or shorter. Shorts ads can be skipped right away by swiping, so every format needs a strong opening.
How to use the YouTube Ad Script Generator
- Enter your business, the offer and the audience you want to reach.
- Pick a format: a 6-second bumper, a 15 or 30-second skippable ad, a 15-second non-skippable ad, or a 15 to 30-second Short.
- Choose a tone and call to action, and say whether you have a logo, a jingle or a presenter.
- Read the timecoded script, try the 3 alternative hooks, and check the ABCD checklist and the estimated read time.
- Copy the script as text or download the CSV for your shoot, along with the companion headline, call-to-action text and production notes.
How long should a YouTube ad be?
Each format has its own length rule. These come from Google's pages on video ad formats and video ad specs, and the last column shows the script lengths this tool writes:
| Format | Google's length guidance | Can viewers skip? | Script lengths here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bumper | 5 to 6 seconds; 6 seconds recommended for video reach | No | 6 seconds |
| Skippable in-stream | 15 seconds recommended for video reach | Yes, after 5 seconds | 15 or 30 seconds |
| Non-skippable in-stream | 60 seconds or shorter | No | 15 seconds |
| Shorts | 6 to 60 seconds recommended, vertical 9:16 | Yes, right away by swiping | 15 to 30 seconds |
Bumper and non-skippable ads use target CPM bidding. On skippable in-stream ads with cost-per-view bidding, you pay when a viewer watches 30 seconds, or the whole ad if it is shorter than 30 seconds.
What are Google's ABCDs for YouTube ads?
The ABCDs are Google's guidelines for effective video ads, and every script comes with a checklist that maps each letter to the lines that deliver it. The quoted definitions are from Google's ABCDs help page:
- Attention: "Hook and sustain attention with an immersive story." Get to the point fast and support it with sound and on-screen text.
- Branding: "Brand early, often, and richly." Show and say your name from the start, and use every brand asset you have.
- Connection: "Help people think or feel something." Feature people, keep the message focused, and use humor or surprise where it fits.
- Direction: "Ask them to take action." Tell viewers exactly what to do, and back up the on-screen call to action with voiceover.
For Shorts, Google's advice includes "Announce yourself with audio," "Use tight framing for ease of viewing" and "Include a clear, intentional and relevant CTA."
What does the YouTube ad script generator write?
Claude, Anthropic's AI model, writes the script on our server from your brief. Each script includes:
- A timecoded table with the visuals, voiceover, on-screen text and sound for each beat.
- 3 alternative hooks for the first 5 seconds, the stretch before a skippable ad can be skipped.
- An estimated read time worked out from the word count, so you can see when the voiceover is too long for the slot.
- A companion headline and call-to-action text to pair with the video.
- Production notes that use your logo, jingle or presenter if you have them.
Keep call-to-action text short. Google's video specs allow 10 characters for the call to action in Video action campaigns, so "Book now" fits and "Get a free quote" does not.
Shoot at the sizes Google lists: 1920 x 1080 for 16:9, 1080 x 1920 for 9:16 and 1080 x 1080 for 1:1.
Script mistakes that lose viewers
- A slow logo intro. On a skippable ad, the first 5 seconds may be all some people see. Open on the problem or the result, and say your name inside that window.
- Too many words. If the read time runs past the slot, cut lines instead of speaking faster. A 6-second bumper has room for one idea.
- A call to action that is only on screen. Say it out loud as well, which is what Google's Direction guidance suggests.
- Horizontal footage for Shorts. Google's recommended Shorts format is vertical 9:16, so frame each shot for a phone held upright.
- Promises you cannot keep. Google's unreliable claims policy does not allow claims that present an improbable result as the likely outcome.
To see what competitors run on YouTube, filter the Competitor Ads Finder by video. Send viewers to a page written for the ad with the Landing Page Copy Generator, and plan Performance Max video with the Performance Max Asset Generator.
Sources
- About video ad formats (Google Ads Help)
- Video ads specs and format requirements (Google Ads Help)
- About the ABCDs of effective video ads (Google Ads Help)
- YouTube ABCDs: Video ad best practices (Think with Google)
- Unreliable claims (Google Advertising Policies Help)
Updated 2 October 2026 by the Paid Pilot team. Google Ads is a trademark of Google LLC; Paid Pilot is an independent agency.