How to make a tutor introduction video: script template and checklist

What a tutor intro video needs to show

Students watch an intro video to answer questions your written profile can't. Plan your script around them.

• How you sound. Your accent, your speed, how clearly you speak. For a language student this is often the deciding factor.
• How you explain. A short example of you teaching something says more than any description of your method.
• Who it is for. The student should know within the first 15 seconds whether you teach people like them.
• What to do next. A clear, simple request: send me a message with your goal.

Aim for 60 to 90 seconds. Long enough to show you teaching, short enough that a student comparing several profiles watches to the end.

A 60 to 90 second script template with timings

Write your script in this order. The timings are guides, not rules. Say it aloud a few times before you film, and cut any line you stumble over.

A filled example script

This example is illustrative. The tutor is fictional, written to show the template in use. It runs to roughly 80 seconds when spoken at a natural pace.

Hi, I'm Daniel. I help adults who understand English well but find it hard to speak up in meetings. [Hook] I worked in project management for eight years before I started tutoring, so most of my students are professionals working in international teams. [About you] In our lessons we talk about real situations from your week. I write down the phrases you were looking for, and at the end you get a short list to practise. [How lessons work] Here's one example. A lot of my students say "I want to add something" when they want to join a discussion. That's fine, but "Can I just come in here?" sounds more natural in a meeting. Try it next time. [Mini teaching moment] If this sounds useful, send me a message. Tell me your job, your level, and the situation where English feels hardest. I'll reply with a suggestion for how we could start. [Next step]

Notice there is no list of adjectives ("patient, friendly, experienced"). The mini teaching moment shows those things instead of claiming them.

Filming checklist: phone, light, sound and framing

Camera

• Use your phone's main (rear) camera if you can see yourself another way, or the front camera if you need to watch the frame. Clean the lens first.
• Film in landscape (horizontal). Most profile players and laptop screens are wider than they are tall.
• Put the phone on a stack of books or a cheap tripod at eye level. Looking down into a camera held in your hand is the most common reason intro videos feel awkward.

Light

• Face a window. Daylight on your face is better than any lamp most people own.
• Never sit with the window behind you: the camera will expose for the bright window and your face will be dark.
• Avoid overhead light alone, which casts shadows under your eyes.

Sound

• Students forgive average video far more easily than bad sound. Choose a small room with soft furnishings: curtains, a sofa, a rug.
• A wired headset microphone or a clip-on lapel mic plugged into the phone usually sounds better than the phone's built-in mic from a metre away.
• Turn off fans, air conditioning and notifications. Record ten seconds of silence and play it back to hear what the room sounds like.

Framing and background

• Frame yourself from the middle of your chest to just above your head, with your eyes about a third of the way down the frame.
• Keep the background tidy and neutral. A bookshelf or a plain wall is fine. Remove anything personal you would not want strangers to see.
• Dress as you would for a lesson.

Add captions so everyone can follow

Captions help students who are hard of hearing, students watching with the sound off, and language learners who understand written English better than spoken English. For a language tutor they also show that you speak clearly enough to transcribe.

• Most phone video editors and free online tools can generate captions automatically. Always read them through and correct errors, especially names and subject terms.
• Keep each caption line short so it is readable on a phone screen.
• If you burn captions into the video, check they do not cover your mouth or the bottom of your face.

Common mistakes that make students skip

1. A long greeting. "Hello and welcome to my profile, thank you so much for clicking on my video" uses ten seconds and says nothing. Start with who you help.
2. Reading from a screen. Your eyes move and your voice goes flat. Learn the structure, keep a few bullet points beside the camera, and speak naturally.
3. Music over your voice. Background music makes you harder to understand, which defeats the purpose for language students.
4. Promising results. Avoid guaranteed exam scores or fluency deadlines. They undermine trust and a reviewer will ask you to remove them.
5. Too many takes. Students are not looking for a performance. A natural take with one small slip is better than a stiff perfect one.
6. Out of date content. If your subjects, rate or availability change, record a new video so it matches your profile.

Upload and review

Before you upload, watch the video on your phone with the sound off, then with headphones. If you can understand it both ways, it is ready.

On TutorBoost an intro video is part of the application, alongside your photo, subject and rate, short bio, and a credential or profile link. A person reviews every profile before it goes live and will tell you if something needs changing. The video and your bio should say the same thing: our tutor bio examples use the same structure as the script above, so you can write both at once.

A strong video helps students choose you once they find you. To make sure they find you in the first place, see how to get private students online.

Questions people ask

How long should a tutor introduction video be?

Aim for 60 to 90 seconds. That is enough to introduce yourself, explain how lessons work and show a short teaching moment, while staying short enough that students comparing several tutors watch to the end.

Do I need professional equipment?

No. A recent phone at eye level, facing a window, in a quiet room with soft furnishings is enough. If you buy one thing, make it an inexpensive external microphone, because sound matters more than picture.

What language should I record my intro video in?

Mostly in the language you teach, at the speed you use with your usual students. If you teach beginners, add a sentence or two in a language they are likely to understand so they know they can follow your lessons.

Can I read my script from a teleprompter app?

You can, but most tutors sound more natural speaking from a few bullet points. If you use a teleprompter, place it right next to the lens and practise until you are not reading word for word.

Should I show my face for the whole video?

Yes, for most of it. Students want to see who they will be talking to. A short cut to a whiteboard or screen during the teaching moment is fine if it helps the explanation.