Teleprompter for Reels, TikTok and YouTube Shorts

Updated October 23, 2026 · Anthony Delmotte

In short. Write a hook for the first three seconds, keep the script to 70 to 150 words, record vertically with the front camera, and let the prompter follow your voice so you can speak fast without losing your place.

The hook is everything

Viewers decide in about three seconds. Open with the result, a bold claim or a question, in under ten words, and say it straight to the lens.

Length

Short-form creators often speak fast, 160 to 180 words per minute. That means about 80 to 90 words for 30 seconds and 160 to 180 for a minute. See words per minute.

Vertical, front camera, text near the lens

Record 9:16 in portrait. With the script just below the front camera, your eyes stay on the lens, which matters even more on a small screen where every glance shows.

Batch your recording

Write five scripts, set up once, record them all. Keep each as its own script in SmoothCue so you can find and re-record one later.

Fast but not rushed

A fixed-speed prompter at 180 wpm is hard to follow. Voice follow keeps up with you, and waits on the beat where you want a pause before the payoff.