To make a would you rather video, write five to eight close call dilemmas and show each on a split screen, one choice per half with an icon and an OR badge on the seam. Allow 2 seconds to read, a 3 second timer, then 2 seconds for vote bars. End by asking viewers to comment A or B.
Real outputs from the Videotto template gallery.
A worked would you rather video, round by round
Example input: a food page wants a 6 round video called "Would you rather: food edition", ordered from mild to hard. The pairs:
1. Pizza every day OR burgers every day. 2. Only sweet breakfasts OR only savoury breakfasts. 3. No coffee for a year OR no chocolate for a year. 4. Cook every meal yourself OR eat out every meal. 5. Never eat cheese again OR never eat rice again. 6. Your favourite food tastes bland forever OR you can only eat it once a year.
Each option is six words or fewer, so both halves read in about 2 seconds. Each round runs 7 seconds: 1 second for the halves to slide in, 1 second more to read, 3 seconds of timer, 2 seconds on the result. Six rounds plus a 3 second title and a 3 second ending gives a 48 second video.
Example: one round, second by second
| Seconds | Top half (red) | Seam | Bottom half (blue) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 to 1 | "No coffee for a year" slides in from the top | OR badge pops in | "No chocolate for a year" slides in from the bottom |
| 1 to 2 | Coffee cup icon settles | Still | Chocolate bar icon settles |
| 2 to 5 | Holds | Ring timer drains with soft ticks | Holds |
| 5 to 7 | No numbers: the half gently pulses | "Comment A or B" | Pulses too, equal weight |
The page has no poll data yet, so the first video skips percentages. A week later it runs a story poll on round 6 and posts a follow up, "You voted, here are the results", with bars that fill to the real numbers.
How to build a would you rather video
- Write the pairs. Five to eight dilemmas. The best ones are close calls where neither option is obviously better. Write a dozen and keep the ones you would argue about.
- Order them from mild to wild. Start easy and end with the hardest choice, so the last one is worth waiting for.
- Pick the split. Top and bottom fills a vertical 1080x1920 screen best. Left and right suits 1:1 or 16:9, where each half is wide enough for a line of text.
- Ask for an image per choice. A generated image or a flat icon makes each option instant to read. Describe the style once so every image matches.
- Decide on the result. Show percentages only from a poll you actually ran: a story poll, a community post or a survey. With no data, skip the bars and ask viewers to vote in the comments.
- Add sound and an ending. Whooshes, ticks and a final card held for 3 seconds: "Which did you pick? Comment A or B."
Would you rather design choices
The look is built around one idea: two options, equal weight, instant contrast. The viewer must see both choices in one glance and feel the pull of each. Anything that makes one side look bigger or louder before the vote tilts the game.
| Decision | Recommended | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Split | Top and bottom on 9:16, left and right on 1:1 or 16:9, OR in a circle on the seam | Both options fit in one glance |
| Type | Heavy sans serif, six words or fewer per choice | Readable in about 2 seconds |
| Colour | Two contrasting colours, one per side, such as red and blue | Gives viewers an easy way to say A or B |
| Visuals | One generated image or simple icon per choice, same style | Pictures read faster than words |
| Motion | Halves slide in from opposite edges, timer ring drains, bars fill | Each round has the same rhythm |
| Timing | About 2 s to read, 3 s to choose, 2 s on the result | Fast enough to keep moving, slow enough to decide |
| Sound | Whoosh on entry, ticks on the timer, a hit when the bars stop | Marks each phase with the sound on |
Would you rather video prompt
Adapted from the way Videotto users brief Otto for motion only videos. Fill in your pairs and, only if you have real poll results, your percentages.
Make a 9:16 vertical "Would you rather" video, about 45 seconds, all motion graphics, no footage. 6 rounds: 1. [option A] OR [option B] 2. [option A] OR [option B] (and so on, the hardest one last) LAYOUT: screen split top and bottom. Top half #E63946 red, bottom half #1D3557 blue, a white "OR" circle on the seam. Each option: one flat illustrated icon above bold white text, six words max. EACH ROUND: 0 to 1 s: both halves slide in from opposite edges with a whoosh. 2 to 5 s: a ring timer drains around the OR circle with soft ticks. 5 to 7 s: bars fill in each half to these results: [A %] and [B %]. Keep every number exactly as given. If no numbers are given, pulse both halves and show "Comment A or B". END: "Which did you pick? Comment A or B" for 3 seconds. Light upbeat music. Made to work with the sound off. Text clear of the bottom app buttons.
Quick would you rather prompts
- "Split screen, one choice per half, an OR badge in the middle."
- "No percentages, just ask people to vote in the comments."
- "Make the icons flat and simple, same style on every round."
- "Hold the last round longer and make it the hardest choice."
- "Add an AI voice that reads both options like a game show host."
Poll video tools compared
Most people build this format in one of three ways. The time estimates are typical for a 6 round, 45 second video and will vary with experience.
| Tool | Strength | Limitation | Rough time |
|---|---|---|---|
| CapCut split screen templates | Fast on a phone, trending sounds | Fixed layouts; timers and bars are hard to customise | 30 to 60 minutes |
| Canva video with animated elements | Easy icons and brand colours | Timing each round by hand; bars need manual keyframes | 45 to 90 minutes |
| After Effects | Any design and motion you want | Needs skills; the slowest route for a weekly series | 2 to 4 hours |
| A prompt to Otto | Rounds, timer and bars described once in text | You still write the pairs and check the result | 15 to 30 minutes |
Whatever the tool, the dilemmas do the real work. Spend more time on the pairs than on the design.
Would you rather mistakes that kill the vote
- Made up percentages. Inventing results misleads viewers. Use real numbers from a poll you ran, or no numbers at all.
- An obvious winner. "A million dollars or a cold" is not a dilemma. Close calls drive the comments.
- Long options. If a choice needs a sentence to explain, viewers will not read both before the timer ends.
- Unequal design. One side with a bigger image or brighter colour tilts the vote. Keep both halves the same weight.
- Too many rounds. Past eight rounds the pattern gets predictable. Save the extra pairs for next week's video.
FAQ
What are good would you rather questions for a video?
Good would you rather questions for a video are close calls about everyday things your audience knows well, where both options are equally tempting or equally bad. Food, money, travel, work and superpowers are reliable themes. Avoid choices that are obviously lopsided, offensive or about real people, and keep each option to six words or fewer.
How do I get real percentages for a poll video?
To get real percentages for a poll video, run the question first with a tool that counts votes, such as an Instagram Stories poll sticker, a YouTube community post poll or a simple form sent to your email list. Use the final numbers exactly. Comments work too, but count them honestly and say the result comes from comments.
How long should a would you rather video be?
A would you rather video works best at 30 to 60 seconds for TikTok, Reels and Shorts. At about 7 seconds per round that is five to eight dilemmas, plus a short title and ending. Longer compilations of 20 or more rounds suit YouTube in 16:9, where viewers settle in rather than swipe.
Are would you rather videos good for kids content?
Would you rather videos can be good for kids content when the choices are gentle, silly and age appropriate, such as animals, snacks or superpowers. On YouTube, videos made for children must be marked as made for kids, which turns off comments, so the "comment your pick" ending needs replacing with something like "Say your answer out loud".
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