Today, I’m going to look at something a little different. Few of us are expected to sit down and write a radio commercial but it’s not as difficult as you might think – and it’s pretty interesting, too. So here are some tips on how to go about it. Who knows, it might just whet your appetite to know more about the fascinating world of copywriting.
Radio commercials are usually short (between 30 seconds and a minute) and, unlike TV and print advertising, you don’t have any visual elements to assist you. So there is seldom time to develop an elaborate message.
The number one requirement for writing radio commercials is conciseness. You must try to pack as much impact and information into your script as possible.
It’s also important to ensure that your message is clear and straightforward. People typically listen to the radio while doing something else, and they may well be in an environment (e.g. a factory) with lots of noise and other distractions. So there is no point trying to be too subtle.
Here are some additional hints and tips for radio commercial writing:
● If possible, listen to ads on the radio station your commercial will be running on, especially ads that are repeated a lot – they must be working! Tailor your writing to fit the style and language you hear from other commercials and the DJs or programme hosts.
● If your target market speaks technical jargon, use it early. They will tune in, and everyone else will tune out.
● Don’t use lots of empty adjectives and adverbs. When writing radio commercials you should be attempting to paint pictures in your listeners’ minds. Stick with concrete nouns and verbs, as listeners can ‘see’ them.
● As with other types of advertising, ensure that the tone is appropriate to your target audience. Don’t expect teenagers and business executives to respond to the same voices or vocabulary.
● Include a clear call to action. Typically this will be to phone your clients or visit their website. If time allows, provide contact details in the middle of the commercial and again at the end, to give people more chance to note it down.
● Don’t try too hard in your ad. Be enthusiastic, but don’t ‘over do’. People will simply tune out.
● Bear in mind that phone numbers generally give a better response in radio commercials than website URLs. So, if your client has not already done this, it’s worth suggesting that they obtain a phone number that is easy to remember for the ad campaign. For example, 0800 121 121, is easier to remember than the normal mix of digits. And of course your client will need to ensure there are people available to take calls any time the ad is run.
● A good technique is to use sound effects to bring the setting of your ad to life. If a commercial is meant to be set in an office, for example, you could specify office sounds in the background.
● Humour can work well in radio advertising, but ensure that listeners are laughing with you, not at you!
● Read out your ad as you envisage it being performed and time how long it takes. Make sure it will fit into the designated time slot.
● Jingles can be used to help deliver a consistent brand message over a number of ads or whole campaigns. If your script includes a jingle, be sure to practise it aloud. A line on paper will not always sound as good when it’s spoken.
So, there we have it – what to consider if you’re ever expected to work on producing a radio advert for your own business or as part of a team. Not the sort of thing you’ll do every day, but if you’re interested in finding out more then why not check out our Complete Copywriter Course.
Author: Diana Nadin
