Radio advertising is still a powerful way for brands and businesses to connect with their audiences.
Despite the abundance of digital content channels available today, 92 percent of Americans still tune in to the radio regularly.
That’s more than the number of people using PCs or watching TV!
In fact, some experts estimate that companies will spend around $30.6 billion on radio advertising by 2024.
But just because you can reach a wide audience with radio doesn’t mean you don’t have to work hard to make sure your message gets across.
Today we’re covering everything you need to know to create a compelling 30-second radio ad that resonates with your customers.
What to include in a 30 second radio ad
First, it’s worth noting that there’s no one-size-fits-all strategy for creating the perfect radio ad. The right commercial depends on your target group and your product.
While ads may change in terms of the exact types of content they cover, they generally contain some core elements.
The main parts of a 30 second radio commercial are as follows.
The core message
In most cases, the first and most important part of your radio commercial is the message you want to send.
In other words, what do you want your customers to learn from your 30-second slot?
Are you announcing the arrival of a new product in your store? Are you trying to showcase the benefits and features of your service? Or are you requesting something, such as submitting entries for a contest?
Thinking about your target audience is the best way to ensure your core message resonates.
Think about what language they will appreciate, what pain points they want to address, or what goals they want to achieve.
The best radio commercials in history use emotional, engaging language to connect with customers. Just be careful not to overcomplicate your ad.
The hook
The hook is another essential element of any radio commercial. It convinces your customers to keep listening to you instead of switching to another station.
Think of the commercials you heard on the radio in the past. How do you attract customers’ attention?
Some radio commercials begin by asking a persuasive question related to the problems they believe their customers are facing.
For example, an accounting brand might start their ad with “Are you worried about tax season?” or “Do you know that X percent of businesses face fines after filing false tax returns?”
The call to action
Finally, you need to consider what you are asking your customers to do in your radio ad.
Regardless of length or structure, every great radio ad needs to tell customers what to do next.
For example, if your radio ad is aimed at getting people to call your business to get a quote for electrical services, you could end with a phrase like “Don’t be left in the dark – call.” [number].”
Your call to action should be quick, clear and concise. Be sure to include your phone number or another way customers can contact you.
How to make your radio advertising a success: step by step
Now you know the core components of a radio advertisement. However, you have yet to figure out how to combine it all into a successful commercial.
To reach your target audience, you need to develop a strategy. Great radio advertising, like many other types of advertising, usually takes practice and patience.
Make sure you have a strategy in place for monitoring the results of each campaign you promote so you can learn and evolve.
Consider working with a specialist to produce a radio commercial for you. Many marketing and copywriting professionals have experience writing ads for lawyers, plumbers, and other professionals that can be broadcast on the radio.
Here are some more ways to make your radio ad a success.
Step 1: Know your audience
First and foremost, great ads always speak the language of their audience.
Before attempting to advertise, it is important that you give yourself adequate time to research customers.
Find out what channels they listen to and when they are most likely to use their radios so you know which platform and time slot to choose for your campaign.
Consider your audience’s demographics and the segments they’re most interested in so you can snap your ad into your audience’s day at just the right moment.
It’s also worth examining your customer’s pain points, goals, and expectations so you can write a script that resonates with them emotionally.
Step 2: Make the benefits clear
Most radio advertising is intended to sell something, such as a service or product. Even if you ask your customers to call you for a quote, you still need to convey the benefits of doing so.
With that in mind, think about how you can engage your audience by highlighting what makes your company or solution special.
Draw attention to your unique selling proposition and what your users get out of it when they contact you.
For example, don’t just say, “We can file your taxes.” Instead, tell your audience that you can save them time, worry, and stress.
The best radio ads engage customers by paying attention to what matters most to them.
Step 3: Make it unforgettable
Some radio ads stick in our minds more than others.
They are memorable because they carry a unique message, a certain tone of voice, or something else that pulls us away from our everyday lives.
There are several ways to make your ads more memorable. One option might be to hire a professional whose voice your customers just can’t ignore.
Another strategy is to create your own musical jingle. Jingles may not be as well known in advertising today as they were a few decades ago.
Yet they are still excellent at attracting attention.
People are more likely to remember a message if it is written in a memorable rhythm. Consider collaborating with some audio experts to turn your call-to-action or promotional message into a musical experience.
Step 4: Entice customers to take action
Your call-to-action statement is an essential part of encouraging customers to take action on your radio ad.
However, there are other ways to improve the chances of making an impact, such as calling your company.
For example, offering an incentive gives customers a reason to stop hesitating about decisions and get in touch right away.
For example, you could offer a 50 percent discount to the first 20 callers who contact your team.
You could also give users access to a limited-time offer, creating urgency.
Another way to ensure your customers are more likely to take action is to make it easy for them. Provide simple and clear instructions on how they can use your offer.
Step 5: Keep it simple and original
After all, one of the best ways to ensure your 30-second radio ad makes an impact is to combine originality with simplicity.
Since you only have a few seconds to get your message across, don’t cram too much information into this space.
Think about the most important statement you want to make and convey it as clearly as possible.
At the same time, let the personality of your brand and your company shine through. Make sure you choose a voice actor with a clear, friendly, and authentic voice to captivate your clients.
Play with the language and use the right tone to create an emotional connection with the audience. You can even use music to increase the impact of your commercial.
Write the best 30 second radio spot
A 30-second radio ad gives you little time to engage with your audience. However, on a platform as powerful as radio, sometimes it only takes a moment to make a difference.
With the tips above, you should be able to script your radio ads that will resonate with your target audience.
Remember, it pays to keep a close eye on how your customers are responding to your ads and collect as much data as possible from each campaign.
You could even ask customers to provide a unique code when they contact you after listening to your ad, so you can accurately quantify how many leads you’re getting.
The more information you can glean from each campaign, the more likely you are to create compelling commercials.
