Radio ads should catch listeners' attention without losing sight of the sales message.
Unlike ads on TV, billboards, print and online, radio ads have no visuals to back them up. That means a radio spot lives or dies by the quality of the copy and the voice. Some radio ad spots only last a few seconds, but generally you have either 30 or 60 seconds to get your message across. If possible, write for a 60-second spot. This gives you enough time to make a sales case. You have to get your key information across clearly and motivate the listener to take action.
Instructions
1. Research your product inside and out. Write down five things different about your product from competitor offerings. Your radio ad needs to grab the listener's attention. Unusual, powerful or genuinely useful aspects of your product help attract interest.
2. Write with this format in mind for a 60-second radio spot: nine seconds for the "headline" copy, 22 seconds to add information, 16 seconds for your bonus offer and the last 12 seconds to tell the listener what to do next, according to copywriter Dean Rieck.
3. Focus on product benefits. Write about what the product will do for the person listening, rather than what the product is. For example, if you're advertising a lawnmower, then the benefit might be better-looking lawns than your neighbor. The benefit isn't that the mower has sharper blades.
4. Write in clear and simple language. Don't try to be clever or cute. Radio listeners can't re-read your copy, so the message must be sharper than in some other media. Read your copy out loud to yourself after writing. Remove anything that doesn't sound natural when spoken.
5. Keep the number of "characters" in your radio ad to a minimum. Any more than two people, and the listener starts to get confused.
6. Finish the radio ad copy with a strong call to action. You need to tell the listeners what to do as soon as they hear the spot. For example, it could be call a number or visit a website.
7. Go through your copy and remove every unnecessary word, phrase or idea that doesn't sell the product. Pare the copy down to just one or two main powerful ideas.
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