Radio Advertising - Aim for 80 Words or Less
When you listen to the radio, you're likely to be in a vehicle facing numerous distractions and performing actions like catching a green light, stopping for pedestrians, and checking your mirrors. What do you remember from a radio ad?
Amid all the distractions, whether in a car or not, it is increasingly difficult to remember every word that is said in a radio commercial.
This is why experts are encouraging advertising agencies to limit their commercial copy (script) to 80 words or less in order to convey their message.
What are the benefits of less words in a commercial?
1. A more moderately paced voice-over
2. More concise copy
3. Higher percentage of listeners who retain your message
Think of what would happen if you had to write down a commercial, word for word, after only hearing it once. Even if you were solely concentrating on that commercial, it would be hard to remember what was said verbatim, or word for word.
After this exercise, one would be able to jot down key words, or keywords - basically, the words that are most important and best convey the theme and call for action of the commercial.
Take those words, form your copy around them, and be sure that each word is relevant to your script. :30 is not a long time to get in 80 words, so they had better be the words that count.
Where did we get the notion of 80 words or less? Check out Warren Johnson's Unsolicited Marketing Advice blog for more details and helpful tips on how to minimize the length while maximizing the effectiveness of your copy.
Happy writing,
David.
