How to Script an Online Radio Advertisement

April 2019 Newsletter SDC RADIOWORKS If you think radio advertising is a thing of the past, think again. Online radio advertising is increasing in popularity due to its enhanced targeting capabilities and effectiveness, in addition to a lower cost when compared to some more traditional advertising vehicles. The impact and effectiveness of online radio ads rely entirely on creative. In this month’s newsletter, we will provide tips on how to write an online radio ad script; whether it's to promote your own business or an advertiser’s product or service on your station. We will also take a look at the third and final part of our radio contest series which includes a number of ideas for contest prizes for consideration as rewards to encourage your listeners to participate in your radio competitions. In addition, we’d like to thank all the participants in our Easter competition. The results for the SWAG winners will be announced on the 7th of May 2019 on our social media pages. Stay tuned for more... How to Script an Online Radio Advertisement   Online radio ads are continuing to grow in popularity. A mobile-first medium, online radio fully immerses listeners in your brand. Listeners are able to take online radio with them throughout the day and engage with it while multitasking and without having to look at a screen. A longer engagement period means that listeners are hearing more of the ads and in full. A well-scripted ad is, therefore, key to providing a relevant and engaging ad experience for each listener. One of the most common hardships that many station owners or advertisers face is the creation of an appropriate radio ad script. Before you begin writing an ad script, it's important to understand the elements and creative best practices that make online radio ads effective, which include: Duration - for online radio ads, depending on the type of product, service or event you plan to promote, 15-30 seconds tend to be best practice. The listener might miss the message in a shorter ad but will soon become tired of listening to frequently repeating long ads. Determine Your Goal - the product/service/event that you plan to advertise should intrigue your listening audience and/or satisfy a need in the market. Determine Your Call-to-Action - what action would you like listeners to take after hearing your ad? Visit your site? Call a number? A call-to-action guides listeners towards your desired next step after having heard an ad. Reinforce the Benefits - an effective online radio commercial script will ensure that the benefits extended to the market are highlighted and promoted. Customize the Ad for your Target Audience - the language and sentence structure you use should be adjusted appropriately for your target audience. Plan and Strategize - You can maximize the efficacy of your online radio ad by creating a brief before writing down the script, considering the script from the listener’s perspective and more. Accuracy - You should work with your client to ensure the content of the ad is accurate and you should also consider any potential legal issues which might arise, for example, if your client wishes to defame a competitor in an ad run on your station.  Ensure the client signs-off on the advert before going to air. For more information on writing an effective online radio ad, visit our blog. Radio Contests Series Part 3: Contest Prize Ideas In last month’s newsletter we covered radio contest ideas you can effectively utilize on your station to help further engage your listening audience and increase your brand awareness. In the final part of our series on running successful radio contests, we are providing a comprehensive list of prize ideas in addition to alternative ways to both encourage your listeners to participate in your contests, and reward them. Check out the full post here.   That’s all for this month, but be sure to keep in touch with us on Facebook and Twitter, and visit our blog for even more great content. If you have questions about your current station, our services, or need technical support, visit support.spacial.com to contact our support team. Our normal support business hours are Monday through Friday 4 am - 4 pm CST, and you can expect a response within 4 hours during this time. Requests marked urgent are usually responded to within 1 hour during normal business hours. Support requests received outside of business hours will be attended to during the next business day! Best Wishes, Team Spacial   Share:     Facebook    LinkedIn    Twitter