What’s a radio ad script?

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Radio advertising scripts ensure ads are the right length and can include sound effects and actor dialogue. Radio stations make money from paid ads, usually 30 or 60 seconds long. Pre-recorded ads use actors, while radio personalities may endorse products with a script or guidelines.

A radio advertising script is a written document that can be used in creating an advertisement. Radio spots are typically between 15 and 60 seconds long, so one of the main goals of a script is to make sure the ad is the right length. The two main types of radio ads use actors or radio personalities, and both can use scripts. In the case of a pre-recorded ad that uses actors, the script usually includes their lines, plus the necessary sound effects and other directions. A radio advertising script aimed at a disc jockey or talk show host may offer more leeway, although there will still usually be some type of specific message or information.

Advertising revenue is how many radio stations make their money, as these paid advertisements can play during talk shows or between songs. Most of them are 30 or 60 seconds long, which might help the station plan break accordingly. The first part of any radio commercial production process usually involves writing a script. To ensure a spot is the correct length, the general rule of thumb is that a 60-second radio ad script should be around 185 words. To write a point with only 30 seconds, that number must be cut in half.

There are two main types of radio commercials, each with a different production process. The first type is usually pre-recorded and involves professional actors or friends and employees of the company paying for the ad. These ads follow a script that can display each actor’s dialogue, in addition to other directions. The script can include sound effects and anything else needed for the production.

Radio personalities such as disc jockeys and talk show hosts are also often paid to endorse products. In some cases, the host or jockey will be given a radio advertising script to read over the air. This type of endorsement can also be pre-recorded and played back later, just like productions involving professional actors. Some personalities have more latitude; in this case, the radio advertising script can serve more as a set of guidelines. The announcer may have a specific message or information, such as a phone number, that must be given over the air, and then the disc jockey or talk show host can divulge the rest.

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