The world of advertising is changing rapidly, and it seems like every day there are more and more means of advertising your product or service. From flashy Facebook ads to interruptions on Instagram, and let’s not forget those adverts on TV.
This is where radio advertising can make a difference and be just the change that your brand needs to really make an impact and reach new customers in a much more peaceful way.
The Benefits of Radio Advertising
Radio advertising is not always the first type of advertising a marketing team consider when it comes to pushing their brand message out but, radio can be hugely beneficial in reaching thousands of people at any one time, using the power of subtle advertising that stays in the mind for longer.
Another huge benefit to radio over more traditional forms of advertising is the ability to move quickly with an idea and get it out. Believe it or not, in some cases it could be possible to go from design concept to scripting, recording, editing, and ready for launch within a really short time frame, much quicker than video advertising.
This is a big bonus to businesses in these uncertain climates, especially for retail businesses that are needing to change up their messaging very quickly to adapt to current guidelines.
It is entirely possible to listen to an evening broadcast on changing restrictions and have your radio advert ready to go within a short window, letting your current customers and potential customers know whether you’ll be open or not, and what changes they may experience when they visit your premises.
The Subtle Power of Radio Advertising
When considering marketing campaigns, many people will be drawn towards the idea of grabbing an audience’s attention and speaking to as many people as possible.
With radio, this approach just won’t work. Radio is more subtle. Radio is more intimate, and that means you can have a one-on-one conversation with your customers, right in their ears, without having to interrupt their day.
The rise of digital audio advertising has been driven, in part, by the rise of independent working, working with earphones on, or being at home with a smart speaker playing your favourite station. This means that advertisers need to consider how they approach their audience and create radio scripts that are designed to take an audience along with them.
That’s not to say that radio adverts can’t be attention-grabbing. It’s a well-known industry standard that you need to have your audience’s attention within the first five seconds to make a real impact, and the team at Chatterbox Voices will work with you to create an exciting and original script.
These days, radio listeners expect to be taken along with the story, to have an emotional connection to the content. They expect adverts to be creative and fun, even interesting in some ways. What’s possible with radio that isn’t always possible with print media or static image adverts online is the ability to convey inflexion in voices and input a little humour into the days of your audience.
Branding your Advert
One of the things that many brands are concerned about when it comes to radio advertising is the worry about it being non-visual. We live in a highly visual world, with many different types of entertainment vying for our attention, but with radio and audio advertising this just isn’t possible, so how can a brand deal with that?
The answer is quite simple; leave it up to the experts!
The best thing about working with a professional agency team like Chatterbox Voices, is that we have a whole group of people who can envision the final result and understand exactly what is needed when it comes to getting your message across during an audio advertising campaign.
The process starts with the concept and scriptwriting. We can work with you to paint a picture when there are no actual pictures. Once you have a finalised script, this gets passed onto a trained voice actor and producer, they can work with the source material to make sure it’s given life.
What Brands Need to Consider
There are so many ways that brands can get their message across using audio advertising, but brands must stick to their own brand values and guidelines when considering the sound of their advert.
This is done in many ways, and the creative team are the best people to help you handle it. You’ll need to consider the music and sound choices of your advert, the style and delivery (will it be funny, serious, excitable?), and of course the pace of the advert. Every aspect must be right so that your audience feels that you are being sincere within your commercial and not wasting their time.
The three main areas that any brand needs to cover are:
- The Message Clarity – One clear message and call to action that are given enough space to shine. In this case, less is more!
- The Brand Voice – Not just the voice of the actor, but the actual wording used, and how it’s delivered.
- Making an Impact – How do you make an impact in a 30-second aural only advert? By investing in professional producers and experienced voice actors. Most importantly, trusting them to do their job properly.
What Doesn’t Work in Radio Campaigns
We’ve spoken a lot about what does work within the commercial radio advertising sphere, but what doesn’t work, and what can hamper your efforts?
Radio adverts need to be sensitive to the platform. They need to bear in mind that these days most people are listening to the radio through headphones or in intimate areas like cars. This means that adverts that are too loud and brash will not go down well with the audience.
Audio adverts that are too loud, too wordy, have too many sound effects, and feel too insincere will immediately turn an audience off and may have negative consequences for your brand.
Make your Radio Ad a Reality
Have you decided that radio advertising is the way forward for you, or do you have a few more questions that need answering?
Drop the team here at Chatterbox Voices a message and we’ll be happy to chat through your requirements.
Alternatively, have a listen to our podcast episode specifically about the power of radio advertising! Click here.
