What to avoid with radio ads?
There are some who will suggest that radio is a dying media, but the reality is that it is still one of the most effective ways to reach an audience, especially a local audience. It’s also much more affordable than TV, making it the perfect option for small to medium businesses who have a limited marketing budget to work with. As great as radio advertising is, you can still make mistakes that will make it tough for you to see any sort of return on your investment. We have come up with a few common mistakes that you should be looking to avoid when creating radio ads.
Long or similar-sound names
Oftentimes, people who listen to the radio do so in their car, which means they are not able to write down the information that they hear. If you bombard them with long or confusing names or details in your audio-only ad, their ability to remember that information can be difficult. This is even true for people who do have time to take notes, as they may just give up if they cannot make sense of the names used in the ad.
Complex details
You only have a limited amount of time to get your message out in a radio ad, and you don’t want to spend a large chunk of that time explaining about the details of your product or service. If what you are selling has a complex pricing set-up, it may be better to suggest that consumers contact you for more information. The more terms and numbers you throw at them in a 30-second ad, the more likely it is that they will simply shut out what you are trying to tell them.
Hard-to-remember contact information
Unless you have a snappy, easy-to-remember phone number, website or contact name, adding it to the ad might lead to unnecessary confusion. That is why it is important to make sure all information you mention radio ad is short and memorable. You can register a short or catchy domain name and redirect it to your main website. You can also register a vanity phone number to help listeners remember it.
Complicated driving directions
If your business is a little trickier to get to, don’t make that the focus of your ad. For example, after leaving the main highway, customers are forced to take a series of turns to find you, simply say that you are located off the highway at a particular exit. Or use a well-known anchor to help listeners locate your store. Most folks have some sort of map or navigation app installed on their phones, so let them find their own way first. Also offer map directions on your site and assistance via telephone.
Talking in clichés
A radio ad, or any ad for that matter, should be memorable so that the consumers will automatically store that information in their head. If you fill your ad with clichés and tired old phrases that we hear all the time, it is boring and do not expect to be remembered. In fact, listeners will shut you out in a matter of seconds.
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