Top 10 Radio Jingles in 2021

radio jingles

With marketing strategies becoming outdated almost immediately after they pop up, radio jingles have withstood the test of time. Ever since1926, when the concept first came to light, radio advertising jingles have been central to marketing campaigns.

But don’t mistake jingles for slogans or a song with the company name or motto, though. The best marketing jingles create brand awareness by staying in the listener’s head long after hearing them.

Out of all the radio jingles ever produced, these ten are the most effective marketing and are worth recognition in 2021.

1. Oscar Mayer, “I Wish I Was an Oscar Mayer Weiner”

The Oscar Mayer Weiner jingle is one of the old radio station jingles from 1965. It was part of a nationwide campaign to market the franchise hotdogs to as many people as possible. Written by Richard Tentlage, the tune became an instant hit among kids and adults at the time.

While the jingle was only in audio format when airing for the first time, its huge success led to the production of a TV commercial. Today, the video has over a million views on YouTube, and even the current generation knows it word for word.

There have been remixes of the Oscar Mayer jingle over the years. One performed by a metal band, the other by a barbershop quartet, and even a singing parrot. Either way, the “I wish I was an Oscar Mayer Weiner” jingle continues to dominate the minds of all its listeners.

2. McDonalds, “I’m Lovin It”

During the early 2000s when McDonald’s stock was plummeting there was a re-think of their marketing strategy. In 2003 they had Tom Batoy and Frank Tortora to help them develop a radio jingle that would change the company’s fortunes and their lives.

After the jingle first aired, people couldn’t stop singing the lyrics – “ba-da-ba-baa-baa,” and the jingle became an instant hit. The fact that Justin Timberlake and Pharell Williams, two pop icons hopped on the track fueled its popularity massively.

And although the campaign was to last two years only, the jingle still dominates the airwaves and people’s minds. By 2020, this jingle was in 11 different languages, with five different commercial videos created around it.

3. Kit Kat, “Give Me a Break”

Kit Kat, the popular milk chocolate manufacturing company was not so famous until the release of this jingle. According to Michael A Lavine, one of the writers of the jingle lyrics, “Give me a Break” was to be a backup in case the main jingle flopped, but it ended up standing out more among audiences.

“Give me a break, give me a break, break me a piece of that kit kat bar,” as the lyrics suggest has had people eating kit kat all over America. Even though the original radio ad has undergone modification with celebrities like Chance the Rapper coming in, the slogan remains the same.

Considering the jingle first debuted in 1986, and 564 Kit Kat are consumed each second worldwide, it’s clear that this marketing jingle continues to deliver.

4. Band-Aid, “I’m Stuck on a Band-Aid”

” I am stuck on a Band-Aid because a Band-Aid is stuck on me” are the lyrics to this famous jingle. It was written by Barry Manilow, who is popular for several hit jingles, including the brains behind state farms jingle “like a good neighbor” in 1975.

After partnering with Johnson & Johnson to come up with this masterpiece, both parties benefited from its release. The giant band-aid supplier sold more band-aids than ever before, and barry won the Young & Rubicam a CILO award for the song in 1976.

While there are other marketing campaigns, including the current one featuring a ballet dancer who uses a band-aid to stitch up her feet after a performance with the slogan “Stick With It,” none has come close to matching the band-aid anthem.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that the company earned 247.5 million in revenue during the 2017 year calendar.

5. “I Don’t Want to Grow Up, I’m a Toys-R-Us Kid”

Toys R Us, the famous kids’ toy company released this jingle as a radio advertisement in 1982. Written by best-selling author James Patterson in collaboration with Linda Kaplan, the jingle is among the widely recognized to date.

The theme of the jingle begins with kids playing with different toys from the company while singing the song. I Don’t Want To Grow Up, I’m a Toys R Us kid. The video creatively portrays video games, bikes, trains, and even teddy bears without seeming too salesly.

Whether you’re a child or an adult, this jingle makes you feel like never growing up because of the comfort of toys. The tune recurs in your mind for quite some time and those who hear it, still remember the song days or weeks after.

What’s more, since the company almost closed its door in 2017, it re-took this slogan as their main advertisement to boost their sales, which worked.

6. State Farm, “Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is There”

State Farm is one of the leading insurance providers in the country, thanks to a successful marketing campaign. The driving force behind it? That’s right, the radio ad Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is there”. 

The slogan, first released in 1971 as part of the insurance initial marketing campaign, turned out to be the key to people’s hearts and pockets. It depicts the various challenges people experience while at home and how insurance can help solve these problems.

While there have been different versions of the jingle throughout the years, including one in 2010 and more recently last year, all versions maintain the melody.

State Farm has undoubtedly reaped big for 30 years from jingle, and nothing current seems to suggest it will stop anytime soon.

7. Huggies, “I’m a Big Kid Now”

Huggies Pull-ups are a popular diaper option and at one point overtaken pampers as the market commander. This is thanks to the I’m a Big Kid Now audio that was played in almost every jingle radio station nationwide after its release.

Produced in 1990, the jingle has taken many other forms since, but the core message of I’m a Big Kid Now remains. In the latest Huggies advertisement, a child confidently sings the song I’m a big kid now to their mom as they use the potty.

Currently, Huggies Pull-ups owns about 22% of the diaper market share and is synonymous with this famous radio jingle. And while there may be other jingle campaigns to come, few will match the clout this slogan continues to bring the brand even today.

8. Alka Seltzer, “Plop Plop, Fizz Fizz”

The Alka Seltzer jingle was created in the 50s but didn’t air until the mid-’70s. When the company first started, it advocated using one tablet instead of two to treat stomach illnesses. But as they would quickly realize, this was a catastrophe for disaster.

Many people who consumed the tablet for their stomach irritation problems still experienced the problem later. This forced a re-think, and doctors recommended users take two tablets instead of one at a go for the medication to work.

To popularize this finding, the company launched the Plop Plop, Fizz Fizz campaign that aimed to educate the consumer about usage. It depicts the sound of two tablets landing in a cup of water, and then producing the fizzing sound – thus Plop Plop, Fizz Fizz.

The jingle marked 75 years this year, and Alka Seltzer celebrated the jingle as one of their best in history and held a contest in honor.

9. Folgers, “The Best Part of Waking Up”

For over 30 years, Folgers, one of the leading coffee makers in the country used this tune in their radio advertisements. The song first debuted in jingle radio stations as audio in the late 1950s before the TV commercial appeared in 1984.

Written by the talented Leslie Pearl, the composition has a cover in almost every music genre you can think of. From country to gospel, R&B, folk, Celtic, and even jazz with superstars like Rockapella, Aretha Franklin in the remixes. 

While the jingle earns hefty royalties to date, Folgers decided to auction it up to the highest bidder after three decades of dominance. It is yet to be seen what the current owner will make from the jingle, but one thing is for sure, The Best Part of Waking Up lives in our minds.

10. Meow Mix

Meow Mix is a creative jingle created by Tom McFaul in 1974 to popularize Ralton Purina cat food products. The video typically shows cats enjoying their food while another sings along to the tune before ending with the slogan – “Tastes so good, cats ask for it by the name.”

After 20 years of using the jingle in different commercials but maintaining the original melody, the company decided to retire the song. However, due to market demand, they have since relaunched and dubbed it Meow Re-Mix.

The Best Radio Jingles in 2021

These are the top ten radio jingles in 2021. Some are more recent, while others are slightly older. However, all have had an impact on the minds of individuals across the country and world.

There’s no denying it, jingles are still a large part of marketing, and companies could do better if they utilize them well.

Contact us today to create a jingle for your business that will outlast the present and future generations.

8 Radio Advertisement Script Examples

radio advertisement

Marketers always seem ready to hail the death of an old medium. For instance, how many headlines have you seen heralding the death of print media, or the death of email?

The same thing is true if you want to write a radio advertisement. You may be greeted with scorn—who listens to the radio anymore?

Turns out, quite a lot of people do! Everyone hasn’t turned to streaming services for their favorite car ride jams. 

That’s why high-quality radio advertisement scripts are so important. You need something that sticks in the listener’s brain. However, you want to make sure your ad isn’t cheesy or annoying—that could ensure your listener will remember you for all the wrong reasons! 

1. Make it Empathetic 

There are a few tenets of copywriting that make a good radio advertisement script. We’ve all heard it said—people won’t remember what you do. Instead, they’ll remember how you made them feel.

The same is true for radio advertisements. When crafting copy for a radio ad script, you’re working at an automatic disadvantage. When someone’s driving, they can’t stop to scribble down your company name. 

They can’t take notes on their phone or Google you immediately. You’re relying on their memory. 

What does that mean for you? Your radio ad script has to make them feel something. 

Take this example, for instance. “My child was diagnosed with brain cancer. Thanks to generous donations made to Shriner’s Hospital, she gets to start school today.” 

No one likes to picture a child with brain cancer. It’s horrible for anyone, but especially for someone so young. You’re likely to remember that ad, even if you don’t know anyone with brain cancer, or have never heard of Shriner’s.

2. Keep It Simple 

As mentioned above, you’re working with a time crunch. You’re paying for every second of air time that you get, and you need to cram your message into a short time slot. 

This requires crystal-clear messaging. There’s no room for fluff or vague verbiage. Picture this example. 

“If you’re craving that childhood nostalgia with a fun fall flavor, stop by our San Francisco location on 25th and Elm, and pick up a pumpkin pie for 25% during the month of October. 

There’s no room for confusion. The product being sold, the location, and the duration of the offer are clear. This ensures that people know exactly what they have to do. This leads to our next tip, which is clarifying the CTA.

3. Polish Your CTA 

People need a few pieces of information to take action on an offer. They need to know what the offer is, why it matters/why it’s such a good deal, and how to access this deal. 

That’s why the voice on the radio tends to repeat links, phone numbers, and addresses more than once. It’s a way to clarify the CTA and make it settle in your brain so you can look it up later. 

Make sure your CTA is as clear as possible. In the above example, the example could be trimmed. “Want a pumpkin pie for 25% off? Stop by our San Francisco location during the month of October.” 

This streamlined option helps people remember the facts, and nothing else.

4. Pick the Mood 

Do you have music playing in the background? What tone does the announcer take when reading your radio ad script? What is the verbiage?

Marketing is all about making people feel a certain way. Manipulating their emotions to a certain end is what advertising is all about. 

When writing your radio advertisement, it’s not enough to just make people feel something. You need to know what mood you’re aiming for. 

For instance, if you write an ad for Christmas decorations, you may want to use nostalgic music and slower speech. Many people hate the rushed commercialism that Christmas centers around, and taking the alternate approach will help you stand out. 

“Making memories with the kids is what the holidays are all about. Stop by with your little one to check out our sled sale.” 

This type of verbiage evokes nostalgia, puts the focus on family, and sets a peaceful mood that may work amid the rush of holiday advertising. 

5. Avoid Boilerplate 

At this point, listeners have heard it all. They see millions of advertisements in a given year. From their Instagram feed to TV commercials, they have layers upon layers of marketing jargon packed into their brains. 

This means they can spot fake boilerplate from a mile away. Our brains are so used to the patterns of advertising jargon that your advertisement will slip through the cracks if it’s not unique. It will just become more white noise within the brain. 

That’s not what you want. Take the time to work through many iterations of your radio ad script. Use all the tools in the English language, such as alliteration, repetition, and onomatopoeia, to make your words stick. 

Here’s an example: “Struggling to get home for the holidays? Our cheap flights get you home while giving your wallet a break.” 

This version is more creative than another iteration, which might read like: “Looking for flights? Visit us online.” That terminology could apply to any airline these days.

6. Tell A Story 

When you’re looking at radio ad script examples, you may think there’s no room for storytelling. A radio advertisement is bare-bones copy, without time for much more. 

However, humans are hardwired to pay attention to stories. Remember the above example, about donating to Shriner’s to help children with brain cancer? That was a two-sentence story. 

It has all the primary elements of a story. There’s tragedy and an inciting incident of a child developing brain cancer. There’s an implied problem–a lack of affordable healthcare. There’s a challenge–finding healthcare for a child with brain cancer.

The solution is donations and the kindness of Shriner’s hospital. And the happy ending is a child growing up to do normal activities, like ride a bike or go to school.

Here’s another example with an extended story. “At Shriner’s Hospital, we take care of anyone who needs it. One of our patients, Jane Doe, needed help when she received a diagnosis for Scheuermann’s kyphosis. Her parents couldn’t afford treatment, but she needed help. Shriner’s stepped in—and now Jane is able to move pain-free.”

This provides a very brief storyline for the listener’s brain to follow.

7. Embrace the Jingle 

Radio jingles often get a bad rap. It’s because they’re usually cheesy and inherently easy to make fun of. 

These days, a radio jingle can turn into a viral meme within a day. That’s a lot of pressure when you’re sitting down to write a jingle!

Focus on the mood you’re going for, and take the time to listen to other jingles. How do they sound, and how does that sound change depending on the demographic they’re trying to target?

If you’re trying to sell your product to teenagers, try to evoke the sounds of what they’re listening to anyway. Of course, you should never plagiarize or try to sound like another artist!

You’re not trying to sound like Taylor Swift, or Billie Eilish, or any other global superstar. You’re trying to nail the same emotion they capture in their songs if that’s what your target demographic is listening to.

When writing a jingle, you should also know that you aren’t writing an opera. This is not the place for grand emotion or musical swells. 

Instead, you should embrace the nature of the genre. Go with cheesy alliteration and fun verbiage. That’s what makes it a jingle! 

Repetition is also a big part of the jingle. That’s what makes it an earworm that sticks in people’s minds, even when they would rather it didn’t. 

“Just keep running and running and running …  ” Did you recognize the similarities to the Energizer Bunny jingle? This iteration is a callback to a famous jingle, but unique enough to fit an ad for a pair of running shoes, for instance. 

8. Utilize Customer Testimonials 

Like we’ve emphasized before in these radio ad script examples, this is precious little time to waste. You won’t be able to read full testimonials on-air, in most cases. And you won’t want to waste your air time like that either. 

Instead, make references. “We’ve received five thousand five star reviews in the past ten years.” This type of track record should always be included in any radio ad that wants to establish your credibility as a company. 

Writing A Radio Advertisement

As evidenced in these radio advertisement examples, a lot of time and effort goes into a simple radio ad script! However, when the calls, purchases, and visits start rolling in, all that effort will eventually pay off. 

If you want help with voiceovers, radio ad production, jingle production, or other production elements, we can help! Contact us today. We’re excited to get started on your project. 

Top 10 Catchy and Creative Radio Jingles

radio jingles

If the saying “I’m lovin’ it” feels familiar and reminds you of McDonald’s, it’s because an effective radio ad worked its magic on you. 

Radio jingles have been used since 1926 when Wheaties cereal recognized the mass potential of radio advertising. They aired the first-ever radio jingle and ever since then radio advertisement has often relied on catchy, can’t-miss-them songs. 

Radio ads have relied on this method for a few different reasons. Radio songs and jingles help listeners remember a brand name and set the tone for the company. 

They also engage customers and help create a specific mood that customers associate with the brand, even years later. 

Even if a product is not something a customer would normally use, they will still remember that product’s advertising jingle. They may even sing it or bring it up in conversation with others. 

If a company has the money they may even shell out big money for famous singers and actors to be part of their campaign, which only boosts sales and spreads their popularity. 

For that reason, radio jingles are a permanent part of our culture. Read on to learn about the top 10 jingles that have resonated with audiences over the years. 

1. Nationwide 

This jingle is at the top of the list for good reason. Nationwide insurance first premiered their famous “nationwide is on your side” jingle in 1965 and it has resonated with audiences ever since. 

The jingle tells customers that they can trust their brand and that they will be taken care of. The tone of the voice singing is also reassuring, comforting, and everything a customer would want to feel from an insurance company. 

The jingle is still so popular today that the company continues to use it. Most recently sultry, popular singer Jill Scott covered the jingle to give the tune a modern feel. It has certainly come a long way since the first version of the jingle. 

2. McDonald’s

“Ba da ba ba baaa, I’m lovin it!”

This jingle is so catchy that most people everywhere would be able to recognize it. That’s because McDonald’s launched this ad worldwide and translated it into 11 different languages. 

Part of this was because famous pop star Justin Timberlake was tied to the song. The singer, who originally rose to fame with the pop group NSYNC, could be heard crooning the jingle during both television and radio commercials.

McDonald’s spent the money to take the ad as far as it could go and it showed. The jingle could be heard everywhere you went, whether it was on television, the radio, or showing as an ad at an event or sports game.  

McDonald’s eventually registered “I’m lovin’ it” as a trademark and continue to use the slogan to this day. It’s still the longest-running campaign in McDonald’s history. 

3. Ricola

Hearing the drawn-out “Riiiiiicolaaaaaaa” probably brings to mind the scenery of a swiss hillside. That’s because this jingle’s campaign was as effective on television as it was on the radio. 

The cough drop company first used this ad campaign in Germany and Switzerland in 1993 and it was so popular that they eventually released it in other countries. This led to a huge increase in brand awareness that was ultimately quite profitable. 

The television commercial often featured a yodeler, mountainous hills, and people coughing followed by popping a Ricola into their mouth. The iconic jingle is used in their advertising to this day.

4. Rice Krispies 

This popular jingle remains as effective as it ever was, even today. 

It’s so popular that in 2020 Kellog’s released a full-length single featuring the three Rice Krispy elf mascots singing a modern pop version of the song. This song is even available on Spotify! 

The song also got a very rock and roll makeover by the world-famous rock band The Rolling Stones a few years before they became a household name.

Then-bandmember Brian Jones wrote the tune and it was their take on the famous “Snap! Crackle! Pop! Rice Krispies!” lyrics with an edgier twist. 

5. Lucky Charms

Lucky Charms has always run a popular ad campaign for plenty of reasons, but it was their “They’re magically delicious!” slogan that has stuck in people’s memories for years. 

Lucky Charms has always created effective television commercials featuring their leprechaun mascot, Lucky, as he tries to protect his precious bowl of cereal from the kids trying to eat it. 

Their advertising was so successful that it’s recognizable beyond just the main catchphrase.

Many people can recognize the part of the ad that details the eight different marshmallow shapes and colors in the cereal as well. The jingle behind the words is lighthearted and mimics the sound often heard in daytime cartoons for kids. 

6. Spaghetti-O’s

This very popular jingle was loosely based on a 1950s love song by Jimmie Rodgers, “Uh-Oh I’m Falling In Love Again.”

The Spaghetti-O’s jingle is so memorable that it became a regular part of American vernacular that had nothing to do with canned food and is sometimes still heard today.

Locked your keys in your car? Maybe you managed to spill water all over your paperwork. Your first response might have been to say, “Uh oh, spaghetti-o’s.”

This slogan boosted sales for the company and it is still one of the most-bought canned foods today. 

7. State Farm

State Farm Insurance has run such a competitive and brilliant ad campaign for years now that nearly anyone would be able to place where the ad came from if they heard it. 

Their jingle slogan, “Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there,” is not only memorable because of the words, but the actual music underneath the lyrics is catchy and rhythmic. The music on its own makes listeners want to hum and repeat it. 

When they employed actor J.K. Simmons to read the slogan during television and radio commercials it permanently cemented itself into cultural history. 

State Farm used this slogan from 1971 until they retired it in 2016, but it remains as memorable as ever. 

The words of the slogan successfully painted the exact right picture; a company that would watch out for them, as a neighbor might. 

For all these reasons, State Farm’s jingle remains one of the most memorable jingles of all time. 

8. Campbell’s

If you were born after 1930, chances are you grew up hearing the all-too-familiar “Mm-Mm, good, mm-mm good” jingle all about soup. 

The television commercial featuring this jingle often aired during after-school hours to ensure that kids would be able to see it and, in turn, ask mom to buy the Campbell’s soup next time she made a trip to the grocery store. It also played on the radio. 

This jingle was catchy enough that Campbell’s revived it in the early 2000s when sales were dropping. The jingle carries a certain nostalgia that connects with customers even in a day and age where canned soup isn’t as popular as it once was. 

9. Kit Kat

Kit Kat hit it big when they released their famous jingle in 1986. This iconic jingle almost compels listeners to finish the lyrics themselves when they hear it because it’s so catchy. 

In a strange turn of events, this jingle was not meant to be the original choice for Kit Kat’s advertisements. It was a “throwaway piece” according to the song’s composer, Michael A. Levine.  

As the story goes, the ad agency for Kit Kat presented this now-famous jingle as a secret “no” option because they couldn’t present just one song to their client. The jingle audiences all know and love now was never supposed to be famous the way it is today. 

But, luckily for Kit Kat, it ended up working out big for the company anyway! 

10. Toys R Us

The Toys R Us ad campaign is brilliant in that not only did it employ the use of a hard-to-forget jingle, but it was targeted at impressionable and receptive kids. 

The melodic “I don’t wanna grow up, I’m a Toys R Us kid” jingle was heard everywhere in the 1980s and 1990s whether it was on television or the radio. 

The company managed to make being a “Toys R Us kid” synonymous with being a kid lucky enough to get toys from their parents.

Every child wants toys and every child wants the same toys their friends have or better ones than their friends have. The jingle created a sense of being in an exclusive toy club.

While Toys R Us eventually closed all its retail stores in 2018, their iconic jingle remains one of the most popular in culture to this day.

Create Radio Jingles for Your Business Today 

After reading all about radio jingles, it should be clear why a memorable marketing strategy is so effective. 

Creating a catchy jingle, video, or other forms of advertising can make or break a business. If you’re looking to create a catchy campaign for your business and have ever wondered “how much does a radio ad cost?” Killer Spots Agency has answers for you.

Browse through their advertising services and find out about the many ways that you can boost your business today. 

Radio Marketing: Is It Still Relevant?

radio marketing

It’s easy to conclude that modern marketing is all about social media and guerilla marketing. Actually, this couldn’t be further from the truth. 

Radio marketing might have been around for almost 100 years, but that doesn’t mean its days are over. There are several reasons why any marketer should definitely include radio as part of their marketing strategy.

Let’s take a closer look at why it’s relevant, and how to crush it in this field.

The Massive Reach of Radio

According to the latest research by the Pew Research Center, 83% of Americans over 12 listen to radio on a given week. Online radio is also big, with 62% of adults surveyed listening in the last week.

Why Radio Reaches People

Terrestrial radio, broadcast to a local area using an AM or FM signal, still reaches people for several reasons.

The first is the daily commute. Millions of Americans spend time going to and from work listening to the radio each day. Many have it on when picking the kids up from school and running errands. 

There are also people who have the radio on the whole day while working. All this means that potentially millions of people hear the ad, and they don’t just hear it once. The longer they listen, the more times they hear it, and the greater the impact.

Many stations also broadcast over the internet, allowing them to reach wider audiences on the go. Listeners can download podcasts that include advertising content.

Radio Ads Reach the Target Audience

Radio is a highly segmented market. For example, in Cincinnati alone, people can access well over 50 different radio stations. 

These cover interests as wide-ranging as hip-hop, classic country, and adult contemporary. This might seem overwhelming, but it actually gives marketers an opportunity.

No marketer targets everyone with their product or message. This pre-segmented marketplace gives the marketer an advantage.

It allows the team to create custom radio advertising to reach the target audience. They can also target the ads at different times of the day to reach different people.

Reach All Sectors of Society

Radio listeners are made up of a nearly 50/50 split between men and women. Teens also tune in, with contemporary hit radio their most popular choice.

Radio remains popular across different ethnic groups. 98% of Black and Hispanic people listen to the radio each month.

This data goes to show that whatever demographic marketers are trying to reach, there’s a radio station out there serving them.

Reach Those Not Online

We may think everyone and his dog is online these days. But actually, 7% of Americans do not use the internet. This is pretty evenly balanced across men and women, and different ethnic groups.

The fact is, if a company’s advertising is online-only, they’re not reaching those people. They’re keeping up to date somehow, and many of them are probably accessing that info through radio.

Radio Ads Reach People Naturally

Everyone knows that radio includes advertisements. We’re used to them, and they blend naturally with the content. The fact that they sit naturally within the context of the medium gives marketers an opportunity.

A visual ad online is just begging to be fast-forwarded. Most people’s fingers are hovering over the skip ads button. Unless it’s amazing, they count every second until they can click ‘skip ad’.

With radio advertising, marketers have the upper hand. Spots are typically very brief, and the listener can’t fast forward them. They also sit naturally within the broadcast and are accepted.

They also sit alongside content that the audience enjoys. That might be the talk radio style of a particular DJ. For most listeners, it’s their preferred type of music, with Country music stations the most popular across the US.

This relaxed audience is perfect for marketers. They have a good idea of the demographic that is listening. Get the spot right and people will call or look up the website as soon as it ends.

Leverage DJ Relationship with Audience

Before the term influencer was a thing, there were radio DJs. Now marketers understand the power of a recommendation from a ‘trusted friend’ such as a celebrity. A popular radio DJ could be a powerful ally in a marketing campaign. 

They frequently drive conversation and are able to bring people around to their way of thinking. If they come on board as a celebrity endorser, they can give the brand a shot in the arm.

This is because word of mouth remains the most successful form of advertising out there. Although they may really be strangers to their audience, successful jocks make them feel they are their close friends. The messages they communicate have a real influence on their listeners.

Reaches the Online Market

The online radio segment gives marketers an opportunity. Listeners access online radio while actively engaging with a device. Whether this is a tablet, phone, or computer, they have a way of immediately responding by visiting a website or social media account.

Internet radio can also provide insights into the audience that traditional radio cannot.

Radio Works Alongside Other Media

Radio gives marketers an opportunity to consolidate the message they’re putting out on other platforms.

The company may have invested heavily in a TV or social media ad campaign. Could they complement this with a radio ad? Brands that harness this power of radio find a higher level of brand awareness.

Radio Marketing Offers Value for Money

Bang for buck matters to marketers. Radio advertising may not be the most expensive form, but it’s also not cheap. There are production costs to consider, and additionally the cost of airing the spot time and time again. 

Nielsen research again highlights the value for money radio provides. Store visits increased by 20% in those who heard radio ads and visits to the retailer’s website also shot up by 75%. 

This highlights the power of radio in bringing business to both traditional and online businesses. 

Return on Ad Spend

Return on ad spend shows how hard those marketing dollars are working for businesses. 

Here, the power of radio really shines through.

For fast food retailers, the return on ad spend was $3 for every $1. For department stores, it was £17 for every $1 spent, and for the home improvement sector, it was $9 for every $1 spent.

How to Make a Radio Ad

The expression ‘theatre of the mind’ is often used in connection with radio advertising. This represents the radio advertiser’s goal. To put together an advert that is so successful, the listener’s mind is fully engaged.

The mind is so entranced that the listener creates an imaginary scene in their mind. This then connects with their emotions and makes them much more likely to follow through. 

Script is King

In a radio ad, the marketer has between 30 and 60 seconds to connect with your audience. To make the impact they want, not a word of the script can be wasted. To make it stand out from the crowd, they need to deliver something memorable.

Their script gives them an opportunity to deliver their message in a crisp and clear way. Also, because of the highly segmented nature of radio, it also gives them a chance to target a very specific audience.

Humor can be effective, as long as it’s easy to understand and is not offensive. Whatever style they choose, make sure at the end there is no doubt what they are advertising and what they need to do next.

Consider a Jingle

This might sound corny but stay with us. 

A jingle can be highly effective because they stick in the mind. The more they’re repeated, the greater the impact. There’s a reason people still hum jingles from the nineties – because they work. 

If they get them right, they ensure that their ad is not just white noise that people filter out. Make it catchy, and people are happy to hear it.

Getting Production Right

Once the script is ready, the advertiser needs to work with a production team to nail the production. It’s about more than hiring an actor to read the script and adding a few bells and whistles.

A production team will help take the spot or jingle and set it apart from the crowd. If you skimp on this, the audience will be able to tell. 

Don’t stand out from the crowd by sounding amateurish. Stand out for the right reasons by making a spot that grabs their interest and holds it for the full time. 

Radio Marketing: It’s the Future

Radio marketing may have been around for 99 years, but it’s far from a thing of the past. Radio continues to engage consumers – from teens to seniors. Marketers ignore it at their peril – it’s a serious tool for every marketer out there.

Are you ready to make a radio ad? Make sure you’re working with the best.

Killerspots is the industry leader in radio ad production. We’ve created award-winning spots for an array of clients, and are ready and waiting to create your ad!

Click here to learn more about what we can do for your business.

Does Your Business Really Need On-Hold Messages?

on-hold messages

How good is your company’s phone etiquette?

It’s likely that customer service reps, people in sales, and account representatives are trained in the right way to speak with your customers. However, when was the last time you thought about your on-hold messaging? 

On-hold messages present a unique opportunity for education, information, and stellar customer interactions. The only problem is that very few businesses have come to realize this. 

When you’re striving to make the best customer experience possible, every interaction counts. Phone calls, website submissions, and newsletters may seem like small things, but they matter a lot to your customers and clients. 

It may seem like a small thing, but your on-hold messages have the power to completely transform the customer experience. Curious about how the right on-hold strategy can benefit your business? Read on to learn about the benefits of on-hold messages and tips around how to make yours count. 

The Benefits of On-Hold Messages 

There’s something about silence that seems to make people uncomfortable.  Think about the last time you had to call a company and you were put on hold. Chances are you didn’t sit in silence until someone was able to take your call. You may have heard music, special prompts, or tips while you waited. 

Those small interactions you experienced on-hold were actually doing a lot to set the right customer experience. You were a little engaged during the wait time, may have heard tips on how to make the most out of your call, and could have even learned a little about the company. 

It’s time for you to make the most out of your on-hold time. Here are just a few ways the right on-hold message can help your business and customers. 

Improve Call Retention 

Want to know about the true cost of silence? A poll showed that up to 70% of people on hold in silence end up hanging up. Even more jarring, a whopping 35% of those people never end up calling back. 

Silence doesn’t do anyone any good when they’re on hold. A completely silent call could lead people to think that they’ve been mistakenly disconnected while they wait. The silence could make people feel like they aren’t truly valued, and if you don’t seem to value their time how can they value your business?

Whether you go with soft music, informational messages, or something light-hearted, on-call messaging can help drastically improve your call retention numbers. Messages can help reassure people that they’re still on hold and that help will be on the way. 

Process Calls Faster 

Take a moment to ask your customer service representatives what tends to hold up the calls they’re on. We’re confident that many will mention just how long it can take for a customer to find all of their necessary information.

Think about how much faster calls would go if you knew that every person on the other line had their account number, most recent bill, or credit card on file in front of them. This is where an on-hold message can become incredibly helpful. 

Consider adding some preparatory information to your on-hold messaging. Give people a heads up so they know exactly what information they need to have on hand to make the call go faster. 

Your customer service representatives don’t want to spend extra time on a call, and neither do the people calling in. Give everyone what they need to succeed with some simple prompts in your on-hold messages. 

Create Sales Opportunities 

You may have some loyal customers, but how often do you think they go online or visit your social profiles to look up information about sales and products? Unless they’re set on making a purchase, it’s safe to assume that your products and services don’t come up much in their daily routine.

Don’t just view your call queue as a group of people that are waiting for help. They’re also a somewhat captive audience that is in a position to listen and learn. 

Leverage this time well by sharing important information about your company. Let them know about any exciting changes or new products coming through the pipeline. Promote upcoming events or the benefits of using your company.

Set the Right Tone 

You never know what to expect from a customer when they’re calling your business. They may have had a very long and frustrating day, and having to call your business to deal with a problem could be the last thing they want to do. This could be the 2nd or 3rd time they’re calling in, and they’re starting to feel angry. 

We can’t help ensure that everyone will be pleasant and cooperative once they reach your customer service rep, but you can help quell some negative feelings with the right on-hold message. 

Don’t underestimate how helpful hearing a calm and upbeat voice can be when you’re on a call. It can help cool down hot tempers and reset the mood. Music can have an equally calming effect on people. 

Your on-hold message can also help reset people’s focus and make them ready to deal with the matter at hand. Now your caller isn’t dwelling on their bad commute or their frustration, they’re focused on getting together their account information so they can get helped quickly. 

Answer Questions Before They’re Asked 

Are you going to be open during the upcoming holiday? Does your business require proof of vaccination before people can enter or is wearing a mask fine? Was there a service outage on the 25th, or were they just experiencing problems with their account? 

A lot of the people calling in for help have questions that can be easily answered without the help of a representative. Make everyone’s day a little easier by providing customers with some important information when they’re on hold. 

Talk to your customer service representatives about the questions they get asked the most when they talk to customers. Record hold messaging that answers their most pressing questions, and see how long it takes for customer satisfaction rates to go up and hold times to go down. 

Making the Most of Your On-Hold Time 

Now that you know about the array of benefits that come with having the right on-hold messaging, let’s talk about what to do with your on-hold time. 

There are a lot of different directions you can take your on-hold message in. Some like to keep things strictly informational, others want to focus more on promotion than education, and you may have some strong opinions about the use of music.

Regardless of where you stand, we have some tips that can help ensure that you make the most of your on-hold experience. 

Remember Your Brand 

It would be strange to hear crass jokes when you’re waiting to hear from your lawyer or doctor. On the flip side, it may be a little off-putting to hear a dull and clearly scripted message when you’re put on hold with your favorite vibrant salon. 

Don’t forget about your company’s overall brand and voice when you’re making your on-hold messages. Now isn’t the time to try something new with how you present yourself. Stay on brand when people are on hold and focus on creating the right experience. 

Think About Message Types 

If you want to make great on-hold messages for calls, you need to think about the entire process from start to finish. 

What will your customers hear the moment they call in? What happens if the lines are busy and you have to get a call back number or send them to voice mail? 

Think about these potential instances when you’re crafting your on-hold messages so you can account for the entire experience. See how different potential outcomes and goals can affect your messaging. 

Consider Educational Tips 

If you want to make a truly great customer experience, don’t just give your customers the help they need at the moment. Consider giving them information that can help them in the future. 

You can easily let your customers know that they can change certain features and make account upgrades in your app. Take things a step further and give them helpful bits of information related to your goods and services. 

Do you deal with automotive sales and repairs? Record some on-hold tips around how often they should get their oil changed or the right time to replace windshield wipers. Are you making on-hold messaging for a doctor’s office? Tell your callers the difference between a cold and flu and tips around nutrition.

Improve Your On-Hold Experience Today

Learning about the true power of on-hold messages have is the key to improving on the most important areas of your customer service. Give your most loyal customers and new callers the best experience possible by designing on-hold messages that can educate, inform, and even entertain! 

Are you ready to start thinking about your on-hold strategy? Do you have more questions about our other services? Whatever you need, make sure you reach out to us today so we can talk about how marketing and production can help your business. 

The Formula to Create a Winning Television Commercial

tv commercial

The first paid-for television commercial appeared almost exactly 80 years ago. It was aired on July 1, 1941, and the TV commercial is still an effective part of many advertising campaigns. 

Times are always changing in television. Yet, an effective TV commercial still has the power to grab an audience. The so-called demise of print media advertising never happened. Marketers still produce effective print material.  

Many thought radio advertising would wane too, but it’s still a viable marketing tool.

The same holds for television. As a result, the TV commercial is more visible in more ways than ever before. Different media now work in tandem to create better results.

So, how do you make a TV commercial that people will remember? All it takes is a well-formulated plan to reach the consumer. Keep reading to find out how.

Set the Goal

It sounds simple, but a plan to produce a TV commercial must come with a specific plan. A TV commercial generally lasts between 30 and 60 seconds, so budgeting is essential.

Questions need to ask what the commercial will achieve. There is no room for vagueness when trying to get the point across to the consumer. People talk of the elevator pitch, which is an analogy that fits here.

Within a short time message must first introduce the product or service. Then it will summarize the product before telling the customer how it affects them. Finally, the message will ask the consumer to take action.

That’s a lot to pack into 30 seconds, so the goal of the TV commercial must be clear.

It must also be measurable. Have a tangible result in mind before producing a script. There is no room for overreaching, so the expected result also needs to be attainable. For example, produce a television commercial with a definite timeline.

It’s easier to measure meeting that goal when a firm end date is in place. All parties involved then know all the parameters. TV production works better with a focused approach.

Finally, the goal for an effective TV commercial should be relevant to the situation. For example, if the advertisement intends to reach a local audience, there’s not to go beyond that border. This leads to the next step in producing an effective TV commercial.

Know the Audience

Good marketers understand that all consumers are not created equal. In every part of the world, people feel and think in different ways. That knowledge is key to TV commercial production.

For example, think of how an audience in rural America would react to a product compared to people in cities. Selling a fancy luxury car in farm country won’t resonate like it would in Los Angeles.

Research must go into a targeted audience to reach them with the expected message. Every market has cues that spark people’s interest. Learn the nuances that make the target audience tick.

With the financial commitment involved to make a TV commercial, a wide target will not work. In addition, there is little value in trying to pull in an audience that won’t view the TV commercial.

Learn the audience’s behaviors and characteristics. A message that relates to their unique traits results in an effective TV commercial. Never make assumptions about expectations of how audiences react.

Remember that the viewer is a passive participant. The best way to catch their attention is to speak their language and understand the way they think.

TV commercial production is not the place to be all things to all people. The closer the message is to the audience that views the TV commercial, the easier it is to measure the result.

Keep it Simple

An effective TV commercial pitch begins and ends with a simple message. When making a single point, there’s no confusion in the viewer’s mind. When crafted well, the audience will get the point right from the start.

Clouding the issue with subtle messaging will leave the viewer guessing. That’s the last thing a good TV commercial should achieve. Instead, leave the viewer a clear picture in their mind.

It’s easy to overwhelm an audience with more information than they need. Simplifying the message to a single takeaway will benefit everyone. It also accomplishes another goal.

The simpler the TV commercial’s message, the more memorable it will be. Advertisers talk about ‘hooking’ an audience when they produce a TV commercial. The hook is the one thing the viewer should keep with them after the commercial ends.

Decide before writing the TV commercial what the viewer should remember most. For example, is the price of the product, or is the limited amount available more important?

If brand awareness is the goal, then price and availability are secondary. With a tight message in mind, there’s a better opportunity to leave the viewer wanting more.

Cliff hangers give marketers a chance to spread the message across channels. This means the marketing efforts from other media deliver a cohesive brand message.

The key is not to confuse the issue.

It’s better to make a TV commercial that gets remembered for one thing. A classic example is Wendy’s famous “Where’s the beef?” commercial. Decades later, people still talk about this advertisement.

Making a simple statement takes time to develop. Try out different messages to see which ones resonate best. It doesn’t need to be clever or funny to be poignant. As long as the message is clear, the TV commercial will return results.

Tighten the Script

With the goal of the TV commercial set and an intended audience researched, it’s time to write the script. With a clear message in mind, the next step is to make a TV commercial that fits in the time format.

The first three seconds are the most important part of an effective TV commercial. It has to grab the viewer’s interest to keep watching. Today’s audiences have become desensitized to a lot of television advertising. If they aren’t interested in the first part of the message, they’ll tune out.

The hook to get attention doesn’t have to be shocking or clever. But, it must be clear. So, every part of the TV commercial that follows will flow from the initial point. The story can then focus more on the product or service.

The next several seconds can connect with other forms of media advertising. Again, a developed theme for crossing media channels reinforces the message.

Then, at the end of the TV commercial, there needs to be a call to action. Tell the viewer exactly what’s expected of them. There shouldn’t be any guesswork involved.

The call to action is the measurable aspect of any good marketing campaign. There’s no better feedback than an audience that heeds the call to action.

Hire Professionals

The best way to achieve the desired results is to contract people who know their business. The return on investment will be worth the effort by hiring the right people to produce a TV commercial.

Marketing agencies that know how to deliver clear messages to consumers pay dividends. Make a television commercial that will reap the expected rewards. Work with TV commercial production companies who have shown results.

Each project is different, and nobody recognizes this better than professionals. They know the steps to creating effective TV commercials with lasting value.

Knowing how the process works will help producers hit the mark on the goal of the project. They can add features to a TV commercial to give it more emphasis.

Memorable taglines are part of their business. They can also produce a jingle for the TV commercial to enhance production value. But, of course, professional TV commercial production companies hire talent for the ad too.

From voiceover personnel to actors, marketers access talent pools for every need. There’s a lot that goes into making a TV commercial. So why leave it to chance?

There is a lot of value in finding a marketing company that knows the audience well. A local agency will have a keen sense of what resonates with viewers in the region.

That’s half the battle won when working on an effective TV commercial campaign.

Make a TV Commercial

Television advertising is still as relevant today as it has always been. It may not seem that way with the bombardment of other media daily. But, TV commercial production has evolved.

Smart marketers now make a television commercials to coincide with other media platforms. As a result, TV commercial projects that reflect similar messages to digital advertising reach wider audiences.

Yet, they also reach targeted audiences faster. Television in all its forms is still prevalent worldwide. TV commercial production enhances cross-media campaigns and still stands on its own so, if you’re looking to make a TV commercial that will exploit your brand, give us a call for a quote today.

Top Reasons Your Business Needs a Catchy Jingle

Catchy Jingle

Wheaties aired the first-ever commercial jingle on Christmas Eve 1926. 

Since then, many iconic companies have come up with catchy commercial jingles. McDonald’s “I’m Lovin’ It” and Kit Kat’s “Give Me a Break” are just two of the effective taglines most people are guaranteed to recognize. 

Nothing drives an advertising message home like a catchy jingle. Listeners may either love it or hate it, but if it’s a good jingle, they will remember it. A good jingle connects a brand name with ideas, services, or promotions. 

In the growing digital advertising age, it’s important to remember that this classic advertising tactic can still bring great value to a business. 

Here are the ways investing in a catchy advertising jingle can benefit a business:

Jingles Establish a Brand

Catchy jingles help build a brand’s identity. Jingles are catchy, simple, and repetitive. They are the key to long-term advertising success. 

Quality jingles will help give customers positive brand associations. They highlight a company’s personality. 

Lyrics and music together help create the specific identity a company is trying to achieve. The lyrics help paint the desired picture of the company, while the melody helps set the tone. 

If a brand’s mission is inspiring and upbeat, the tune of the jingle should match that. A high-quality business will use high-quality music in its jingle. 

Catchy radio jingles will build familiarity and establish an emotional connection. Customers transfer their emotions and feelings toward the jingle to the company. 

Balance is key. A bad jingle can do more harm than good. If a jingle comes off as annoying, your customers will hate it and may roll their eyes every time they hear it.

Well-crafted jingles hold a lot of potential and can improve a company’s public image. 

Jingles Help Customers Remember a Brand

While it’s true that good logos make customers recognize a brand on a phone, television, or billboard, jingles appeal to the sense of hearing. Music has strong ties to memory. Thus, jingles have the power to get stuck in customers’ heads. 

When jingles are written well, they will rhyme, have simple verses, and be repetitive. These qualities help the jingle stick in listeners’ heads. If a catchy jingle is easy to remember, consumers will have the brand in the back of their mind and recall it when they require the brand’s products. 

Jingle Music Influences Mood

Music connects to listeners’ memory and mood. Studies show that the areas of the brain involved in planning, movement, attention, and memory are all activated when listening to music. 

Music that makes listeners want to move around or sing can greatly improve their mood. 

If music can affect a person’s mood, that means a jingle can as well. This is an important factor to remember when crafting the right jingle for a business. 

The tune of a jingle can elicit either positive or negative emotions in the listener. It is important to craft a jingle to elicit the right emotional response the company is going for. 

While a jingle helps establish brand identity, it should also help listeners decide how to feel about a certain product. 

The music should always match the product. If the product is very serious, but the music of the jingle is happy and upbeat, consumers will feel confused by the dissonance. 

Businesses should try to elicit positive emotions with their jingle so that consumers feel happy when thinking about their products or services. 

Jingles Create Nostalgia

Great jingles can manipulate customer emotions. If a brand has been using the same jingle for decades, customers can feel a rush of nostalgia when they hear the tune and think back to when they heard it as a kid. 

Nostalgia draws on familiar memories and experiences. It can be a powerful marketing tool because it persuades consumers based on previous emotions. Advertisements that evoke emotions do better than those that don’t. 

When customers feel more, they will be more open to the brand’s message and more open to trying its products. When they are transported to a better time upon hearing a jingle, a business will enjoy increased sales.

Jingles Stand Out From the Crowd

In this day and age, there is a lot of clutter and noise in the advertising world. The rise of digital marketing and advertising has saturated the market.

Consumers are exposed to an excessive number of advertisements daily. Internet users are becoming increasingly desensitized to advertising messages. It is hard for a company’s ad to stand out to consumers when they are constantly scrolling and overwhelmed by various ads. 

Jingles are a great way for businesses to stand out and grab the attention of customers. 

Consumers typically hear jingles on the radio or a streaming platform. The ads come on during breaks. Most people don’t switch channels to avoid a thirty-second ad, making jingles unavoidable. 

Today, music platforms like Spotify are very popular. A catchy jingle aired on one of its commercial breaks is bound to increase a company’s brand awareness and ROI. 

There is no visual component to a jingle, which gives consumers a break. If a jingle is catchy and fun, consumers will hear and remember it in a way they don’t remember digital ads. Music embeds itself into consumers’ subconscious, allowing them to remember it long after they first heard the tune. 

Jingles Are Engaging

Catchy jingle music is meant to be fun and engaging for listeners. They should be snappy and addictive. If a jingle has the perfect tune and a fun line, people will naturally want to repeat it back. 

Kids can even pick up on jingles and start singing them without understanding the brand or its services. 

When people start humming or repeating a jingle in public or any social setting, it is a form of free word-of-mouth advertising. Others around will be reminded of the jingle and may even start singing along. 

Once customers are initially drawn into a catchy jingle, they stick around to hear the rest of the company’s message and what it has to offer. 

Jingles Persuade Customers

Music tends to embed messages in the consumer psyche.

When words are put to music, they become more powerful. Consumers will often create their own repetition by humming the tune or singing the words in their heads. 

Jingles will always have contemporary marketing power because of the effect they have on consumers’ minds. They can greatly influence a consumer’s decision-making process. 

Jingles Are a Cheap Form of Flexible Marketing

When it comes to cost-effective marketing strategies for a business, jingles are hard to beat. They don’t have to involve celebrities or break the bank. An expert can create an effective jingle that is also budget-sensitive. 

The upfront cost of a jingle is well worth the long-term benefits because they are versatile. The one-time investment of hiring a jingle company translates into a piece of marketing that can be used in any campaign. It is important to have experts come up with a jingle as opposed to a business creating one on its own. 

Because jingles do not come with recurring payments of fees, a business can re-use them. Jingles can even be used in print campaigns. Once customers become familiar with a jingle, they will associate the printed words of the jingle with the brand. 

Catchy advertising jingles can also be edited and re-used. If a business wants to shift directions or advertise a new product, it can change up the tune or add a new line. A refresh from time to time can draw more customer attention. 

Because a jingle can stick in customer’s minds, a brand name can pop into their heads even when the company is not running a current ad campaign. That’s the power of a good jingle! 

Buying a jingle is a one-time cost, but it can help a business gain loyal customers. 

Catchy Jingle: An Essential Marketing Tactic

Jingles are one of the most powerful elements of advertising for a business or brand. They can reach thousands of people and boost company sales due to their persuasive nature. 

Killerspots Agency creates killer jingles for every business and budget. Their production team has been creating catchy jingles for over 30 years and knows how to create powerful jingles that will provide businesses with amazing ROI.

Killerspots Agency offers different package options. Jingles are completely customized for each client. 

Click here to get a quote on a catchy jingle from Killerspots Agency today! 

Tune In: Breaking Down What Makes an Effective Radio Commercial

radio commercial

After the newspaper, media began with radio. Radio shows used to be the number one form of entertainment. Families used to tune in weekly to consume media this way. 

Believe it or not, radio is still the number one form of advertisement. Tuning in to the radio in the car, at home, at work, it doesn’t go out of style. This is the reason that those radio commercials tend to sit in audience heads for days. 

What is a radio commercial? Other than a 60-second break in your music. How is a great one made? 

These are concerns good business entrepreneurs have. Lucky here is help with that. Here is all you need to know to make an effective radio commercial.

What Is a Radio Commercial  

A radio commercial is an advertisement for one service or business. They are about 30 seconds to 60 seconds in length. They also must capture the listener without visual aids. 

The very first radio commercial played on the air on August 22nd, 1922. This was a 15-minute ad for a real estate company. Advertising like this was a jump for listeners.  

Afraid to offend the masses, radio wasn’t quick to pick up advertisements. It actually took a little bit for radio commercials to catch on. Once they did, it became a means of advertising. 

Even today, radio commercials ads are a great form of advertising. Many companies bring in much of their clientele this way. There is quite a bit that does go into creating that perfect commercial. 

The following are several of the areas that go into making a radio commercial great. These are the guidelines to make your commercial a memorable one.

Production Value Matters

The thought may be that this isn’t going on camera. Why does it actually matter what the production value is?

Radio commercials aren’t as simple as hitting record and playing the commercial. You need to be able to have a great advertisement in order to bring in consumers. Production value is one of the ways to do this. 

Music and sound effects are two of the things that make the radio commercial. For a commercial to really pop. It also cannot sound like every other commercial on the radio.

By having a budget, the commercial will be unique. Be able to afford the right talent for your production. Add music and sound clips that will enhance your audio. 

Not only the sounds and talent, but editing is also important. The production is professional. It doesn’t go from the recording stage straight to the radio.

Production value can be heard in a radio commercial. It’s the difference between sounding like an amateur production and a real advertisement. 

Articulated Script

Believe it or not, radio commercial scripts can make or break the production. This dictates what the audience is going to hear and get out of the ad. When there is only have 60 seconds to get the point across, it needs to make every second count.

The radio commercial needs to have a hook that counts. Within the first few seconds, the listener needs to have something to remember. Be sure that the script begins with something that will capture the listener. 

If it can grab them at the hook it will occupy their attention. This will mean that they follow along with the rest of the ad. The hook is the most important part of the commercial.

Don’t forget to leave them with a closing statement that they will hold onto. Give the listener something to think about. This will assure that they want to revisit the ad or find out more about the provided information. 

The call to action at the end of the advertisement is just as important as the hook. Be sure that it is clear and concise. 

The entire radio commercial needs to be calculated. A great script is where the production begins. 

Simplicity Does Wonders

Believe it or not, the simpler the advertisement is, the more it will be remembered. Don’t overcomplicate the commercial. That will make it so that the listeners don’t remember anything from the ad. 

The ad needs to be a direct message. The listener doesn’t want to have to decipher the message. When there is too much going on it doesn’t stick very well. 

Remember that the audience only has a couple of seconds to grasp what is being said. Oversaturating the commercial with sounds can lead them away from the point. Be as straightforward and persuasive as possible.

Make sure that everything that needs to be said is heard loud and clear. The commercial doesn’t need an overwhelming amount of sound. It does need to be able to support the business and resonate with the listener. 

The whole goal of your advertisement is to bring in the consumer. Capture them with something simple they’ll be able to remember. 

Let It Stand Out

Not to contradict simplicity, but the commercial needs to be able to stick in the minds of the listener. It should get them to think about it even after the 60 seconds have passed. It needs to be stuck in their heads. 

A commercial shouldn’t sound like every other thing on the radio. It needs to have something distinctive that sets it apart. Aim to be able to captivate the audience and allow them to remember what has been said. 

Find something to include that reflects the brand. Hook into an area that the listener will cling to. This could be done in multiple ways. By catering to this, the audience will follow.

Maybe it’s a jingle. It could even just be a phrase that they can’t seem to stop thinking about. What sets the commercial apart from all of the others is beneficial. 

Aim for relatable content in the advertisement. Reach the audience by finding a level that strikes a chord with them. This is the best way to make them remember what is being advertised.

By doing this it calls the audience to your business. They remember why they wanted to find out more about it to begin with. 

Knowledge of Your Audience

Know who the advertisement is targeting. The commercial needs to cater to the listener. It shouldn’t fall flat and not make a difference to the directed audience. 

Consider who is going to be listening to the radio. Don’t try to pull in an audience that isn’t there. That wouldn’t be helpful to the cause. Nor would it bring any new clientele. 

Do the research prior to recording the commercial. Find out what has worked for other businesses and what to avoid. Don’t go into the recording studio without a formulated plan in mind. 

The script should reflect who is being reached out to. When writing the script, form a plan that’s going to appeal to them while keeping in mind the rules of the radio.

Knowing what is going to target the audience is important. Meet them on their level and entice them to find out more about the business. Be sure that the ad is something that resonates.

Catering to the audience will give them the chance to want to listen. They will find themselves intrigued by what is being said. This is the best way to make them want to find out more.

Listen to Feedback

Getting outside opinions will help to know if it’s going to be the right fit. Don’t be afraid to play the commercial for others before okaying the final product. This gives an indication of if it’s presented correctly. 

Ask the test audience what works for them. Find out what they think there should be anything included or cut. By doing this, there is a second opinion. 

An unbiased party is the best way to go. They are the consumers who will be getting the most from the commercial. Work with the feedback that is received from them. 

Be sure to ask deliberate questions. Find out if they believe anything in the commercial should be rewritten or changed. Follow this feedback in a way that is genuine to the ad and the company. 

A Radio Commercial Is a Great Business Tool

It allows for a wide range of audiences to engage. Keeping in mind these helpful tips will make the ad more efficient. A clean and concise script will do wonders sticking in the minds of the audience. 

The radio commercial will provide the audience with intrigue. The proper voice actors, a great script, and professional sound are beneficial. The products will sell themselves when the correct attention is paid. 

Looking to record that radio commercial? There is help in making it the type that an audience will listen to. Contact us regarding the production of your radio advertisement. 

Catchy If You Can: How to Create a Memorable Company Jingle

company jingle

When it comes to running a business in the 21st century, brand recognition is one of the most important things to take into consideration. If you want customers, you’re going to need leads, and if you want leads, you’re going to need to get recognized. 

Almost everyone considers advertising, and we all know the importance of merchandise. But have you thought about coming up with a company jingle? 

Your brain might automatically think that company jingles are old and dated, but check out this list of the most memorable advertising jingles. Some of them aren’t even very musical, just rhythmic and melodic phrases that stick in people’s heads.

No doubt, you recognize all of these corporate jingles. It doesn’t take long for this recognition to turn into good times you spent with the product. That is the power of brand recognition. 

Whereas most advertising works on a purely visual level, a jingle allows you to infiltrate people’s brains sonically. You can effectively dominate your local cultural consciousness by branching out to other forms of advertising.

This article will walk you through all you need to know to create the best company jingles. 

Phase One: Research

Our auditory associations are highly generational and cultural. Because of this, companies looking for jingles need to make sure they know which market they’re targetic. 

What generations of people are coming into your business or calling you up? — are they a younger crowd, or older? You don’t want to create a jingle that calls to mind Engelbert Humperdinck if your audience is all under the age of 21. Conversely, you don’t want to drop the newest Travis Scott song on a bunch of elderly people. 

For young people, make sure you keep up with social media trends, so you can stay relevant. 

But that’s all you need to get specific about. 

Language is extremely specific to the way we live our lives. Language is how we imagine, build and structure our world. You need to tangle the language if your company jingles to your demographic as well.  

You’re not going to want to use a lot of slang if you’re addressing technical professionals. You’re also not going to want to be too cold if you’re shooting for a more casual crowd. 

Phase Two: Get the Music Right

Once you know what sort of music you’re going to be making for your jingle, you have to hammer out the music and get it right. Make sure you work closely with any jingle-writers that you hire to get exactly what you want. Always choose to work with someone who’s willing to co-operate; it’s your business after all.

(Speaking of which, unless you’ve had some serious musical training, don’t try to write your own jingle. In all likelihood, it won’t go very well. The songs are short, but the music is much more complicated than it seems.) 

You have to keep your jingle simple, poppy, easy to remember, and easy to sing. Now is not the time to show off your love for the avant-garde jazz styling of Eric Dolphy. The ultimate test as to whether or not your jingle is working is whether or not people are willing to sing it back.

The thing is, it doesn’t even need to be technically good; it can even be extremely annoying like the Fanta ad, and it will work. 

For the most part, you’re going to want to stay in a major key. The melody should be so simple that you can rework it into several different concepts. Just think about all of the varying ways the Nationwide jingle has been played. 

Phase Three: Get the Lyrics Perfect

You have to get the music right, but you have to get the lyrics more right. In the case of a jingle, the music is just the vehicle you’re serving up a lyric in. 

What should your lyrics be?

Well, for one, they should not be the modernist poetic stylings of Wallace Stevens. They should be short, repetitive, child-like, simplistic, they should stick in your head like gum to the bottom of a table. You might only get one shot to capture the hearts, minds, and imaginations of your audience; make sure you aim well. 

Make sure you use rhyme. People remember rhymes. That’s why they’re so popular in almost every form of popular music. 

Make use of assonance as well. Words that sound alike, that start with the same sounds, that flow together rhythmically like drum hits. All of this can only serve to help people remember you. 

In your lyrics, don’t be afraid to get corny. There’s no such thing as a “cheap” sale, so why should there be “cheap” lyrics? Feel free to use puns, silliness, pop-culture reference, and sentimentality to your advantage; people eat these things up. 

Speaking of sentimentality, don’t forget to suggest a relationship. Don’t be afraid to tell your customers exactly what you provide, and exactly what their relationship to you is. On our list of the greatest ad jingles, we list Toys R Us, who did a wonderful job of getting straight to kids’ hearts. 

One of the reasons they did so well is because, years later, when those kids were grown up, their sentimental attachment to those songs made them share the product with their kids. Which is a sweet moment that means more business. 

Phase Four: Come Up With a Few Options

There’s a reason why musicians do several takes of songs, why movies end up with deleted scenes, and authors go through many drafts of the same scene. You’re stepping into the world of art here, and things aren’t always as cut and try as they seem. As a businessperson, you might just want to pay for the product and get the job done, but it isn’t as simple as that. 

When it comes to creativity, everything is a matter of taste. You might be disappointed by how annoying the jingle your writer came up with is, only to find yourself whistling it in bed at night. Inversely, you might love a jingle, but never be able to remember how it goes. 

This is why it’s important to get several options. Bring your team in and have them listen to all of them. Then give yourself some time to sit and think about which jingle works the best.

Heck, you can even call a meeting a week later and ask your team which jingle has stuck in their head the most. This is a great, scientific way to choose a jingle. 

If you can afford to, it might serve you well to hire several jingle writers. As long as the musicians/company jingle maker is getting paid, and you’re not using any of their music without their permission, they’ll happy to work for you, even if you don’t end up using their song. Session musicians record songs that never see the light of day popular musicians all the time. 

The point is, you need to think outside of the box when it comes to jingles. You’re not going to get 100 percent of the way by hammering it out with facts and logic. You’re going to need to get a little strange. 

Phase Five/Six: Test It Out/Refine

A good business person knows that to succeed, you’re going to have to fail. Some of the most successful business people of all time tanked their first companies abysmally. 

When your jingle hits the air, don’t rest on your auditory laurels. Get out there in the world. Listen to the way your song sounds coming out over the radio, after a song in a Spotify ad, in-between shoes in a commercial, etc; it’s one thing to hear it in the comfort of your office, another to hear it amongst the hustle and bustle of everyday life. 

The hustle and bustle of life is where your jingle is going to have to shine. It needs to cut through the raw fabric of life. Does it sound good, catchy, reliable in this context? 

Take note of whether or not people hum along to the song, or seem to have it caught in their heads afterward. Take note of whether they’re talking about the jingle or not. It’s a good sign even if they’re making fun of your ad or calling it annoying; mimicry means repetition, and repetition means recognition. 

If your jingle isn’t catching, that’s alright. You can use one of your alternate takes, or refine your current one. The more you fail, the closer you get to success. 

Create the Best and Brightest Company Jingle That No One Can Forget

Human beings are creatures of symbol, language, associations, sound. If we’re going to remember a business, we’re going to remember it because of a symbol that’s attached to it; an image, some language, or a song. A company jingle allows you to combine language with songwriting for the purposes of your company. 

Now that you know the six phases of creating a great jingle, there’s nothing stopping you from dominating the business world. 

For more information, contact us today. 

Sonic Branding: How Can Creating an Ad Jingle Help Your Company?

ad jingle

There are as many ways to advertise a business as there are products to sell. In today’s marketplace, many businesses focus on web advertising, boosting their presence on social media or popular websites.

As a result, modern companies may be missing out on a tried and true method of advertising: the ad jingle.

Though the idea of an ad jingle might seem quaint today—a relic of the days of radio—the reality is that businesses can reap substantial rewards when they create a jingle.

Jingles are part of a marketing strategy called sonic branding. Sonic branding is all about getting a business’s message into a person’s head through audio advertising.

Several of the biggest brands in America have already discovered the benefits of sonic branding. This article will explain how every business can benefit from a well-crafted jingle.

Jingles Work Across Media

One of the biggest advantages of using an ad jingle is that companies can slot them into any advertising that uses audio. Commercials, online videos, radio ads—all of these can be enhanced with the addition of a snappy jingle.

When a company uses a jingle, they become omnipresent. There are very few places a jingle can’t reach.

If a customer is in a car, they might hear the jingle on the radio, or on a music streaming service like Pandora. At home, they may hear the jingle while watching television or checking out YouTube videos.

A jingle may even reach customers who are on the phone. On-hold messaging is an important feature of many call centers; a company can insert their jingle into their messaging to reinforce it to their customers.

As technology advances and platforms change, new ways to use jingles emerge. For example, podcasts are a growing market for advertising and a natural fit for jingles.

As an entirely auditory medium, podcasts are often considered the modern-day equivalent of radio shows. Radio has always been a good medium for jingles, and podcasts are, too.

A quick jingle at the beginning or middle of a podcast can be a huge boon, especially if the podcast has a wide audience or an obvious tie to the product.

Jingles Establish a Brand

A jingle is a concise, memorable way for a company to establish a brand identity. Both lyrics and melody can influence how customers view a company based on their jingle.

If a company is looking to establish a specific tone, music is a great way to do so. More importantly, the words can paint an idealized picture of the company.

If a jingle makes a company sound fun and exciting, then suddenly “fun and exciting” are phrases that people associate with that company. The idea that the brand is fun and exciting is reinforced every time people hear the jingle.

Great jingles are fun and catchy, giving customers positive brand associations.

There’s a danger here, too. Like a sitcom character with an annoying catchphrase, a bad jingle can become frustrating to customers.

Much like a logo, a jingle is one of the first things people will associate with a business. The last thing a brand wants is for a customer to roll their eyes every time their jingle comes on!

Jingles have the power to make or break a company’s public image, so it’s crucial to get them right. There are several tricks to maximize a jingle’s potential, as well as some pitfalls to avoid.

An Ad Jingle Offers Flexibility

One of the hallmarks of a great jingle is that it is extremely flexible. This isn’t referring to its ability to be deployed in many mediums—even a bad jingle offers that kind of flexibility.

Jingle flexibility instead refers to the capacity for the jingle to be remixed and reused.

Times change. Companies change. What works today may not work—or may not make sense—tomorrow. A jingle should be able to keep up.

The most obvious example of this is changing the music slightly. A company might alter the key of the jingle, or even transplant it into a different genre to change up the sound.

This can help bring advertising in line with a new direction the business is taking, or to adjust to a more popular style of music as cultural tastes shift.

On the other hand, it might just be a simple way to freshen up a long-running ad jingle. An occasional refresh grabs people’s attention, drawing focus onto the new sound (and the advertisement behind it).

The best jingle can also get a lyrical tweak from time to time. If a company is running a special promotion, for instance, they may wish to change a line in their jingle to reference the current deal.

Even a small change from the norm can grab a customer’s attention and help the ad stand out—as long as the original jingle is firmly established.

Cost-Effective Marketing

In terms of efficient ways to advertise, it’s hard to beat ad jingles. This is largely because they are so versatile, with one jingle featuring across countless other forms of advertising.

Every company wants to save money, and some may hesitate at the idea of hiring a jingle service. The thing is, the up-front cost is minimal when considered against the utility of the jingle itself.

Hiring a jingle company should be thought of as an investment, not an expense. By paying the price for a single jingle, a business gains an asset that can be used in virtually any kind of marketing campaign.

Yes, that includes print campaigns—once a customer hears a jingle enough times, even reading the words will put the jingle in their heads. They won’t need the music; they’ll supply it themselves.

Of course, some companies may be tempted to forego the cost of hiring a jingle company and simply work out a jingle themselves.

This is not an advisable move.

As pointed out earlier, a bad jingle does more harm than good. If a company doesn’t know what they’re doing and puts out a jingle that people find annoying, they’re only going to drive customers away.

People Will Remember a Jingle

One of the biggest benefits of a jingle is that it sticks around in people’s heads. Particularly catchy jingles are called ‘earworms’—tracks that burrow into a listener’s brain and refuse to leave.

Research has shown that music has strong ties to memory. The human brain likes to sort information into chunks of data, and songs (a combination of lyric and melody) are like pre-built chunks for brains to store.

As a result, a listener is much more likely to remember a musical jingle than a more straightforward description of a business.

It’s the same concept as a college student using a mnemonic device to study for a big test. Adding a tune or a rhyme to information helps lock it into one’s mind more securely.

This is even more advantageous for long-running jingles. If a company uses the same jingle for decades, then it can become nostalgic—and nostalgia is a powerful force in marketing.

Perhaps the best example of this is McDonald’s classic “I’m lovin’ it” jingle, which many adults have been hearing since their childhoods.

It’s no coincidence that such a massive and successful brand also has one of the most recognizable jingles in the world!

Music Connects to Mood

Memory is not the only part of the human experience that music links to. A person’s mood can also be affected by music—and that means that a jingle can influence mood, too.

Music is one of the most powerful mood enhancers in the world. There’s a reason action films have bombastic soundtracks while dramas often stick to quiet, classical music; the sound sets the tone for what’s happening.

The music of a jingle can summon emotions (positive and negative) in a listener, and it’s important for a product to provoke the right emotional response.

In much the same way that a jingle builds a brand’s identity, it should also direct a user’s feelings about a product.

For example, a high-energy techno sound might be catchy and memorable, but it’s the wrong choice for a jingle about a new medication. The music tells the customer to get excited, but the product is much more serious.

That dissonance will confuse and upset people.

The reverse is also true: a theme park jingle shouldn’t have a subdued and somber jingle. That will make listeners associate the park with sadness.

Ideally, a business should aim for music that promotes positive emotions. That way, the company’s ads will put a smile on the listener’s face–and the listener will ascribe that smile to the business.

Ad Jingles Boost Business

Using an ad jingle is a great way for any business to advertise. A jingle can reach thousands of people across many types of media, and a great jingle will stick in people’s heads. Hiring a jingle company is a smart investment!

Ad jingles are just one example of the powerful marketing tools available to businesses today. To take full advantage of the best marketing strategies, get a quote from the Killer Spots Agency.

11 Social Media Trends to Follow in 2021

social media trends

Social media services aren’t just about online personal interactions anymore. 

These days, a brand or business is sunk if it doesn’t follow the latest social media trends. There are many reasons for this, including the simple fact that most brand discovery now takes place on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and even LinkedIn and Twitter. 

But there’s so much more to it. A proper social media presence allows companies to communicate with their customers, developing a greater degree of loyalty and engagement that translates to greater sales and more conversions. 

People are craving more personal interactions these days, and this is where a good social media management strategy comes in. Keep reading to learn about eleven social media trends every business should be following. 

1. Text-Based Instagram Posts

Instagram is famous for its grid of photos. 

That’s where everything began for this social media service, and it’s still a great way for businesses to display their brands and spread awareness. But since the like count is now invisible on this site, photo posting shouldn’t be the only option. 

One of the newer social media trends on Instagram is the prevalence of text-based posts. These are simpler posts, often inspired by Twitter’s layout or even the Google search function. 

These posts can help elevate a brand’s social media presence. With text-focused layouts, posts like this provoke greater engagement with multiple comments, saves, and shares. 

2. Games and Puzzles

Among the more popular 2021 social media trends are incorporating games in social media postings. 

This has become particularly common in this age of social distancing and “staying at home.” Typically, these posts come in the form of games—such as quizzes and puzzles—that really encourage greater engagement. 

The whole idea here is to get followers to interact with more content. The more interaction, the more likely to convert into actual sales and promote heightened brand awareness. 

So don’t be afraid to experiment with game content in 2021. There’s a plethora of games and puzzles to choose from—including bingo games, “choose your own adventure” puzzles, and various quizzes. 

3. Facebook Groups

The social media company Facebook introduced Facebook groups as a major long-term focus. 

In 2020, amidst the ongoing fallout from the pandemic, this feature became a major way for people to communicate with each other. The popularity of Facebook groups has since skyrocketed. 

At the same time, companies are turning to Facebook groups as part of their social media management strategy. With greater regularity, businesses are establishing online communities on these groups to increase brand awareness and engagement. 

The beauty of this social media trend is that it is much more likely to target those who are engaged with a company’s brand and what it’s selling. So rather than wasting money on a useless ad campaign, Facebook groups let businesses find the right audience. 

4. Live Streaming

Among the big social media trends in 2021 is live streaming. 

It seems like everyone’s doing it these days. Instagram, Facebook, and even LinkedIn are all gearing their platforms toward the increased use of live feeds and streams. 

Of course, this is a great feature for brands and companies that are looking to increase engagement with their audience. It’s a fact that live streaming attracts more audience interaction, and companies that include live events will generate much greater levels of engagement. 

The bottom line is that live streaming is yet another great tool that companies can use to talk to their audience. 

5. Instagram Stickers

Businesses have taken to using stickers on Instagram to boost reach and engagement. 

So just what are Instagram stickers? They’re interactive elements that encourage viewers of Instagram Stories to interact with different posts. They usually let people take quizzes, polls, participate in countdowns and charity events, and answer Q&As. 

Basically, it’s a great way for an audience to interact with a company’s brand and to get engaged. There are a great deal of additional features that social media sites like Instagram have that many businesses have yet to leverage. 

Staying on top of these social media trends is a good way for companies to make the most of their social media management strategy. 

6. Augmented Reality Story Filters

A new social media trend for 2021 is augmented reality (AR) story filters, something that’s especially popular on Instagram. 

AR story filters let companies layer on different designs and visual elements over videos and photos—enhancing reality, as it were. So much more than being a mere gimmick or idle amusement, AR filters have the power to boost brand visibility like few things can. 

The beauty of this feature is that a company can design and upload a filter that can be accessed from the filter library by anyone who wants it. And that means free advertising courtesy of whoever chooses to use a company’s AR filter! 

7. Don’t Neglect Pinterest

Pinterest is a popular social media service that has experienced something of a resurgence of late. 

Pinterest has been around for quite some time. And though it may not have quite the same name recognition as Facebook or Instagram, it still ranks as the 14th largest social network in the world. 

And in 2020, Pinterest added more than 100 million monthly active users. So it seems that the enforced idleness of the pandemic led to a considerable rise in the social media platform’s fortunes. 

That means that Pinterest is one of the 2021 social media trends that every business should join. The site is great for discovering and saving new brands and products, so for companies looking to increase reach and visibility, Pinterest is a potent tool. 

8. Personal Interactions

The advertising world is changing. 

The old, impersonal methods of advertisement no longer cut it. People crave connection and meaning in our cold, homogenized, impersonal world. And now the technology exists to enable companies to reach out and connect with their potential customers like never before. 

One of the newest social media trends is direct conversations and personal interactions. It amounts to companies using new methods, such as DMing and text messaging, to communicate with their customers in a more personal way. 

This is a good way for businesses and brands to keep engaging with their audience. 

9. TikTok Cross-Posting

Inexplicably, TikTok is a worldwide phenomenon. 

And that means that if a company is not leveraging the social media platform to its advantage, it’s really missing out. But that doesn’t mean it’s necessary to build a gigantic social media following from scratch on the new platform. 

Instead, companies are re-sharing and cross-posting TikTok videos on a variety of different platforms in order to expand their reach. The importance of TikTok is that it allows for the creation of short, attention-grabbing videos. 

But many brands are happy to share their TikTok content across a number of platforms, including Facebook and Instagram. TikTok video marketing should be an important part of every brand’s social media strategy. 

10. Facebook Ads

Facebook ads are allowing for more flexibility and creativity. 

And this is likely to be one of the more popular social media trends for 2021. Some of the ways that businesses can leverage this flexibility are in the creation of new forms of advertisements. 

For instance, the incorporation of GIFs into Facebook ads is a new way to attract attention. GIFs have proven to be incredibly popular for a long time, and that means they’ll continue to achieve advertising success. 

Another way to boost your reach with Facebook ads is to employ user-generated content (UGC). Oftentimes, the best content comes from a company’s own customers. Rather than spending money on fancy content, businesses can let their customers do the advertising for them. 

11. Instagram Reels

As we mentioned above concerning TikTok, short video content is at the leading edge of online marketing. 

Instagram is still one of the major social media platforms for posting not only photos and text-based posts, but also short-form video content. And right now Instagram Reels is shaping up to be one of the major social media trends for 2021. 

These short, concise videos of 15-30 seconds in length allow a company to spread its brand awareness and engage with its core audience. It’s even a great way for a business to answer questions received through text messages or Direct Messaging. 

Follow These Social Media Trends

These are just a few of the big social media trends that will make waves in 2021. By keeping up to date with these popular fads, a business can be sure to stay relevant and make waves in the world of online marketing. 

If you’d like more great marketing tips and advice, please contact us today to see how we can help. 

10 Tips on Creating an SEO Strategy for Small Businesses

creating an SEO strategy

In 2021, when creating an SEO strategy, businesses shouldn’t focus only on targeting certain keywords. SEO and content creation are about more than targeting keywords.

As algorithms mature, it’s important that content does as well. So, how can business owners take advantage of changing search engines? How can they be sure they’re doing it properly?

Read on for 10 of the best tips for creating an SEO strategy for small businesses.

1. Identify a Target Audience

The first thing any business should zone in on is its target audience. Creating a target persona is crucial because it’s who the content is going to be geared towards. If a product or brand is meant for 18 to 24-year-old females, but the brand’s content is geared towards men in their 30s, that’s not going to get anybody very far.

When creating a target audience or persona, it’s important to be as specific as possible. Here are a few base questions to answer:

  • How old is the target audience?
  • What do they look like?
  • What are their interests? Hobbies?
  • Are they in college? 
  • Do they work full-time?
  • Do they have kids?
  • Are they pet owners?
  • Are they homeowners?
  • What is their annual income?
  • Where do they live?

While there are other ways to begin identifying your target audience, these questions provide a great place to start. Knowing their income, age, and whether or not they rent or own a home is important for knowing what kind of content they’d be interested in.

Nailing down a few other basics is also a great way to begin identifying topics to base content from, and provides a great basis to begin keyword research with.

2. Identify Easily Ranking Keywords

While knowing the popular keywords a business can rank for is great, that’s also a great way to ensure they don’t ever end up on the first page of any search engine. Identifying keywords that fit within those popular keywords, however, is a win.

So, while “dog treats” might not be an easy keyword to rank for, “dog treats near me” might be. It’s also great to get into specifics when conducting keyword research as well.

If a business sells gluten-free, grain-free, or even organic dog treats, those are also potential keywords they could rank for. Exploring pages like Google Trends is a great place to get started.

3. Determine Goals

The next step is for the business to determine its goals. Is national or global SEO the goal here? Or is targeting local SEO going to be better in the long run?

While that answer might depend upon each business’s industry (a locally-owned grocery store in New York might not want to target an audience in LA), it’s still worth taking into consideration for an effective digital marketing strategy.

Wanting to boost search rankings is an obvious one here, but there are other things to take into consideration as well, like understanding how SEO can affect a business’s sales and overall revenue. If things are done well, then sales are going to go up. 

If things are done poorly, then it’s almost guaranteed that nothing is going to go up. In fact, things can actually go south if special care isn’t taken to create high-quality content that draws people in.

If businesses find themselves struggling to create a list of goals, then it’s best to keep it simple: create good content that has something to offer the reader, promote the brand, and keep audience members coming back for more.

Often, repeat customers are valuable than new ones.

4. Conduct Market Research

Once a business has determined its target audience and goals, it’s time to research similar businesses in the marketplace. Market research can be as simple as looking at the first page of Google to determine what the competition may hold.

Identifying how competitors work and what they do well is a great place to begin building a marketing strategy. While business owners don’t simply want to blend in with their niche, they do want to make sure they’re following marketing trends.

Researching competition can help businesses identify not only what they would like to replicate in their own way, but also what they can do differently, and even improve upon.

After gathering that information, it’s time to move into identifying what their target audience’s pain points might be.

5. Identify Pain Points

From there, business owners can begin to look at their target audience’s pain points. No business can fill all the gaps, and there are bound to be places that competitors are lacking.

These pain points are often pointed out by customers in reviews — especially the bad ones.

By going through content, website designs, customer reviews, and even conducting potential customer interviews, a solid content strategy can be built. This content strategy should incorporate not only what others do well, but also make up for what they don’t do well.

6. Fix the Problem

After that, it’s up to business owners to address their customers’ pain points and work to fix them.

This may take some trial and error, but it’s not too complicated to address. Start with creating content that addresses your initial goals and fills any gaps you believe are in the market. From there, interact with your customers and followers on social media.

Ask for their opinions and whether or not they would change anything you’re currently doing. It’s surprising how direct people can be when they’re asked for their opinion on a subject. Being open to honest feedback is also going to make the entire process easier.

7. Create Quality Content

The key here is to create content that not only targets specific keywords but also presents value to your target audience.

This means answering specific questions, providing insight into specific situations, and even educating them on things they could do better. Creating numbered lists is always attention-grabbing, but so are how-to articles.

A big thing to not do is keyword stuff. It isn’t going to help any site’s rankings. In fact, it’s simply going to hinder rankings and made readers want to click off content.

Search engine algorithms actually have ways of spotting keyword-stuffed articles, and it usually results in lowering a website’s overall ranking, or just removing it from the search engine altogether.

People — and bots — appreciate authenticity. Keep things simple and real!

8. Use Keywords in Page URLs

Now that you’ve worked so hard to create quality content, it shouldn’t go to waste with awkward, long webpage URLs. These too can be optimized for SEO, and definitely should be.

In fact, this is where keyword research comes in the handiest. 

Having simple, easy-to-comprehend page URLs is not only going to make content more clickable, but it’s also going to increase a brand’s overall search engine rankings.

9. Improve User Experience

Besides content, user experience (UX) is the best way to boost a business’s SEO rankings.

In recent years, Google has evolved its algorithm to begin placing websites with great UX at the top of its rankings. Though content is still important and plays a larger role, placing emphasis on UX is a great move for any SEO strategy.

Creating an intuitive website that’s easy to navigate is not only to drive to SEO rankings, but it also has the potential to boost conversion rates.

10. Hire an Expert

While SEO is a fairly common sense affair, hiring an expert is a great way to make sure it gets done right. Instead of spending hours conducting research and implementing SEO into a business website, business owners can set aside a portion of their budget to allow an expert to get it done for them.

This is an especially great idea if a business’s website already exists. Having someone go through and optimize SEO instead of doing it alone can save business owners a lot of time and money in the long run. (Their focus can be placed elsewhere!)

Remember These Tips For Creating an SEO Strategy

When creating an SEO strategy, putting any of these tips to use can make a website flourish. Not only is taking SEO into consideration from the beginning an important step to take, but it’s also the most crucial.

Having an excellent SEO strategy is going to boost a company’s search engine ranking. This can take any website from simply existing to the internet to thriving in the e-commerce world.

If you don’t know where to begin, contacting the award-winning specialists at Killer Spots is a great place to start.

Contact them today to begin your journey.

10 Common Web Design Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

web design mistakes

Remarkably, 28% of small businesses still don’t have a website? A website is a great way for small businesses to distinguish themselves from their competitors as well as promote and sell their services and products.

While having any old website is better than not having one at all, there are a lot of web design mistakes that can be made that can drive customers to competitor sites.

When designing business websites, there are a number of things businesses will want to avoid to ensure that their prospective customers have a good user experience rather than a frustrating one.

Let’s take a look at 10 of the most common web design mistakes.

1. Not Having a Mobile-Friendly Website

These days, it isn’t enough for a website to work perfectly on a computer. Almost everyone these days uses their smartphone or device to access the Internet. This means that a website needs to be functional on any kind of device no matter what.

2. Not Having a Fast Loading Time

Most people won’t wait around for a website allowed for more than five seconds. If a business doesn’t have a fast loading time for their web pages, many of their prospective customers will bounce off their site and had over to their competitor’s sites.

Slow loading times are often the result of inexperienced designers and developers. Sometimes sites are overloaded with animations, videos, or pictures that cause the site to load slowly.

3. Having Too Much Going On

Sometimes people try to put way too much information on one page. This can create a confusing visual environment that leads their audience to wander away in search of a more straightforward site.

Users need to be able to understand what a business is and what they do in only a couple of seconds after they show up. If they can’t, the process can become frustrating and they will just leave.

Businesses also don’t want their website to have too much text, videos, and images that slow loading time and create a chaotic visual environment.

4. Having Too Little Going On

While it is important to not have too much going on on a site, it’s also important to not have the opposite problem. If there is so little information on a website that users don’t understand the product or service, this is going to hurt the business.

Minimalism is a trend in web design and for good reason. However, it is not a good idea to have a website that leaves customers guessing. If the website only had a couple of short sentences and simple, stock imagery, there is a good chance that visitors will bounce off and find a website that has more going on.

Hiring a web design agency is often the best way to avoid these mistakes. Here are 7 factors to consider when choosing a web design service.

5. Not Having a Solid Digital Marketing Strategy

A beautiful website is a wonderful thing, but if a brand doesn’t have a solid digital marketing strategy no one will ever know that it’s there. It can be a good idea to hook up with a professional digital marketing agency so that they can take care of their SEO and content marketing needs. This way, they can focus on driving traffic to a website while the business owner can focus on what they do best: running their business.

It’s also very important to prioritize creating high-quality content as a part of a business’s digital marketing strategy. Video marketing and content marketing are a major part of the digital marketing world, with many companies these days maintaining blogs.

It isn’t enough to just have a blog. The content a brand produces needs to be original, valuable, and useful to the reader. If it’s bland and regurgitated, or worse yet, filled with grammatical and spelling errors, it won’t give people confidence in the brand.

Content is a major part of the voice of a company. People are consciously or unconsciously deciding whether or not a brand is high-quality or obviously unprofessional from the content produced. This includes both the visual aesthetics of the blog as well as the tone of voice and quality of the writing.

As a side note, another common web design mistake is to design a website before having a fleshed-out brand identity. It’s important to have consistency in branding across a website, products, and physical storefront or office. If there isn’t, it can create a disconnect and sense of unease in the audience.

6. Neglecting to Include Contact Information

It’s hard to believe, but one common web design mistake is to neglect to include contact information. If there is nothing else on a website, it should always give the customer information about how to contact the company. This is particularly true if a business has an incredibly sparse website that leads customers with many questions they want to be answered.

There should always be a “contact us” page that is only one click away. It’s also a good idea to have the contact information listed at the bottom of every webpage on the site.

7. Having Broken Links

When launching a website, it is essential to make sure that there are no broken links. A website that has links that don’t work, there’s a high likelihood that the user immediately assumes that the business was at best unprofessional and at worst a total scam. This is the last thing that a brand wants is their potential customers to take away from their experience on the website.

8. Being Visually Unattractive

Web design is not a field where brands can simply throw things against the wall to see what sticks. There is a logic to web design that factors in aesthetics, tone, branding, and psychology.

When a website is filled with ugly or relevant images, has a poorly chosen color scheme, or has no rhyme or reason for the use of fonts, people will notice. It makes a company seem less legitimate and reputable and gives an unfortunate first impression of the brand.

It’s very important to pay attention to color and contrast when designing a website. It can be very offputting for a website to be overloaded with very bright colors, for example. It’s also essential that there is enough contrast between the background and tax that it can be easily read.

9. Lack of Organization

A website should be organized in a way that users can find the information they are looking for with hardly any effort. It’s important to understand how much information people have access to these days and therefore how impatient they are when it comes to searching for what they’re looking for.

It’s important to remember navigation when adding new pages. During the design and launch of the website, navigation is often planned carefully. However, one needs to consider navigation just as much if not more when they add more pages over time.

When producing content as a part of a marketing strategy, make sure that blog posts are filled with relevant visual data and images, broken up into subheaders, and utilize bullet points and lists.

Remember to keep plenty of white space around text to make information easy to digest. It can be tempting to try and use up all of the available real estate when designing business websites. However, people are easily overwhelmed by walls of text or not enough white space, so always lean towards leaving more negative space than one would think necessary.

Pages that don’t have enough white space tend to look unprofessional. People are usually scanning websites rather than reading every word.

10. Not Having a Call-to-Action

Lastly, it’s important to always have a call to action. This is going to be different for every website, but once a business has gotten a prospective customer on their site, they want to drive them to take further action. If they don’t, they will most likely leave without signing up for their email list, browsing their products, or reading about the services they offer.

Businesses Should Avoid These Web Design Mistakes At All Costs!

When it comes time to create a website, many people don’t realize just how difficult designing business websites are. There are a lot of moving pieces and a lot of different aspects of a site that can drive away potential customers.

One way to avoid these web design mistakes is to hire a professional web design agency. They will have the experience and the knowledge to create a functional, fast, flexible, and stylish website for a small business.

Is it time to hire a web design agency? If so, contact Killerspots Agency today!

How On-Hold Messaging Can Benefit Your Business

on-hold messaging

Many American consumers may end up spending half their lives on hold. It’s estimated that Americans spent 900 million hours on hold in one year. That’s about 43 years out of their lives.

On-hold music usually makes the wait more bearable. Research showed that callers are more likely to stay on the line at least 30 seconds longer. Commercials are even more effective as they keep them on the line for at least three minutes. 

However, with the hectic pace of life and the growing demand for faster service, buyers may be more likely to hang up completely and try another company. Having callers on hold is sometimes inevitable, but this time provides an ideal opportunity for businesses to capture the attention of potential customers. 

Companies can strike a perfect balance with on-hold messaging. It can alleviate the irritation of being on hold while providing customers with relevant information. Here’s how.

What Is an On-Hold Message?

An on-hold message is a scripted recording a caller hears while they wait to speak with a representative after contacting a company. It’s a business marketing strategy that’s also known as audio marketing or on-hold messaging. It provides a way for businesses of all sizes to communicate to their customers while they’re being transferred or are waiting on hold.

On-hold messaging can enhance a customer’s overall experience while interacting with a company. This improves the reputation of the business and increases the likelihood that a potential customer will purchase the company’s product or service. It’s a branding strategy that can increase a company’s revenue.

Examples of On-Hold Messages

No one enjoys waiting after making a call. Especially when the information needed is simple. However, due to high call volumes, sometimes businesses cannot avoid this.

Some businesses also have products or services that may require more in-depth conversations about their use. This can also increase the length of time that other callers are waiting to speak to a representative.

Time is money for customers and businesses. Companies can use this time, to satisfy their customers, or promote their products to increase sales. Here are a few examples businesses can use for their on-hold messaging.

The message can:

  • Thank the customer for calling
  • Apologize to the customer for the wait time
  • Indicate how long the wait may be or the customer’s place in line
  • Provide information about the company, its products, services, and experience
  • Indicate the company’s location or give directions and hours of operation
  • Highlight the company’s website and social media presence
  • Give details about specific products or services or highlight new products or services
  • Inform customers about company policies such as returns or warranties
  • Provide testimonials or reviews of the company
  • Inform them about special promotions, offers, or sales

Businesses can use these examples individually or combine one or more of them. The key is to provide customers with the information they need and want. The aim is to ensure the message is interesting or relevant enough to keep them on the line.

Benefits of On-Hold Messaging

On-hold messaging is an essential business marketing tool that enhances the professionalism of any business. It provides the opportunity for a company to show customers that they value their time and loyalty. Any business that implements an on-hold messaging system can benefit in the following ways every time a caller is on hold.

Keep Customers on the Line

Anyone who calls a business represents an engaged prospect. This customer has chosen a specific company to call to either obtain information about or purchase a product or service. The business has already caught their attention and should keep it if they want a sale.

An on-hold message keeps potential customers engaged especially if it provides the information they may have been calling for. It often keeps customers from hanging up and trying another business. It’s the first step in building customer relationships so it should be a positive experience.

Increase Sales

A potential customer that has a positive experience with a company will be more willing to purchase from that business. A study conducted by Walker last year found that customer experience was a key brand differentiator, often more than product or price. 

On-hold messaging provides an opportunity for brands to make a good first impression. They can promote their products and services as well as provide information that may provide a solution to a potential customer’s problem. This can increase the chances of the customer purchasing the company’s product. The caller may even include additional products that they had no intention of buying before based on the information they heard while on hold.

Showcase Lower-Performing or Lesser-Known Products

Businesses can create attention for lesser-known or lower-performing products with a captive audience. On-hold message scripts can promote these products.

Even though these products may be unfamiliar to customers, they might also be useful. But customers won’t know that unless they are told.

Enhance the Customer Experience

On-hold messaging ensures a caller’s wait time is not in vain. The system it’s built on also facilitates getting customers to where they need to be faster. On-hold messaging is usually incorporated into an interactive voice response (IVR) system and auto attendants.

This allows a business to route calls based on what the customer is looking for. It gives callers various options that direct them to the appropriate agent or department for assistance. This usually results in shorter wait times and faster service delivery.

Promote Company Brand and Products

A company can reinforce the benefits of using their brand or promote their products to customers on hold. Businesses can even go as far as using a voice that becomes representative of their brand. The voice can be an extension of the business’ style and tone and reinforce company values.

As the voice becomes synonymous with the business, a company can use it to reinforce its brand to create brand loyalty, stand out from competitors and leave a positive impression.

Knowing what on-hold messaging can do for a business is important, but first, a company should know how to get started.

Building an On-Hold Messaging Strategy

Having an on-hold messaging strategy is essential for successful implementation. This will take time but should be well thought out to ensure proper execution. Here are the key steps businesses should follow to create an on-hold messaging strategy.

Identify the Main Message

A business should focus on the benefits of on-hold messaging and build on them to create its main messages. They should look at ways to use the message to promote their business. They can achieve this by reviewing some of the following:

  • Reasons customers contact their business
  • The information that would be beneficial to customers while on hold
  • The information customers ask for regularly (directions, hours of operations, location)
  • Channels available for customers to get additional information (website, social media, etc.)
  • The promotion of new products or services 
  • Special promotions that may interest callers
  • Lesser-known products and services that would be of interest to customers

The answers to some of these will indicate the best messaging for the company. It is a great place for any business to start formulating a strategy.

Write a Script

Businesses can use these main messages to start creating a script. If they don’t have the expertise in-house they can hire an experienced company that provides on-hold messaging services.

An on-hold messaging company will help them to create a script that is conversational and flows naturally. To ensure the message is effective, on-hold messaging experts will read the script aloud ensuring there is clarity in the messaging and its flow.

Ideally, each part should include one to two sentences so that callers hear the key messages before they decide to hang up. The aim should be to make each short and sweet.

Formulate a Production Plan

Production will include the recording and delivery of the message. A business should choose a voice that reflects the general culture of its company. If the company stresses its years of experience in all of its messaging, the voice chosen should project this for listeners.

The business must know the tools and hardware that it requires to incorporate the message into its current system. They should ensure they use a system that’s manageable and provides the option of in-house updates, if necessary.

It’s also wise for a company to designate someone to update the scripts.

If a company is uncertain, they can always defer to the experts who will let them know the equipment needed and the easiest way to update the system regularly.

Messaging That Sells

There’s a general obsession with saving time or using it wisely. Consumers are definitely not immune to it. They often demand service in the shortest possible time where possible. Businesses don’t like making their customers wait, but often this is inevitable. However, it doesn’t have to be to a business’ detriment.

On-hold messaging has become a great way for businesses to capture their customer’s attention. It makes the customer’s hold time more bearable and allows the company to provide relevant information that can benefit the customer.

However, an effective on-hold messaging strategy is necessary for a company to truly benefit from its implementation. The Killer Creative Blog assists companies in formulating an on-hold strategy that works. We provide customized messaging and music to keep customers engaged. Contact us for a quote today!

8 Tips for Making a Wildly Successful Radio Ad

radio advertising

When a company launches an advertising campaign, it shouldn’t focus specifically on digital marketing, or specifically on TV. It should put efforts toward all forms of marketing, as doing so will allow it to obtain the biggest reach possible.

Radio advertising should not be exempt from a company’s marketing campaign. In fact, it should be a central part of it. 

But what if a company needs help making custom radio ads for business marketing purposes? Where should it get started? Right here with this article!

Without further ado, here are the keys to quality radio advertising. 

1. Create a Jingle

Regardless of the concept of a business’s ad, it needs to be accompanied by a jingle. A jingle is a short and catchy musical motif that’s meant to catch the ear of the listener and hang around for a while.

A good jingle will be remembered by hundreds or even thousands of people and will become a small part of the local culture. This bodes well for the business to whom that jingle belongs, as it ensures that said business is being thought of on a regular basis. 

The question is: how does one go about writing a good jingle? In truth, it’s not all that easy. It requires not only a catchy melody but memorable lyrics as well. 

For those unaccustomed to writing music, this can be a serious challenge. This is why it’s often wise to turn to a professional jingle writer. These individuals have written tons of jingles and know exactly how to make them successful. 

Finding a jingle writer is as simple as searching “jingle writing [name of location]” in Google. This should return the websites of a variety of local jingle writers. These websites should provide all of the information that an interested party needs. 

In the Cincinnati, Ohio area, the Killer Spots Agency is the premier jingle house. Contact Killer Spots today! 

2. Cater to the Customer Base

Whether it’s a product or a service, it has a specific type of customer that wants it more than the others. This customer is part of the product or service’s customer base, and he or she is the one to whom the product or service’s ad should be targeted. 

For instance, let’s take sporting goods. In the case of sporting goods, the customer base would be, well, athletes. As such, the radio ad should contain elements that appeal to athletes. 

These elements could be anything from crowd noises to impersonations of popular sports icons and more. In any case, it should include elements that appeal to athletes.

The same goes for any other customer base as well. A music shop shouldn’t make a sports-themed radio ad, for instance. It should try to come up with an idea that will pique the interest of musicians instead. 

3. Use Slogans

Slogans might come across as a little hokey from time to time, but the fact of the matter is that they’re effective.

After all, think of all of the famous advertising slogans that have been rolled out over time: “I’m Lovin’ It”, “Just Do It”, “Where’s the Beef?”, “The Breakfast of Champions”. 

On their own, these are just simple 3 or 4 letter phrases. But because they’ve been uttered so many times, they are almost 100% representative of their respective brands. As such, every time those slogans are said, those brands come to the listener’s mind. 

What’s the point of all of this? The point is that, when creating a radio ad, a company needs to use slogans within that ad. It needs to come up with something short and catchy and then sprinkle it into the advertisement 2 to 5 times. 

If a company isn’t able to come up with its own catchphrase or slogan, it can turn to the services of a marketing company. 

4. Write a Good Script

There are some radio ads that are just flat-out bad. What’s the primary purpose for this? In most cases, it’s the weakness of the script. 

The trouble is that a lot of small business owners lack creative writing skills. There’s nothing wrong with that; it’s just the way it is. 

As a result, when they create radio ads for their businesses, they come up with absurd premises, lazy dialogue, and, well, some of the most cheesy situations known to humankind. 

Unfortunately, most listeners don’t respond to these types of scripts. At worst, they make fun of them, which turns the company in question into something of a local joke. 

In essence, when creating a radio ad, companies must spend tons of time on the script and make sure that it’s of high quality. If the company can’t produce a good script on its own, it should call up its local marketing company. 

5. Hook Them At the Beginning

Perhaps the biggest key to a good radio ad is to hook the listeners from the beginning. If it’s 5 to 10 seconds into an ad before something attention-grabbing happens, listeners will likely miss out on the beginning of the ad entirely, rendering it ineffective. 

It’s important to get the listener’s attention from the start. One way to do this is with volume. A loud slogan or jingle will almost certainly get the listener’s attention from the start. 

This can be enhanced with the telling of a story, or a special offer, and maybe even a joke (of course, it has to actually be funny). In any case, it’s important to grab the listener’s attention from the word go.

Getting the listener to take notice of the beginning of the ad renders the best chance of getting him or her to listen to the entirety of the ad. And when that happens, sales are made. 

6. Get Good Actors

Not everyone is cut out for acting, even on radio adverts for their business. So, while a business owner might want to appear on his or her own radio ad, he or she might not possess the acting chops needed to do so. 

There are plenty of radio ads that do feature bad acting. At best, they’re passable and might turn a few sales. At worst, they’re detrimental to the company that created them, as they turn off potential customers forever. 

Good acting is not a plus; it’s a requirement. It’s worth hiring skilled actors in order to create a quality ad. And while it’s possible to cut corners in some areas, businesses should never cut corners in this area. 

7. Play It for Others First 

One of the biggest mistakes that businesses make with a radio ad is having it broadcasted before it’s been listened to by others.

A company could think that it has the greatest ad of all time. However, just because that company perceives it that way doesn’t mean that anybody else will. 

In short, radio ads need to be tested. They need to be played for several people so that they can deliver honest feedback; “honest” being the keyword here. 

Every business owner is sure to have an honest friend or family member that he or she can turn to; someone who can be blunt and merciless. That’s the type of person who should test each ad. 

8. Include a Call to Action

The entire point of a company broadcasting a radio ad is to get listeners to do business with that company. If listeners don’t know how to get a hold of the company, they’re not going to be able to do that. 

This is why it’s imperative for radio ads to include calls to action. A call to action is an instruction to the listener.

It tells the listeners to, say, call for a free consultation at a specific number. It might also tell listeners to visit a specific website. 

The call to action is what drives sales. All of the other stuff can work to get the listener’s attention, but this is what turns that listener into a customer. 

Calls to action should be repeated several times throughout each ad, with special priority on the end of the ad (during which it should be repeated 2 to 3 times). This might feel like overkill, but it’s necessary to get the listener to perform the desired action (ie. make a purchase). 

Providing a Range of Radio Advertising Services 

If ever a company needs radio advertising services, it should turn to a radio marketing agency. If that company is based in the Cincinnati area, the best radio marketing agency for it to turn to is The Killer Spots Agency.  

Our company assists in all aspects of radio advertising strategy. Not only do we create radio jingles but voiceovers and more. We also offer recording studio time. 

Contact the Killer Spots Agency now! 

How to Build a Video Marketing Strategy for Small Businesses

video marketing strategy

So you’re having difficulty with marketing your brand? You’ve got to look at video production as part of your digital marketing strategy.

Video remains one of the most popular types of content that potential clients look out for. With a video you can do a better job at marketing your brand and what it offers.

But before you invest time and money in creating videos, you must first design a video marketing strategy.

This strategy will help you understand what your audience wants to see. It’ll also help you promote your videos to reach as wide an audience as possible.

Here’s how to design your video marketing strategy.

Who’s the Audience?

The first step is to find who your audience is. This refers to what groups of people will be most interested in your brand.

Here’s what you have to consider:

  • What age groups do you wish to attract?
  • What geographical regions should you reach out to?
  • What professions do you wish to reach out to?
  • Are you targeting men, women, or both?

These are a few of the considerations to determine your ideal audience. Once you find your audience, the next step is to share your videos with them.

You have to find where your audience congregates online. Let’s say you run a men’s fashion brand. You can look for Facebook groups where men discuss fashion and share your videos there.

If you want to target different geographical regions or demographics, consider dubbing or subtitling your videos.

For example, the YouTube channel Valuetainment offers videos in both English and Spanish. The YouTube talk show #ABTalks subtitles all their videos to reach as wide an audience as possible.

What Content to Create?

Next, you want to decide what are the right topics for videos to create. Once again, you want to first consider your brand. 

If you run a fashion brand, you want to focus on creating videos that recommend styles.

Look at the video content of major fashion publications such as GQ or Vogue. You’ll see that they create many videos where an actor/actress will style different outfits.

What if your brand promotes content? What if you’re a critic who recommends books, films, and television shows?

You can create explainer videos for each piece of content you recommend. These are often animated videos that provide a summary of the book, film, or TV program. In this video, a narrator will discuss the content and why they recommend it.

The best strategy is to look at your competition to see what works. Start by making the popular types of videos that work in your niche. You also want to follow the same length of videos in the beginning.

As your videos grow, you can see which ones are popular and which ones don’t reach an audience.

What About Your Finances?

This is perhaps the boring bit — but it’s crucial for your video marketing strategy. You have to first create a budget for your business and decide how much to spend on video creation.

Use this to determine what types of videos you want to launch. For example, let’s say you start on a low budget.

You may want to stick to vlogs and live streams that don’t require lots of equipment.

You might even be able to hire freelancers to make short explainer videos that won’t break your bank. You can also use an agency to create narrations, jingles, and short ads at a price suited for your budget.

As your budget grows, you can determine when to scale your production. You might want to reach out to high-profile individuals for interviews. You can also reach out to other content creators for collaborations.

Make sure you keep track of the monies coming in from your video content. This will help you determine the most popular types of videos you should produce.

Distribution Channels

Let’s return to distributing your video content to reach your audience. Part of your video marketing strategy has to involve where you’ll share your content.

Many brands might make the mistake of putting their content on as many channels as possible. But this might be a strain to manage and can be a great waste of time.

You want to focus on where your video content will get watched the most. As of now, YouTube remains the most popular website for sharing videos. For most brands, it’s advisable to share videos on YouTube.

You might also want to consider if your content is YouTube-friendly. Many of the larger video-sharing websites will have strict rules on the type of content you share.

Many content creators that are loosely considered ‘controversial’ have their channels demonetized or closed down! If this is a concern, consider also sharing your videos on other platforms such as BitChute and LBRY.

If you have any premium video content, consider sharing this on platforms such as Vimeo. Here you can sell longer videos including films and series.

Exclusive Video Content

As part of your video marketing strategy, you want to consider if you want to create any exclusive video content. 

This isn’t something you want to launch from the get-go. Only after you develop a fan following for your video content should you consider exclusive video content.

Here are examples of exclusive video content:

  • Exclusive interviews with industry professionals
  • Deleted scenes
  • Longer videos or feature films
  • Q & A sessions
  • Seminars, webinars, and workshops

Exclusive video content gives your brand additional credibility. Your audience will have “bragging rights” if they’re able to access exclusive video content.

You can charge a subscription fee for this exclusive content. Or you can grant access to any customer who buys your products/services.

You can also use services such as Patreon and SubscribeStar to offer exclusive video content to anyone who makes monthly financial contributions to your brand.

Build Your Video Marketing Strategy

Follow the steps in this guide to build the right video marketing strategy for your brand.

Once you’ve determined your audience and your video content, you can look at your budget to decide your video projects. Once you start creating your video projects, try to have a consistent schedule for releasing content.

Always use analytics to see what’s working to determine your future video content.

Make sure you always update your video marketing strategy as your video content grows in popularity.

We’d also love to help you with content creation. Contact us to see how we can help you get started!

7 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Web Design Service

web design service

It is no secret that owning a website offers rewards. It can increase sales, leads, and brand awareness exponentially. But there is one catch- your website design will make or break it.

According to Standford’s credibility research, web design determines 75% of company credibility judgment. Will your website make the cut?

As there is so much riding on your business website design, do not cut corners. Hire a web design service. There are so many benefits to doing this but do not just pick the first company you come across. 

You need to find the right company to envision the web design experience you want visitors to have. And there are several factors you can consider to help. Trust us— there are over 83,150 web design businesses in the US and plenty more freelancers.

Keep reading to pick the right web design service for you. And so you can save your time for other important matters, such as growing your business!

1. The Service You Need

There is a difference between web developers and web designers. Designers focus on designing business websites, whereas developers build them. Some companies offer both services, but it is an important place to start.

Many companies offer more than a web design service. They will provide packages with, too, such as to optimize site speed. Remember, you can use a service even if you already have a website to improve your current design. 

2. Time and Cost

What is your budget? There is no use blowing all your money on a popular option out of your price range. You might need to save some budget for other areas, such as social media advertising. 

There will be a web design service that is affordable for you. If you are not sure what is an acceptable rate, start by comparing designer fees. 

Also, how much time do you have? And how long will it take the company to create your business website design?

Small companies may have lots of clients when you need your site, so always check how long it will take them. And if the quoted price includes all fees! For example, do they offer ongoing customer service if you run into a problem?

3. Online Customer Reviews

A company can make big promises and look great on paper, but how do you know they will deliver? Online customer reviews. 

Online customer reviews will tell you a lot about the company’s reputation. Do not just look on their site. Be sure to check out independent review platforms and customer testimonials. If there is not much information out there, reach out to one of their clients. 

You can also ask about their office space. There are plenty of competent freelancers out there, but a company usually has a location too. Be wary of scams if there’s no reviews or location listed. 

4. Mobile-Friendly Business Website Design

Around 50% of all web traffic is from mobile users. And with the human attention span now under ten seconds, you need to engage visitors quickly. Otherwise, watch your bounce rate soar.

If the service does not offer mobile-friendly options or experience, look elsewhere.

Often you will see a mobile-first web design experience. This is when the company focuses on a mobile design first. It is not a required web design skill but a good indicator of their web design experience. 

5.  Their Style

What type of business web design do you want? Your style can make or break user engagement. Your website can be a fantastic way to build brand awareness or drown in the Google ocean of competitors. 

Pick a company that can match the design you want as much as possible. If you are not sure what you want, ask them for ideas. They should be able to offer ideas and draw-ups.

After all, according to Adobe, 38% of people will stop engaging with a website if it is unattractive. So you need a web design service that can get it right!

It is no good going with a site designing business websites in a minimalist way when you want the opposite look.

Consider if you have any specific requirements. For example, do you want video content, lead generation features, or animations? With so many web design companies out there, you do not have to settle for a ‘no.’ 

Always be upfront, and keep searching if it does not feel right. There is a company with the expertise out there to fulfill your vision (as far as web design can go, at least!)

6. Similar Web Design Experience

So, you have a company in mind that has the skills and web design experience. But do they have similar clients to you?

Checking out the company’s clients will give you an idea if they can fulfill the promises they are making. If they do not have similar clients to you, it does not mean you should not use them. But it certainly helps confirm whether your business website design can be done. 

Do not be afraid to ask for a portfolio. Usually, web design experience is on the web design service website. 

7. Rapport  

You want to feel comfortable with whoever is creating your business website design. What happens if you are not happy with something, but you are too afraid to tell them?

As they say, the customer is always right. The web design service should make you feel comfortable sharing your goals. 

If you ‘click’ with the web design service, they are more likely to understand what your wants and needs are. And make them happen! You might have to work with the company long-term, so if it does not feel right, it is best to move on now. 

The Best Web Design Service for You

It is worth the search for a web design service. The road may feel long, but like many areas of business, you cannot cut corners if you want results.

Do not choose a cheap service with limited credentials. And do not opt for a business website design style not authentic to you. You will end up more out of pocket long-term when you realize how damaging it is to your business.

So, consider these factors for a positive web design experience!  

Killerspots agency offers award-winning web production with no commitment. Are you interested in learning more? Contact us today! 

Do’s and Don’ts of Writing a Jingle

writing a jingle

Jingle all the way? Easier said than done! Writing a jingle takes creativity, planning, and research. 

Everyone knows famous jingles throughout marketing history. From Meow Mix commercials to those three famous NBC notes, good jingles have proven effective. 

When the general population recognizes those famous jingles, they likely don’t consider the process of writing them.

As an artist, you realize that how to write a catchy jingle is just as important as what’s in it. Keep reading to find some tips for writing jingles.

Start With a Script

Before anything else, advertising professionals should make sure they know what the client wants. How to write a catchy jingle is no different. 

Starting with a rough draft script and run it by the client before taking the process much further. Content should come first, then create the jingle. 

If a client isn’t happy with the message, it’s much easier to change it before it’s set to music.

Do Research The Market

A catchy and memorable jingle needs to be relevant. Before composers begin writing, they should pay attention to trending jingles. What kinds of beats and melodies are trending?

A jingle that’s in the style will catch on better than an old-fashioned one. It may help to listen to the top 40 radio stations. Artists should take note of all genres: pop, country, rock, rap, and more. 

Trending musical styles act as a helpful guide for writing a great jingle.

Don’t Be A Copycat

Using popular styles is a great idea, however, music plagiarism is never in style. Composers should also take care to create original content.

Copycat tunes and/or lyrics are not only unethical, they’re illegal.

Artists can check out online resources to help detect music plagiarism. If these resources aren’t available, playing a jingle for another music professional is a good safeguard against copycat work.

Do Grab Audience Attention

The rise in digital media is resulting in shorter attention spans. More than ever, the first several notes of music need to grab the listener’s attention. A good hook, or attention-grabbing opening, is vital to a successful jingle.

A hook should be ear-catching and interesting. The main idea or chorus needs interesting content as well. This is where the main message should come through.

Does the client want to highlight a phone number, website, or address? Jingle composers often use the following techniques to add interest to their content.

Alliteration and Assonance

Adding assonance and alliteration helps create catchy content. Beginning words with the same sound or letter is a great way to set information in the minds of consumers. Here are some examples of alliteration in advertising:

Welcome to the world wide wow. (AOL)

Don’t dream it. Drive it. (Jaguar)

Some studies suggest alliteration serves as a memory aid. Composers should always make sure alliterative content makes sense. This helps consumers consider the concept of that catchy tune while it’s stuck in their heads.

Rhyme Time

The quilted quicker picker upper (Bounty).

Click it or ticket (seat belt campaign).

It’s easy to remember something with a rhythm. Language is no exception. Adding a rhyme or two to your jingle will make it more memorable. 

A rhyming slogan is even better. Advertising is always the right time to rhyme.

Onomatopoeia

Words that sound like their meaning are a great idea for advertisers. Consider the Snap! Crackle! Pop!. And what about Plop plop! Fizz fizz! Oh, what a relief it is. from Alka Selzer?

Incorporating memorable sounds into a jingle helps the tune and content stay with listeners. 

A Catchy Question

Can you hear me now? (Verizon)

What’s in your wallet? (Capital One)

Writing a jingle where you ask the audience to think is a great strategy. Include common questions asked in daily life, like the Verizon catchphrase, and recognition increases even more.

If consumers ask the question, it may remind someone of the jingle and the product it’s representing.

Don’t Make It Too Long

While attention spans aren’t what they used to be, all is not lost. Some blame consumers’ inability to focus longer than eight seconds on competing content.

Whatever the reason, advertisers don’t have long to catch the attention of their audience. With this in mind, jingle composers need to keep their catchy jingle short and sweet. 

In general, an advertising jingle shouldn’t be longer than 30 seconds. Keeping ads quick helps your client’s message keep the attention spans of listeners everywhere.

Do Use Short Words

A jingle shouldn’t contain longer words than normal, either. If it’s something a person would not commonly say, it’s likely something the public won’t understand.

Jingles should be relatively short anyway. Adding long words takes away the opportunity to add other meaningful content.

Don’t Overcomplicate

In the words of Avril Lavigne, “Why’d you have to go make things so complicated?”

Avril isn’t the only one frustrated by overcomplicated strategies. Consumers don’t want complex musical elements. They want memorable and catchy.

Think about the three notes of NBC’s jingle or the sound your computer makes with it boots up.

These are all examples of sonic logos. Incorporating them into your jingle will help keep things memorable and simple. 

The alphabet song or nursery rhymes wouldn’t be effective memory aids if they were complicated. These tunes use easy-to-remember intervals (distance between notes). Simple melodies don’t confuse listeners’ ears, they engage them.

Do Use Action Words

Just Do It. Nike’s slogan is the best example of a slogan that gives a command. A jingle should be no different. 

Providing a call to action is an important tip for writing jingles. If consumers don’t take action after hearing a company jingle, what’s the point? 

A jingle should leave listeners with some kind of instruction to call, visit, or buy. 

Create FOMO

How to make memorable jingles? Establish a need with the listener(s). Nobody wants to feel left out and FOMO is real among consumers.

Fear Of Missing Out drives listeners to buy in to products and experiences. Creating a sense of FOMO through a company jingle makes listeners want to act. 

Don’t Forget Your Brand Name

Forgetting a client’s brand name in a jingle is like running brushing teeth while eating Oreos. There’s really no point to it at all.

Brand recognition is key in any marketing strategy. Client jingles must include the product or company brand. 

Take A Tip From Pavlov

A jingle becomes even more powerful when listeners can pair just a few notes with their brand. Think of McDonald’s (ba-da-ba-ba-ba), or the State Farm jingle (like a good neighbor). People know without hearing anything else, those words belong with that company.

This Pavlovian response comes from a few short notes paired with a brand over and over again. If people see and hear them together enough times, they two become synonymous. 

Use this Pavlovian response as a guide to writing good jingles. Pairing a catchy tune repeatedly with a brand can pay off big for clients and artists.

Do Be Professional

Everyone can tell a laptop basement recording from professional quality work. Artists work hard to make jingle content and melody what it should be. Why ruin all that work with shoddy production material or subpar performances?

Professional recording and production equipment are a must. If possible, hire professional musicians. Find a vocalist who knows what he or she is doing.

High-quality content with high-quality performance will provide clients with the high-quality product they want. Professional standards help jingle writers grow their craft as well. Clients will return and spread the word if they are satisfied with their highly polished results.

Don’t Be Inappropriate

Catchphrases and cute quips make for great jingle material. Content should always be appropriate and professional. Controversial topics and cringy content should be avoided.

Unless the client is specifically asking for eyebrow-raising content, shy away from it. 

Writing a Jingle Should Be Fun

It’s important to take the craft seriously. However, a creative process without fun will show in the final product.

How can jingle creators make fun content without having fun themselves? Read a joke book, watch funny youtube videos, and take breaks when needed. Find posters, funny memes, or other visually uplifting material to line the writing room.

Learn From the Best

Motivating factors vary from artist to artist. The creative process of writing a jingle will look different for each composer. There is no one right way of how to write a jingle for a business. 

The award-winning professionals at Killer Spots can serve your business by writing jingles, creating social media marketing, web design, SEO services, and more.

Send them a message today to find out how Killer Spots can help your business succeed.

10 Essential Green Screen Tips

green screen tips

Green screens are big game-changers for creating live-motion videos that need custom backgrounds. Those special effects that are worthy enough of Hollywood need certain care. Be creative and enhance big video projects with a green screen. In this guide, learn how to use a green screen and tips for renting a green screen. Produce the best outcome by following these green screen tips. 

1. It’s All About the Lighting 

Adequate lighting is an integral element in keeping the scenes nice and smooth. One of the most important green screen tips is the lighting. It can make or break a perfect shot with unwanted shadows or bleaks. 

Chroma key software has a harder time processing darker greens than light greens. Lighting plays a role in evenly exposing the green screen background for the camera. The best light for the background is a soft light with at least 40 to 50% luminance. 

Making use of hard lights will lead to unevenness and hot spots in your background. Take advantage of two or three backlights for the best background lighting. Test the lighting with a waveform monitor. 

Make sure that only a flat line appears on the monitor, indicating balanced lighting. Aside from the backlight, another lighting focus is the key light. This is the light that focuses on the subject’s appearance. 

The subject must stay around six to ten feet away from the green screen to avoid creating shadows. If it’s difficult to find proper lighting, consider going for a green screen rental studio. A professional studio has all the tools you may need, from lighting to other devices. 

2. Consider the Perspective 

When learning how to use a green screen, perspective plays a huge role. It’s best to create a storyboard when filming for a video. The storyboard will show how the subject appears in the background. 

Building an idea for the background will make it easier to imagine the perspectives. The perspectives should respond to various camera angle changes. The background should adapt to the movement of the camera in the video. 

Think about the camera’s focal length, where close-up shots will make the background out of focus. Filming with green screens means you have to be ready to make shots that make sense. 

Check the camera height and angle of each camera filming the subject. Move back and shoot on a longer lens to straighten up the overall perspective. Filming below the eye level also gives a less warped perspective of the subject. 

3. Set the Best Camera Settings

When shooting videos with big movements, it’s best to have HD quality videos with at least 720p or higher. The camera setting plays a role in the final result for easier editing. Start by changing the aperture, which is the depth of field of the camera.

The right aperture will leave the subject sharp in focus and the background to appear softer. The soft-focus will smoothen the green screen, blending it into a more uniform color. Set the aperture to f4, f5, or f6 for the best depth of field. 

The next setting to look for is the shutter speed, which can help lessen motion blur. If the subject is not moving, set the shutter speed as double the frame rate. Shooting a video means a higher shutter speed since there is more movement. 

Raise the shutter speed to 1/80 or 1/100 for action scenes. However, if the shutter speed is too high, the exposure will also change in the scene. It’s best to change the ISO for the best and easiest chroma keying process. 

Stick to the native ISO, so the camera doesn’t have to up the voltage, raising the exposure in low-light scenes. Don’t forget about the format of the photo or video. Check if your camera’s file format matches your software compatibility. 

4. Prepare the Subject 

Prepare the subject for the scenes to get the best shots and avoid blocking the background. There should be a certain amount of space between the green screen and the subject. Keeping the subject as far away from the green screen helps simulate the lighting in the new background. 

Space will also prevent green tones from scattering off the screen and onto the subject’s edges. Go for a 10 to 15 feet distance between the green screen and subject. It’s also best to prepare the appearance of the subject. 

Anything green will blend into the background, making the clothes disappear. It’s best to wear contrasting colors to avoid potential mistakes when editing. However, purposefully dressing up in green can give a desired effect for the story. 

For example, when editing an amputee, new body, and other appearance changes. Green screens can make actors look sickly and pale. Bring along some makeup to adjust the actor for the new background. 

5. Avoid Reflective and Shiny Materials

Reflective and shiny materials on the set will pick up the green background. They will get rendered transparent when editing the scene for the chroma key. Watch out for reflective jewelry, eyeglasses, or anything that reflects or sparkles. 

Hair can be another challenging thing to face, especially if the hair is blonde. Yellow and green colors are close relatives, making keying more difficult than normal. If an actor has blonde hair, try using magenta gel on the backlight to counteract the green tones. 

6. Create A Depth of Field

As stated earlier, depth of field is an essential element for easier editing. It prevents the green background from spilling onto the subject. “Spills” refer to the blurry parts of the output that blends the subject and the background. 

Depending on the camera lens, it’s best to take a 25 to 30 feet depth for a full-length shot. A six-foot distance will be enough to separate the subject and green background. Depth of field also saves poor green backgrounds, like screens with wrinkles. 

7. Keep the Camera Steady

An unsteady camera can hurt the final output of your video. The subject will look like they’re bouncing or vibrating against the background. Lock the camera in place or keep the camera steady with slow movements. 

Be careful of zooming in or out of a scene. The subject will start to look like their growing or shrinking in relation to the new background. 

Suppose the project has plenty of movement; use motion control and motion trackers. This creates more sophisticated 3D shots, but it takes a lot of work for the VFX team. Keeping the camera completely static produces the best quality and fewer green spills. 

8. Pick the Right Green Screen Material

The green screen material is essential to the project’s size and location. Large-scale projects use huge sets with seamless painted cyc, floors, and walls. In contrast, low-budget and independent projects have to rely on simple green materials. 

The best green background choice is a studio filled with green-painted walls and floors. Professional studios have paint that gives enough amount of light reflectivity and evenness. They give a matte appearance to avoid looking too shiny in the camera. 

DIY-ing the walls require constant repainting to cover up smears, scuffs, and handprints. Another available material is the digital matte keying fabric. These are nylon, foam, muslin, or nylon pieces that can stick to the wall. 

Composite component fabrics and paint offer optimum coverage and minimum wrinkling. The fabric is a nylon-spandex material that stretches tight, giving a smooth surface. Overlapping the pieces can cover large surfaces and create a portable cyc setup.

A simple and cheaper green background is the generic green muslin. It’s a green cloth that you can hang and mount on the wall, making it portable. However, green muslins wrinkle easily and absorb all the backlight. 

9. Watch Out For Movement and Shadows

One of the biggest challenges of green screens is that the subjects have to stay in the green background. One hand reaching outside the green area may ruin the entire shoot. There is no way to fix a missing hand during post-production. 

The only solution is to reshoot or cover up the shot to make it more natural. Shadow is another factor to watch out for since you may end up with a darker green. Check your backlights and keep the subject at least eight to ten feet away from the background. 

Remove objects or lightings that may cause shadows to appear in the background. To fix shadows, editors have to go through various chroma keys. 

10. Use A Chroma Key Software

Consider a program depending on the project’s needed shots, system, and budget. Pick a program that gives the best user experience and user-friendly tools. Ensure that the software has Chroma Key, the essential green screen background editing tools. 

Some of the most popular editors include Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere. I-Movie is another great editor that’s free on Macs. Get the software that only takes a few moments to learn and use the different tools and features.

Make Something Amazing With These Green Screen Tips

These tips for first-time green screen users will help produce the best quality video. Simple mistakes in green screens can ruin your content and effects. Avoid making those mistakes with these green screen tips!

Do you want to find the best green screen studio with professional tips? Contact us today! We’ll help you set up the best area and answer all your green screen inquiries. 

10 Reasons to Advertise Your Business on the Radio

radio advertising

Do you think radio advertising is outdated? Radios have been used for personal use since the 1920s, but the radio advertising possibilities constantly evolve to keep up with technology and trends.

Radio ads are just as relevant and effective as digital marketing when used correctly. A strategically created ad can reach and resonate with your target audience, giving you a huge return on investment.

Keep reading to learn some of the many benefits of radio advertising.

1. Remote Reach

Radio makes your advertising available to consumers wherever they go. Unlike TV ads, which are limited to people who are sitting in front of a TV, your radio ads follow your target audience when they’re on the go. That versatile reach makes radio comparable to mobile ads.

People most often listen to the radio while they’re in the vehicle. That means they might hear your commercial when they’re already out and ready to shop, which could persuade them to visit your business. Radio reaches people when they’re closer to the point of sale since they’re more likely to listen when they’re away from home.

With options to listen to radio stations online, people can also hear your ads from anywhere when they listen from their mobile devices. These mobile options often make it easy to combine your radio ad with banners that listeners can easily click and reach your website or social media pages.

2. Both Wide and Targeted Audiences

Radio is the widest reaching platform for adults with 92% of Americans listening to the radio each week. TV comes in next, reaching 87% of adults with smartphones following closely at 81%. Every month, radio reaches 244.5 million adults. 

It’s also a diverse audience that listens to the radio. People of all ethnicities and ages listen to the radio, often in large numbers.

With so many people listening to the radio, it’s safe to say your company’s target audience is listening, too. When you advertise on the radio, your potential audience has a good chance of hearing about your company.

While a wide reach is good, a targeted audience is even better. Having a good idea of the type of music and the local radio stations that your audience listens to helps you choose where to place your local radio advertising.

Ad a local business, putting your ad on local radio stations helps you reach people in close physical proximity, which also helps narrow your target audience.

3. Targeted Ad Timing

Radio ad spots are available 24/7, which means you can target when your ads air based on when your audience listens. Timing your ads right can make them more effective and improve your ROI.

Daytime hours often have the highest number of listeners. However, your specific audience might stay up late or get up in the wee hours for an early-bird commute. Knowing this helps you choose those time slots to maximize reach for your specific audience.

Repeating your ads at these target times helps get potential customers to take notice. Most people need to hear your message three times before they start noticing you. They’ll like need to hear the ad even more to really remember you or go beyond just listening to take action or interact with your brand.

4. Lower Ad Avoidance

DVRs make it possible for consumers to skip TV ads easily. If they don’t, they often get up during those ad times and do other things. Online ads are easy to dismiss, block with ad-blocker programs, or skip on videos. 

Radio has a lower ad avoidance rate than many other platforms. You often have a captive audience in vehicles. Listeners can’t simply skip an ad like they can online or when watching a TV show on a DVR.

Some people might change to a different radio station, but many stick around and listen to the ads. People tend to be loyal to radio stations, waiting through the commercials for the music or talk show to resume.

5. Time-Tested Yet Modern

When creating a marketing strategy that keeps up with your modern business and target audience, you might think older methods such as radio won’t work. However, it’s time-tested longevity shows that radio advertising still works. Radios are still added to new vehicles, and people are still listening, which means this proven advertising method is still relevant.

Despite its long history, radio advertising isn’t stuck in the past. New research and technology makes it possible to create radio ads that are relevant and engaging to your modern audience. Online streaming options for radio stations also keep this platform current and relevant.

6. Creative, Memorable Options

How many business jingles do you find yourself singing randomly? Audio advertisements, when produced well, can be very powerful and memorable.

These ear worms keep your audience thinking about your business long after they hear your radio spot. Someone who hears your ad might not need your services or products immediately. However, if they do encounter a situation that matches your business offerings, recalling that catchy radio ad could encourage them to reach out to you.

Advertising on the radio gives you a wide range of creative options. First up, you can decide if you want to go the humorous route, get sentimental with listeners, or make a dramatic point based on what you’re trying to do and what feelings you want to evoke.

Audio options can include voices, music, and sound effects to guide listeners. Various voice actors, or even your own staff, can provide a voice that appeals to your target audience and helps set the tone.

Radio stations often offer other opportunities for advertising your business as well. Endorsement ads are paid endorsements where radio personalities talk about your business. Since many people listen to radio stations loyally due to trusting their favorite radio personalities, they might pay more attention to those ads.

7. Theater of Mind Effect

A great radio ad uses what’s often referred to as theater of mind. Because radio ads are heard and not seen, listeners have to use their imaginations to create pictures in their minds based on what they hear. All other ad types have a visual component that spoon feeds the message and doesn’t require users to engage their brains as much.

This actively engages the listener with your ad. When someone hears your ad, they’re thinking about what they’re hearing instead of just staring at a screen. That engagement can make the ads more memorable and appealing to listeners.

8. Personal Experience

It might seem difficult to connect to potential customers via radio ads. After all, listeners simply hear an ad you recorded previously.

But a well-crafted ad helps develop brand awareness and helps listeners feel connected to you. That’s especially true if your voice is heard in the ad. Your radio ad is your chance to express your branding, share your values, and help listeners get to know your brand.

You can also add an emotional side to your radio ad to get listeners personally invested. It’s much easier to convey that emotional feeling with sound than it is with a print ad or online ad that has no audio or video.

9. Quick Turnaround and Cost Effective

Creating radio advertising is relatively quick compared to producing a TV commercial. It’s often much easier to record and edit the audio than it is with video, which means your ad is ready to go much faster. Once produced, you can often get it onto the radio with days.

Radio advertising costs are also budget-friendly compared to some other options. A local radio ad can cost anywhere from $200 to $5,000 weekly. The exact cost depends largely on where you are with larger cities costing significantly more than smaller markets. 

The cost is usually calculated based on a CPM rate, or the cost per 1,000 people listening. That rate is multiplied by the number of people listening to determine the total cost of the spot.

Some radio stations offer per-spot pricing, which means you’ll pay less for times when not as many people listen. This can make your radio advertising costs lower.

Since marketing is an investment, it’s important to look not only at the cost but also at the return on investment. Studies show that on average, every dollar spent on radio advertising yields $12 in sales.

10. Compatible With Social Media

The great thing about most advertising methods is you don’t have to use them in a vacuum. It doesn’t have to be radio or social media; radio or print ads; radio or TV spots. Depending on your marketing budget, you can and should incorporate multiple advertising avenues to expand your reach.

Radio might not seem compatible with social media, but you can easily use the two methods to promote one another. By combining radio and social media, you can meet people where they are and give them options that fit how they prefer to interact.

Some radio advertising examples that incorporate social media include promoting your social media accounts in your ads or hosting a social media contest that you encourage people to enter via radio ads. 

You can also go the other way, promoting your radio ads through social media. Include the audio of your radio ad on your social media accounts, for example.

Take Advantage of Radio Advertising

If you’re still waiting to jump on radio advertising, stop waiting. Creating a radio ad can expand your current marketing plan with a broad reach, boosted brand awareness, excellent ROI, and many other benefits.

Not sure how to get started? Instead of searching for radio advertising near me and taking your chances, contact us to get a quote. We can help with a variety of marketing services, from radio ad production and video production to social media marketing and SEO.