7 Steps to Creating Audio Ads

Audio ads are one of the most wide-reaching, immersive, and engaging forms of marketing available today. For example, an astonishing 95% of Americans aged 13 and older consume some form of audio media every day! Millions in the workforce regularly listen to radio as part of their daily commute to and from work. Millions more eagerly navigate to their favorite podcast daily or weekly.
It’s no stretch to say that audio ads can be an effective and accessible medium for growing your company. Of course, developing successful audio ads is easier said than done. You’ll need to follow at least seven key steps to create winning audio ads that will truly “move the needle” for your brand.

Step #1: Determine Your Target Audience

You must start by clearly defining who you want to reach with your audio marketing. Are you pursuing an older, middle-aged, or younger demographic? What is your ideal customer’s gender, income, or education level? Are you targeting a specific region or a national audience? What are some of your consumer’s main pain points, and how does your product or service resolve them? Answer these and any similar questions before you begin developing your ad creative.
Moreover, you also need to understand where and when to find your target audience. Do they listen to traditional radio or use streaming platforms? If they listen to radio, which stations do they prefer? If it’s audio streaming, which platforms do they use? And when are they most likely to be tuned in? As you can tell, a lot of forethought and research goes into this fundamental first step in the audio marketing process.

Step #2: Decide on the Goal You Want to Achieve

Specific goals are necessary for forward progress. You must determine ahead of time which goals you want your audio ads to achieve. For instance: Do you simply want to increase brand awareness? Do you want to generate leads? Are you hoping to impact sales directly? Understanding your goals will give your audio ads clarity and direction. 

Step #3: Write Your Script

Once you understand your audience and goal, it’s time to write a concise, engaging, and informative script with these factors in mind. Your script should use an appropriate tone and vocabulary for your intended listeners and help them to see how your product/service will benefit their lives.
Also, ensure your script includes a clear call to action (CTA). After all, if your listeners are interested in your message but don’t know what step they should take next, your audio ad hasn’t succeeded in motivating prospects to act.

Step #4: Choose Your Talent

You’ll need the right voice talent to bring your script to life. If you’re developing an audio ad with a tight budget, you may be able to use an employee or even a friend to record your message. However, keep in mind that the voice you choose will end up being the “voice” of your brand as far as the general public is concerned. It may be worth partnering with a media agency that can help you conduct professional voice work for your ad.

Step #5: Record the Ad

You can pick from several options in terms of recording your ad. Hiring a professional production crew may not cost as much as you think, and your ad will enjoy excellent production values as a result. You may be able to use a simple USB microphone or even a free audio app, but there’s a risk of low quality that you must be careful to avoid.

Step #6: Add Music and Other Sound Effects

Music and sound effects can help your audio ad emotionally connect with your audience. Here again, you may be able to create music and effects in-house (e.g., a jingle for your brand). However, if you want the best production values for your ad, you’ll likely need to get outside help.

Step #7: Track Ad Effectiveness

You’ve finished developing your audio ad and released it for public consumption! But how well did it perform? Without tracking effectiveness, you’ll never know how well your investment worked or if you need to adjust it. Including ad-specific URLs or social media handles that you guide customers to will show how much traffic your ad generates. You’ll know how well your ad performs based on the traffic those pages or handles receive. 

Grow Your Business with Audio Ads

Audio ads can be an excellent way to reach a diverse audience. It will take quite a bit of planning, effort, and resources to develop successful audio ads on your own — which is why many businesses work with a media partner that can develop and distribute winning ads on a customized budget. In any event, never overlook a well-designed audio ad’s positive impact on your business. It may be just what you need to see further growth.

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