Imagine for a moment your favourite sandwich. Now, picture each ingredient on its own.

Those individual components are pretty blah without their complements. A baguette? Boring. Deli meat? Too plain by itself. Cheese? Okay, fine, cheese is amazing in any context—but paired with the other ingredients, it reaches a whole new level of deliciousness.

The same alchemy applies to audio ads. When it comes to how to write an audio ad script, each ingredient adds something special. It's that whole "sum is greater than its parts" situation.

Here at Spotify, we think we've nailed the secret sauce that goes into making an audio ad script successful—and broken it down into five core ingredients. Here are a few tips for writing an audio ad script that's as perfect as the grilled cheese of your childhood.

How to write a script for an ad that sells

We've spent serious time and effort digging into the key components of great audio ads so you don't have to. Here are the five ingredients we suggest you include:

1. An ear-catching intro: Think of this as a friendly greeting or question. This should happen within the first five seconds of your ad. It's also a good idea to end this segment with your brand's name. This makes for a good segue into the next section, and it ensures your brand is top of mind from the get-go.
   
   
2. A clear definition of your brand, product, or service: People won't seek out your product or service if they don't understand what it is. Think about how you'd answer, "What do you do?" or "What does your service offer?" in clear, concise terms—no more than a single sentence.
   
   
3. Key takeaways you want your audience to know: The next step is to pin down the top three things you want audiences to learn from your audio ad, whether that's a product feature, upcoming promotion, or new store location. List these takeaways from least to most important. This will help you visualise the story you want to tell.
   
   
4. Details that elaborate on your main message: This is your chance to dig into the juicy details of that third, most important takeaway. But remember: Resist the urge to over-explain. A sandwich has limited real estate, and nobody wants six kinds of condiments.
   
   
5. A catchy call to action: This is arguably the most important ingredient of how to write an audio ad script. Whether your goal is to drive online sales, increase website visits, or connect with new customers, the point of your ad is to drive listeners to a specific action. Depending on your goal, you could say something like, “Tap the banner to find a location near you," “Tap the banner to shop now," or “Tap to save big with [your promo code]."

Other audio ad best practices to know

Now that you know the basics of how to write an audio ad script, there are a few more audio ad best practices to keep in mind:

• Write less. Really, we mean it. Too many words and your message might get lost. Your script should stay within the 55-70 word range, and you'll hit that limit faster than you think.
  
  
• Avoid jargon. "Our end-to-end, customer-centric products offer a great value proposition for savvy consumers and burgeoning businesses." Was that sentence fun to read? Did it say anything of substance? Not really. Your audience probably doesn't want to hear corporate marketing-speak, either. Keep that in mind when crafting your script.
  
  
• Write for ears, not eyes. You'll also want to read your script out loud to make sure it sounds natural and has the right flow for audio. Make sure your message is understandable to a listener versus just something that reads well on paper.
  
  
• Cross your t's and dot your i's: Finally, you'll want to double-check with the powers that be that your script meets all applicable legal requirements.

We know it's not always easy to come up with winning audio ad ideas that wow your audience and exceed all your engagement hopes and dreams. That's why our digital audio ad resources make it simple to pen an attention-grabbing script. For example, Spotify's free voiceover tool makes it easy to get a professionally recorded ad up and running in record time.

Spotify's intuitive, self-serve ad platform paired with the above advice is a winning recipe.

Watch our recorded webinar on best practices for writing an audio ad script, or download a handy one-sheet guide below.