How to Read Ad Copy
Ad Copy/Talking Points are the notes brands give to guide podcasters in recording an ad. They can either be formatted as a script to be read verbatim or as bulleted talking points which give a loose guide on what hosts should touch on in their ad read.
Your first time reading over the copy should not be when you’re sitting down to record your ad. Look it over and make sure you understand the requirements and don’t have any additional questions. If you do have questions, contact us through your app or send us an email to [email protected].
Things You Should Look For in Ad Copy Include:
Mandatory Talking Points: Check all the notes in your copy to see how they indicate these required lines. It might just be mandatory that they’re mentioned, but sometimes they may need to be read verbatim. This is often the case for any disclaimers or CTAs (see below).
Personal Experience Requirements: Host-read ads often require a personal endorsement. Make sure you understand the requirements of this section of your read before you start. Almost all brands that require this will send over samples/accounts/etc. to try out their product. If you haven’t received yours or feel unable to make this endorsement, email us [email protected]
Call To Action or “CTA”: It’s often meant to be read verbatim, so make sure you know what your promo code or vanity url is before starting your ad read. This is the number one place people make mistakes that often cause a fix, and in turn, it’s the easiest mistake to avoid if you’re prepared ahead of time! When recording, it’s also good practice to read the offer twice through, spelling out any urls or codes that could be confusing to your listeners.
Additional Notes: Sometimes the script page or your copy document may include additional notes. These vary widely and can include supplemental documents with more info about the products, words/phrases to avoid in your read, notes about the tone of the read, and more. Make sure to review all of these notes before you record.
How to Record a Good Ad
Here are some general tips our podcasters & producers have found helpful to remember while recording their ads:
Make Sure You’re Following the Guidelines For the Length of an Ad. Ads are typically 60 seconds, if it goes over, that’s totally fine, but in general we recommend ad reads stay under 3 minutes long.
Have Fun! Your tone really helps sell the ad to your listeners & the brand. Advertisers listen to every read, so make sure to avoid disparaging, sarcastic, or uninterested tones to steer clear of negative feedback or potential fixes.
Personal Experience: Most spots will require you to discuss your personal experience with the product. This is your opportunity to share your direct experiences using the product or services. Sometimes sharing your personal experience can be tough. In these cases, we encourage you to talk about other aspects of the product you may have enjoyed—for example maybe it came in cute packaging, or you found its shipping straight to your door very convenient. Here are some examples of positive aspects you can mention:
“I found [the app] very easy to use”
“I love that it shipped directly to my door”
“Their online quiz was very personalized”
“I loved how [the product] smelled”
“I like that [the product] shipped in recyclable packaging”
“[This product] made a great gift for a friend/family member”
Make Sure You're Following the Guidelines for Where the Ad is Placed in Your Episode. A pre-roll should fall within the first 5-10 minutes of your episode. Mid-roll should fall around the halfway point or between 40%-70% of your episode. If your ad is a post-roll, it should come within the last 5-10 minutes.
Record a unique spot for each ad. Unless otherwise notified, you are required to record a new ad read for each spot on your calendar, even if the copy is identical across multiple ads. When recording multiple ads with the same copy, use this opportunity to rotate in talking points you didn't use previously, or give an update on your personal experience.
Here are some ads to get you inspired;