15- or 30-second audio ads: writing a script people can follow

An audio ad can fit into thirty seconds and still be difficult to follow. This happens when the price, benefit and instructions all arrive in a rush, or the brand name gets lost in the closing line.

To write a 15- or 30-second audio ad, start with one decision: what should listeners understand, and what can they do next? Build the script around that point, then time the read.

Check the duration with a timed read and then the final mix. Word count can flag an overloaded script; it does not measure pauses, music or the sonic signature.

Choose the action before writing

What should listeners do: visit a shop, book a trial or discover a service? Put that objective in the brief before working on the opening.

If your answer includes three actions, choose the priority. A list of services can describe the company accurately while leaving listeners without a clear direction.

For a promotion, the central point may be a specific offer. For an unfamiliar service, it may be the problem it solves. For an opening, the location and date may matter more than an adjective describing the brand.

How many words fit into thirty seconds?

In the UK specifications accessed on 7 October 2026, Spotify recommends no more than 65 words for a 30-second ad. This is platform guidance, rather than a rule for every audio production. [1]

A price, acronym or address changes what a word count tells you. “£19.90” takes little space on a page, but the voice artist has to say it in full. An unfamiliar name may also take longer than an everyday word.

For a useful estimate, write numbers and abbreviations as they will be spoken. Read the script with the intended delivery, without speeding up to fit. If it exceeds the format, review the content first.

Fifteen seconds: decide what to keep

The short version should preserve the point that helps listeners decide. It need not be the longer script read faster.

Consider a hypothetical example: a shop wants to promote bookings for electric bicycle test rides. This first draft opens too many paths:

“At [Brand], your destination for everything on two wheels, you’ll find a wide range of bicycles, accessories and services. Discover what’s new, book a test ride on our electric models, visit our website and follow us on social media.”

The range, accessories and new products compete with the test ride. The actions also pile up. For the short version, the rewrite keeps the service and one way to book:

“Try your next bike before choosing it. At [Brand], you can book a test ride on our electric models. Choose your appointment on our website.”

This is a script proposal for a short format, not a timed recording. The real brand name, delivery and closing signature will determine whether it fits into 15 seconds.

The edit removes the generic phrase “your destination” and information that does not help with booking. It does not remove a service condition: if the trial has a charge or is limited to certain models, the script should make that clear.

Keep production directions separate from spoken copy:

• Spoken copy: the quoted script, with the real name replacing [Brand].
• Pause: a break after the first sentence, to assess during the read.
• Sonic signature: any musical ending, included in the complete 15 seconds.

These directions guide the trial read; they are not words to record.

Thirty seconds: use the time to explain

The longer version can develop the same offer:

“Choose your electric bike from the saddle, too. At [Brand], you can try the available models and compare riding positions before deciding. Book your appointment on our website and tell us which model interests you. [Brand]: start with a test ride.”

This example is also hypothetical and needs a timed read. The activities described must be available before using the script in a campaign.

The extra space explains what the trial offers and what to include when booking. Spoken copy ends with “start with a test ride”; any musical tail follows and must fit within the total duration. Adapt the message to confirmed information if the service has conditions, limited availability or a charge.

Write the closing line for the actual channel

Spotify recommends a clear call to action aligned with the objective and destination page. [2]

Our production interpretation is practical: “tap the banner” works only where that banner is available. In a radio ad, the spoken address needs to be understandable and memorable. Inside a shop, the action may be to ask a member of staff or visit a department.

When channels change, prepare separate closing lines. The promise may stay the same; the next step needs to be possible in the listening context.

Include voice and music in the plan

A short sentence may need a pause to make the offer clear. A musical signature may need space after the brand name. Allocating the whole duration to speech leaves no room for these choices.

Separate spoken words from production directions in the script. Mark where you want a pause and what needs emphasis, without prescribing a different emotion for every line.

Then listen to voice and music together. A clear standalone read can become less precise if the brand name coincides with an effect or a prominent musical phrase.

If it does not fit, cut in this order

Start with phrases that do not change the decision: greetings, generic adjectives and repeated promises. Then consider whether every detail belongs in this ad.

Keep what listeners need to understand the offer. Removing an essential condition to retain a clever phrase can change the message’s meaning.

If the content remains too dense, consider another format or a second creative. Asking the voice artist to recover every second by speaking faster is not the solution.

A listening check before delivery

Play the read once to someone who has not seen the script. Ask which brand they heard, what offer they remember and what they should do. This is a qualitative script check, not evidence of campaign sales or results.

If the answer is vague, check where the message loses precision. You may need to introduce the brand earlier, simplify the offer or make the next step more concrete.

Before approving the file, check:

• duration of the read and complete mix, including the ending;
• pronunciation of the brand, names, numbers and addresses;
• consistency between the spoken offer and confirmed information;
• voice clarity with music and effects;
• the requested action and actual destination;
• the receiving channel’s technical requirements.

For a multilingual campaign, time every version. Translation does not automatically preserve rhythm, duration or ease of pronunciation.

Choosing a voice artist, synthetic voice or mixed approach is a separate production decision. We discuss model and version controls in our article on voice cloning and the Meloni case.

Have a script to turn into an audio ad? Let’s discuss it: include the duration, channels, message and intended language versions.

Sources

Accessed on 7 October 2026. Guidance attributed to Spotify concerns its platform; the examples and revision criteria are Jingles Factory editorial analysis.

1. Spotify Advertising: Audio ad specs & requirements.
2. Spotify Advertising, Kelsey Woo: How to write an audio ad script.