Recently, I was asked to write a radio program for
a non-profit organization. I had worked in broadcast
journalism for many years before I switched to online
communications and really enjoyed getting back to my
radio roots.
But something interesting happened as I was writing
the script. Over and over again, I noticed just how
much radio writing and effective web content have in
common:
=>Both depend on high impact, attention-getting
statements:
"Weight loss without misery is possible if you..."
"The President has been found in a compromising
position..."
"Want to know how to get your teens to talk to you?"
=>Both forms benefit from short, punchy sentences that
use basic language and get to the point fast.
E-business consultant Philip Say even uses radio lingo
when he explains how to write strong e-mail
newsletters and sales letters.
He says, "Sound bites are the most effective way to
grab the attention of the reader. The challenge today
is to deliver short, meaningful messages that will
initiate a conversation with your audience. You have
to pack a punch into 50 words or fewer."
The average 30-second radio commercial has only 50
to 80 words. So writing a radio spot for your online
product or service is a good exercise in how to write
tight. And it's a good lesson in ruthless editing,
possibly the hardest and most important part of the
writing process!
=>Both radio and web content communicate better
without jargon or foreign terms. I once used the
French word "ennui" instead of "boredom" in one of
my marketing articles. As a result, the piece sounded
pretentious and I looked like a twit.
=>Both radio and web writing are improved by
personality. Think about the radio announcers you
like best. Probably you enjoy their voices as much
as what they say. Your online content needs a voice
too. For a good example of this, check out the very
distinctive personality of The Newbie Club, which carries right over
into their newsletters.
=>The audience must come first. Radio announcers
often pretend they are talking to just one person,
imagining that person's age, their lifestyle, their
hopes and dreams. (I once worked for a very earnest
radio station that had the production staff dress
up a life-size doll to represent their ideal
demographic - sort of a crash test dummy for target
marketing!) You don't have to go that far, but aim
what you're saying/writing to that one person who
represents your target audience. They are the reason
for what you do.
Now start listening to radio with a critical ear.
Practice writing content as if it's for radio. It
may help you inject some real personality into your
ads, e-zine or website!
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