How to create a successful radio advertisement? Yaman Coskun, founder and CEO of the popular U.S. radio ad production company Yamanair Creative, shares tips for creating effective and successful radio ads.

Yaman Coskun highlights eight rules (82BGR8 – eight to be great) for making radio ads. Following these rules greatly increases the chances that your brand will break through the information overload, be heard, and reach the listener’s subconscious. Even if you initially follow only a few, your chances of building a successful brand image, attracting new customers, and increasing sales with radio improve.

Convince. Don’t sell.
Radio ads should inspire and emotionally engage the listener, not just say “buy our product.” As soon as the listener feels you’re trying to sell something, you’ve lost them. Tell stories where the listener finds similarities with themselves, their needs, and how your brand solves their problems.

Use humor like fire.
Fire can warm or burn. If you choose humor in your brand’s communication, be very careful. Poorly used humor can make your message annoying or confusing and shorten the ad’s lifespan with outdated jokes.
Write for your listeners, not the client.
The goal of radio ads is to capture the listener’s attention and help grow the client’s business. The best way to achieve this is to trust the radio ad seller/consultant—they know what listeners like. The client pays for the consultant’s expertise to guide them, suggest the best solution, and create an effective radio campaign. Listen to your consultant’s advice for the best station, placement, and brand message.

Target the heart, not the mind.
People primarily make buying decisions emotionally and only then engage their rational mind (Is this the right moment? Can I afford it?). People first “fall in love” with a product and then consider buying it. So, speak to the listener’s heart, not their mind. Don’t focus too much on technical details, which usually only interest sellers. Write so people like the brand and how it talks to them. Tell emotional stories listeners can relate to.

One spot, one message.
If you have seven important things to say, write seven separate ads—not cram all into one. Like asking for directions and getting seven different routes—you’ll get lost. One clear message guides the listener.

Leave white space.
Imagine a full-page ad in a magazine with pictures, text, prices all over—it’s overwhelming and hard to understand. The same applies to audio: don’t create chaos or rush; plan pauses. For a 60-second ad, say your message in 50 seconds; for 30 seconds, use 20; for 15 seconds, use 10. This lets the ad breathe, actors perform, and producers create, making the ad lively. Silence is one of the most crucial sounds in radio ads.

Data: use data like a GPS.
Everyone has access to ratings and audience info, which is vital for decisions. Use data like a car GPS—enter your destination but keep watching the road, don’t blindly follow the GPS. Use audience data as a tool while applying your experience and logic to what works and what doesn’t.

Inspire. Don’t instruct.
Rarely do listeners care about how long a business has existed, opening hours, or phone numbers. Listeners want relevant info that doesn’t annoy or hurt their feelings and lets them return to their favorite song or show rather than switch stations because of annoying ads. Tell them how your brand solves their problem in the same amount of time they listen to your ad—usually 30 seconds. Don’t lecture. A listener inspired and interested will find your brand among today’s vast information.