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How many words in a commercial?

Advertising works. But there’s an art to obtaining the best results for the investment. The trick is to keep the message simple, have that message capture the attention of the right people, and deliver a compelling call to action.

A great commercial resonates with the listener and brings the advertiser and customer together. It could be a new customer or a returning one, either way, the trick is to provide enough information to make the advertiser’s phone ring, increase traffic to their website, or bricks & mortar store.

Here’s my rough guide to the number of words you can use in a VO script…

Soft sell

  • 60 seconds: approx 120 words
  • 30 seconds: approx 60 words
  • 15 seconds: approx 30 words

Medium-paced

  • 60 seconds: approx 150 words
  • 30 seconds: approx 75 words
  • 15 seconds: approx 36 words

Hard sell

  • 60 seconds: approx 170 words
  • 30 seconds: approx 85 words
  • 15 seconds: approx 42 words