How to Write a 30-Second Radio Ad Script in Arabic (With Examples)

01Your word budget for 15, 30 and 60 seconds

The most common mistake in Arabic radio spots: the client writes everything they know about the product, then asks the voice actor to "go a bit faster" to fit 30 seconds. The result is a breathless ad nobody remembers. Radio is audio only; there is no picture to help and no text to reread. So start from the time slot and work out how many words it holds.

Those figures assume a comfortable ad pace of roughly two to two and a half words per second. Dialects vary: Egyptian and Levantine reads often run quicker than formal MSA, and copy full of long formal words takes longer. Knock off a second or two for music at either end and for any disclaimer. For English copy the usual rule of thumb is a little higher, around 75 words for 30 seconds. Time your exact script here:

02The one-message rule and a 30-second structure

A driver hears your spot once, usually while thinking about something else. Try to tell them three things and they'll remember none. Pick one message: a new branch, a weekend offer, a new service. Every word should serve it; everything else goes.

• Say the brand at least twice: once mid-spot and once at the end, because people tune in halfway.
• Don't read out a long phone number: drivers won't write it down. Give a name to search or an easy location.
• Write for the ear: short sentences, clear verbs, no brackets, abbreviations or symbols.
• Limit numbers: one strong figure like "30% off" beats three prices.

03Radio ad script examples in Arabic dialects

Three spots of roughly 30 seconds, each in its audience's dialect. Names are fictional; swap them and keep the structure.

04Dialogue spots: two voices beat one

Some of the best radio ads are a short exchange: a situation the listener knows, then the fix. Dialogue grabs attention because it sounds like a real conversation in the car or at home. In Vocla, write it in Text to dialogue as "Name: line"; speakers are detected automatically, you give each a library voice, and you choose a delivery style per line: natural, excited, calm, whisper, serious, happy or sad.

Add a short pause after the first question so the listener can breathe, and turn on quick-reply overlap if you want the exchange to feel natural and snappy. Vocla voices every line, evens out the loudness and mixes one file, and the player highlights each line as it plays.

05Music beds and disclaimers

Music sets the mood and ties the spot to your brand, but it must never compete with the voice. In Vocla's Music tool you describe genre, mood and tempo and get an original instrumental track to sit low under the read. Use the same bed across campaigns so it becomes part of your sonic identity.

• Short intro: one or two seconds of music before the first word, no more.
• Low under speech: if the voice has to push to be heard, the music is too loud.
• Clean ending: lift the music slightly after the last word to close the spot.
• Consistency: the same theme every campaign lets listeners recognise you before they hear the name.

Terms lines such as "terms and conditions apply" or "while stocks last" are traditionally read quickly at the end. Don't make them unintelligible: where a market or sector requires specific wording, the point is usually that it's understood, not merely present. Keep it to one short sentence, generate it as its own file at a slightly higher speed, and attach it in the edit.

06From script to a station-ready file

1. 1Time it before generating: paste the script into the voiceover length tool and cut until it fits at a relaxed pace.
2. 2Pick voice and dialect: from the Voice library and dialect picker, to match the station's audience.
3. 3Set the delivery: Energy mode Boost for upbeat spots, Normal for calm or premium brands.
4. 4Lock the name's pronunciation: add the brand and location to the pronunciation dictionary.
5. 5Make three versions: different hooks, played back on a car or phone speaker, not studio monitors.
6. 6Export WAV: available on paid plans and the best format to hand over.
7. 7Match the station's specs: exact duration, loudness and file format vary by broadcaster.

Commercial use in ads needs a paid plan. Starter at $4.99 a month includes 5,000 credits, commercial rights and WAV export, enough for several versions of a 30-second spot. The Free plan is for personal use and testing only.

07Cutting a 30-second spot down to 15

Many campaigns book two lengths of the same ad: a 30 to introduce the offer, then a 15 as a reminder a few days later. Cutting down isn't reading faster; it's smart deletion. Keep the hook, the offer and the name, and drop the explanation. Here's the car dealer spot cut to 15:

• Cut the detail, keep the promise: "reduced down payment" works without percentages and model lists.
• End on the brand: in 15 seconds, make the name the last thing heard.
• Same voice, same music: so listeners link the short cut to the long one.
• Disclaimer as a separate file: it can eat a third of a short spot, so keep it as tight as the rules allow.

Before delivery, run a final check: one message? Name twice in the 30? Heard on a car speaker? Duration exactly what you booked? Client sign-off on the final copy and pronunciation? Five questions that save a full re-produce after the spot has gone to the station.