How many _____ will fit in my ____? How many words are in a 30 second commercial?
How Many Words Fit in a 15, 30, or 60-Second Spot?
Everybody in the industry, video editors, audio leads, agency copywriters, anybody that’s been in production and had to create something, has lived through this same panic on an edit timeline.
They’ve all had that moment where they have to actually come up with something, and someone somewhere signs off on a brilliant bit of copy that’s 15 or 30 seconds for TV or radio. Everything looks good. The footage looks great. It was filmed in a studio with perfect lighting and even a key grip!
Then the scratch track arrives, and the voice talent is forced to talk like someone who just took two shots of espresso trying to squeeze all of that information into 30 seconds, which isn't even really 30 seconds.
The moment that you stuff that script too full, that natural, conversational read that everybody talks about (and that is on literally every spec script out there) goes right out the window.
Here's the part that nobody likes hearing: if you want things to sound natural and connect with your audience, if you want it to sound authentic, and you want to leave room for music and sound design, you have to respect the clock. BUT HOW WILL I GET EVERYTHING IN?!? (the panicked voice in your head seems to say)
The Quick Reference Guide for Commercial Script Timing
When you're talking like a normal person, like you’re talking to your best friend in their ear, recommending a product (again, like every. single. spec sheet says) the average person speaks between 130 and 150 words per minute.
But as we all know, broadcast advertising isn't general speech. It requires punctuation. It requires cuts for visuals and clips. And it requires space for sound effects and dramatic…………………………………………….. pauses to let things land.
Here is a quick breakdown:
Spot Length | Fast / Hard Sell | Modern Conversational (The Sweet Spot) | Spacious / Emotional |
:15 Second Spot | 40–45 words | 30–35 words | 20–25 words |
:30 Second Spot | 75–85 words | 60–70 words (65 is golden) | 45–55 words |
:60 Second Spot | 150–165 words | 130–145 words | 100–120 words |
How many words in a 30 second commercial? Why 65 in 30 is The Sweet Spot.
Everybody is really good at reading, especially in their own head. In your head, everything sounds great. You can read so much quicker. You don't have to worry about pesky things like breaths and dramatic pauses, because in your brain, everything is perfect.
But when you speak it aloud against picture, 80 words in 30 seconds requires a caffeine addled pace with a goose egg amount of pauses.
Shooting for 60 to 70 words is the golden rule for modern commercial voiceover for a couple of reasons:
1. Real People Breathe
The "non-announcer, conversational best friend telling their friend about a product" read requires breathing. We used to be very aggressive and loud during radio and television ads. Now, we want to talk to one person THAT person, the person we want to buy THIS thing. We want it grounded. We want a voice we trust, someone we know, just talking to us, not shouting at the masses (because I don’t want to buy something everyone else is buying).
Real conversation has pauses, breaths, inflection, time to react, and time to think. Sometimes it even has imperfect pronunciation or less-than-perfect diction (even a burp that won’t make it in the edit but it does happen). An authentic read needs some….. Silence….. to feel believable.
2. Don't Forget the Music and Sound Effects
As great as voices sound (and as great as I think my voice sounds!), voiceover doesn't exist in a vacuum. A good commercial that’s mixed well is a balance between voice, music, and post-production sound design. If the script runs wall to wall, the music and sound effects get lost, even comedic beats, if they're in there, end up getting stepped on.
3. You Don't Actually Have 30 Seconds ( I swear I thought it was longer)
If only life were so easy that we all had an exact 30 seconds for things. But as we all know, life is not that way.
26 to 27 seconds is about how much time you actually have.
You’ve got a lead-in that’s about half a second, you have to lead up to these things. A spot can't just start out with a big boom, and you don't want the first word clipped. Then you have the end tag, you have to mention the product, the website, where to find it, maybe a legal tag, and the call to action.
That leaves 26 to 27 seconds of actual storytelling. Eighty words is simply a lot to fit into those few seconds.
Breaking Down the Formats
The :15 Second Cutdown (Social & Pre-Roll)
Target: 30 to 35 words
These, to me, are some of the hardest. You're on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram competing with a million dopamine fueled distractions and dances, and you have to hook people fast.
The Rule: Don't try to just cut down your 30-second script. It’s an entirely different audience and a different way of speaking to them. Get down to a single message and a punchy call to action. If a 15-second script is more than 40 words, it’s all going to get jumbled together.
The :30 Second Broadcast & OTT Spot
Target: 60 to 70 words
The challenge here is saying all the things you need to say while still telling a compelling story.
The Rule: If your current script draft is clocking in at 75+ words, start finding ways to say things quicker. And don’t forget that this is a visual medium! If you can see the logo or the product on screen, you don't need to overly mention it in the copy. Let the visuals do the work. If it’s radio…. Well that’s different.
The :60 Second Brand Anthem & Manifesto
Target: 130 to 145 words
These are some of my absolute favorites to work on because you actually have time. If you’re used to squeezing into 15s and 30s, a 60-second spot is usually an actor’s favorite kind of project. I feel like Julie Andrews on that hilltop!
The Challenge: The hard part is keeping a driving force and momentum without feeling slow. These spots are what the kids call cinematic. This is where you can really chew on some of the copy, let the music do some of the heavy lifting, and deliver genuine emotions… I like emotions…. Because I’m an ACTOR!!
A Test, a test, a most ingenious testy test.
Here is a nice test you can run if you’ve written some copy and wonder if it’s actually going to sound good:
Read the script out loud. You’d be surprised how many people don't do this. They read it in their head, but they don't read it out loud the way they want it to feel. (Something I also like to do as an actor is read it in completely different words, your own words, just to see how the ideas flow).
Time yourself with a stopwatch on your phone (because only gym teachers carry stopwatches now)
Add 15% to your time. Most people who aren't actors speak very quickly when they read, especially when they're alone in a room. Actors like to chew on the words a little bit and get more expressive.
If your solo reading clocks in right at 29 seconds, your script is too long for a :30 spot. Cut 8 to 10 words. Truly, a second or two makes all the difference in the world.
Looking for Broadcast-Ready Voiceover with Built-In Timing?
If you're looking for someone who is broadcast-ready, has excellent timing, has been in the business a long time, and has a natural inner pacing, (clears throat) I’m right here!
I provide conversational commercial voiceover recorded from an acoustically treated WhisperRoom with a Sennheiser MKH 416 (plus a couple of other mics, if you're into that kind of thing). You can direct me live from anywhere, anytime.
Listen to 10-Second Commercial & Character Demos (if you want to hear a lot of me talking)
Get in Touch / Request a Live Session (if you want to hear what my smooth, velvety voice sounds like saying your smooth, velvety words)
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