How Long Should a Radio Jingle Be?

Quick answer: Produce all the standard lengths: a :60, a :30, and a :15, plus a donut. Stations sell spots in different lengths, so you want a native, purpose-written cut for each — not a chopped-down version of one.

The standard lengths

:60 gives you room for a full story and a big hook. :30 is the everyday workhorse most local buys use. :15 is a punchy reminder — often just the hook and the name. Buy patterns vary by station, so having all three means you're ready for any schedule.

Write each one natively

A :30 built as a :30 breathes and lands; a :60 with the end lopped off sounds rushed. Each length should be written for its own runtime with its own way into the hook and a clean finish.

Don't skip the donut

A donut is a sung open and close with an instrumental middle for a live announcer read. It's the most flexible cut you can own — the station voices this week's offer over your jingle, no re-recording. Every serious advertiser should have one.

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Frequently asked

What's a jingle donut?

A jingle with a sung intro and outro and an instrumental gap in the middle for a live read — so you can change the message without changing the jingle.

Do I really need all the lengths?

Yes — stations buy different lengths, and Hooked includes :60, :30, :15, and a donut in the $999 package.

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