20 Best Radio Imaging Services

Imagine looking for a news station covering hard-hitting topics, but you hear music and sounds better suited for a pop station. You assume you’ve come to the wrong place. And, poof, that radio station has lost a listener.

With good radio imaging, listeners get the radio station's essence after a short time tuning in. Just like logos and colour schemes determine a visual brand identity, radio imaging determines a radio station's sonic brand identity.

What Is Radio Imaging?

Also known as “sonic branding,” radio imaging uses auditory components to help you brand your radio station. These audio cues tell your listener what to expect. It helps them identify your station, the genre they’re listening to, and what program they’ve tuned into. Examples of radio imaging include:

• Voiceovers
  Voiceovers are essentially the speech part of any radio imaging, such as your radio stations frequency, call numbers or tagline. Wherever they're used, voiceovers need a consistent tone of voice that fits your genre and helps your audience know what to expect.
• Music beds
  Music beds are instrumental interludes played under a presenters voice. They help provide ambiance to your radio station and remove any awkward dead air.
• Jingles
  Jingles are short clips that play the name of the station as well as catchphrases or taglines. Often they're a combination of voiceovers with sound effects. You can think of a jingle as a sort of auditory logo.
• Sweepers
  Sweepers are short, pre-recorded segments that play between songs. They often include the station name as they remind listeners what they’ve tuned into without having to take a long break between the music.
• IDs
  IDs are short recordings to identify a radio station on the air. They usually include the station’s name, the frequency, and a slogan. Like sweepers and jingles, they serve to identify the station for listeners who have tuned in.
• Promos
  Promos tell the audience what’s up next, encouraging them to listen for longer and keeping them more engaged.
• Intros and outros
  Intros and outros play around parts of a radio stations programme, be that a show, advertisement or song. They queue up what’s happening next and tell listeners what to expect.
• DJ drops
  A DJ drop is like a DJ’s signature. This short snippet of sound identifies the DJ and helps the audience recognise who the on-air talent is.

Why Is Radio Imaging Important?

Brand identity matters. Studies show it significantly impacts your brand’s perceived value, consumer trust, and brand loyalty. By building and maintaining your brand’s identity, the more likely you’ll be to create a following of loyal listeners.

But there's very little time to actually convey our brand's identity. According to a study by Microsoft, people generally lose concentration after eight seconds. In radio terms, it's very little time to grab someones attention before they switch to the next station.

Radio imaging helps listeners identify your station from your competition, by using sound to build up your clear brand identity. When a return listener stumbles upon your station, they’ll know exactly who they’re listening to.

Radio imaging also helps new listeners to find you in the first place. When you use radio imaging tactics, you’re speaking in the tone of your genre. So new listeners who love that genre know you have something they're interested in.

Finally, radio imaging makes you sound more professional. Listeners have expectations, like no dead air and knowing what's coming up next. Radio imaging is how you can meet those expectations.

Radio imaging can definitely be done-in-house, especially if you have a great voice and an audio producer at your station. But many stations will find it easier to out-source to a professional company. With that in mind, here's our pick of the 20 best radio imaging services you could use for your station.

20 Best Radio Imaging Services

1. SPLAT!

Serving U.S., Canada, and international clients, SPLAT! focuses on being a one-stop shop for all your radio imaging needs, whether you’re a beginner or an experienced radio producer. SPLAT! has radio imaging libraries for a vast variety of radio genres, from sports to news to Christmas music. I SPLAT! allows offers a customized experience, including custom voiceovers, copywriting, and any form of radio imaging you may need.

2. ReelWorld

ReelWorld offers a litany of radio imaging services that help you develop your sonic brand. Though ReelWorld’s biggest focuses are its jingle, ID, and sweeper services, working with ReelWorld also gets you access to their ProductionVault, which contains radio imaging elements for tons of genres.

You can also customize their library of resources with your own voiceovers and other production elements, allowing you to better build your brand.

3. noise fusion

U.K.-based noise fusion, is a powerhouse radio imaging service focusing on bringing together all the elements of sound that brand a radio station. They produce original music and themes for radio, offer FX packages and create custom sound design.

noise fusion provides sonic branding packages, working with radio stations from start to finish. And their focus is on creating contemporary sonic branding that works for today’s listeners.

4. TM Studios

TM Studios is a U.S.-based agency offering three crucial components to radio imaging. With TM Next, you get a library of music beds, jingles, themes, and much more and this is updated monthly.

With TM Commercial, the studio provides a comprehensive subscription service that gives you the best in today’s jingles. Choose from a custom jingle or one from the expansive library. TM Production Music comes with 50,000 unique music tracks, perfect for commercials and radio imaging elements like intros, outros, and music beds.

5. Benztown

Working with clients worldwide, Benztown is considered one of the best radio imaging services. By working with this talented team, you get access to 21 libraries across 13 radio formats, from country to classic rock. For voiceovers, they’ve got a roster of voiceover talent waiting to help out.

They can also create your new jingle, help you develop your station’s identity, and even offer syndicated radio shows to help you build out your programme.

6.Sticky FX

Netherlands-based Sticky FX works with clients worldwide, but typically smaller stations working within a tighter budget. Although they keep the costs down, the quality of their radio imaging elements is high.

Stations can purchase radio imaging bundles, which contain a library filled with hundreds of radio imaging tools, including music beds, sound effects, and much more.

7. Music Radio Creative

Music Radio Creative offers radio imaging services with a focus on creating jingles, sweepers, and IDs. Their audio production library is stocked with royalty-free radio imaging elements, and you can also purchase pre-made radio jingle packs that are customizable to your branding.

Music Radio Creative is a great radio imaging service for beginners as they offer courses on audio production, editing, and mixing. They can also connect you with the best voiceover artists around the world or help you craft your voice with their AI voice generator.

8. Pure Jingles

Don’t let the name fool you. Pure Jingles may offer customized jingles, but they also focus on all aspects of sonic branding. Pure Jingles helps you develop your brand identity and then works with you to create radio imaging elements that help your listeners learn about your station, all based on research-backed data.

You can also get access to a library of 3,500 music beds, sound effects, and more.

9. LFM Audio

New Zealand-based LFM Audio works with stations all over the world, creating custom radio imaging for all different genres and formats that feel modern and trendsetting. From sweepers to jingles, LFM Audio infuses everything they make with the unique personality of the brand.

They focus on working with you every step of the way, from copywriting to putting on the finishing touches. When you need voiceover talent, they have 120 options ready for you.

10. JAM Creative Productions

Known for having created more radio jingles than any other company, JAM Creative Productions is a U.S.-based company that works with vocalists, musicians, writers, and producers in their custom-built studios to create a sound that is uniquely yours.

11. Creative Radio Jingles

Creative Radio Jingles believes in the versatility of jingles. Focused on radio jingles, IDs, and sweepers, Creative Radio Jingles offers Radio Station ID jingle packages to build your brand identity and get you loyal listeners. A team of writers will help you create a one-of-a-kind jingle or ID and then help you bring it to fruition.

You can also choose packages with seasonal jingles, helping you target audiences depending on their interests and what’s happening in the world.

12. Floyd Media

Floyd Media aims to do it all when it comes to your sonic branding needs. They create custom radio jingles, assist with sound design, and provide libraries full of radio imaging elements. While some radio imaging services require you to purchase a set package, with Floyd Media, you can mix and match different packages to find exactly what you need.

13. Brightseed Creative

Social and digital marketing agency Brightseed Creative is a great option for radio stations looking for help in all aspects of their brand identity. They offer radio jingles, commercial jingles, audio tags, and voiceover assistance, all designed to make your brand memorable.

14. Sonic Spring

Developed by an on-air personality and imaging director at leading stations throughout the Netherlands, Sonic Spring is a boutique radio imaging agency focusing on bespoke imaging that makes a brand’s auditory identity uniquely theirs. While jingle creation is a big part of what they do, Sonic Spring works in many different forms of radio imaging, including DJ drops and IDs, all with a contemporary sound.

15. The Voice Realm

The Voice Realm is where to turn if you’re looking for voice talent to help you develop your radio imaging. This voiceover talent marketplace lets you find the right voice fit for your sweeper, jingle, and ID needs. These hundreds of real working voiceover artists speak languages from all over the world, ensuring that you’re bound to find one that fits your needs.

In addition to voice talent, The Voice Realm can also supply music and sound effects depending on the package you choose.

16. Air Media

U.K.-based Air Media is your all-in-one radio imaging and production assistant. When you work with them, you get access to massive libraries for all your imaging needs. Inside the Production Libraries are more than 85 packages to choose from containing more than 5,200 radio imaging elements.

From sweepers to music beds, you’ll find everything you need in these libraries, which are updated frequently with new radio imaging elements.

17. Phantom Producer

Phantom Producer puts you in control of your radio imaging. This service starts you off with packages filled with radio imaging elements designed for different radio formats and genres. From there, whether on desktop or through their mobile app, you can customize it with your own audio and voiceovers, making it unique to you.

18. AudioBag

AudioBag works on all things audio, from imaging to editing. When it comes to radio imaging, their focus is on radio sweepers, IDs, and DJ drops. You’ll supply the script and choose the voiceover talent and music. Then, AudioBag will deliver you a high-quality sound bite you can use to build your auditory brand identity.

19. BANG! Productions

Whether you’re looking for sweepers, jingles, promos, or any other part of your radio imaging identity, BANG! Productions is here to help. In addition to imaging services, this production company also offers radio show episode production, professional voiceovers, and radio show syndication to spread your radio station worldwide.

20. Longtrain Productions

Longtrain Productions, a boutique production agency based in the U.S., offers tailored radio imaging assistance designed to fit your particular needs. They can work with your existing voice

or you can purchase a package where they supply everything you need for every radio imaging element, including voiceover talent and copywriting.

To Wrap Up…

When you’re launching and marketing a new radio station, your brand identity matters. And while your visual brand identity is one piece of the puzzle, radio stations need to focus on building their sonic brand identity with the help of radio imaging. Radio imaging services can create something truly memorable that gets you loyal listeners.

Looking for more branding advice? Check out our guide to building your radio station brand strategy. And if you want help making your dream radio station reality, talk to one of our experts by booking a call.