What Is a Public Service Announcement? (And How To Write It)
Updated February 3, 2023
What is a public service announcement?
A public service announcement, or PSA, is a message shared with the general public that raises awareness about an issue. Although most public service announcements have the overarching goal of informing their audience, a PSA may also serve to inspire the public to take action or make a change. Here are a few common topics for public service announcements:- Health
- Wellness
- Safety
How to write a public service announcement (PSA)
Follow these steps to create a public service announcement:1. Decide on your topic
There may be a lot of issues about which you're passionate. Think hard about what is currently the most pressing and pertinent issue and decide which topic you can develop a PSA about that will have a large impact on the public. Choosing a specific topic can help you develop a PSA that is clear and focused, which can help your audience understand what you're saying and what actions they can take. To choose your topic, you may partner with a charity or other organization that you've formed a relationship with and already support.Related: What Is an Organizational Announcement? (Plus Types and Examples)2. Do thorough research
Thorough research can help you explain your cause and call to action accurately. Here are some areas about which you may research before you write your PSA:- Topic background information
- Specific facts and statistics
- The impact of the issue on relevant communities or environments
- References to which the audience can relate
- Why the audience should care
- What action the audience can take
3. Understand your intended audience
If possible, perform market research to understand which individuals to target with your PSA and how to present the information in a way that is most likely to affect those individuals. You can consider the following possible target demographic information when selecting your target audience:- Age
- Gender
- Religion
- Ethnicity
- Lifestyle
- Location
4. Explore ways to capture your audience's attention
It's important to capture your audience's attention quickly and hold on to it for the duration of your PSA. The tactics used to gain attention may vary depending on your intended audience. Here are a few elements to consider including in your script to gain attention:- Visual elements
- Humor
- Emotional language
- Suspense
- Surprise
5. Write a PSA script
After completing your research and deciding on your PSA strategy, you can write the script. Here are a few guidelines to consider:- Aim for a length of approximately 30 seconds
- Sharing five to seven statements about your topic
- Use your research on the topic and your target audience to guide your content
Next steps for your PSA
After writing your PSA, you can produce it by partnering with other talented creatives or individuals who care about the same cause. Here are the next steps you can take to transform your idea from a script into a final product:1. Create a storyboard for your script
A storyboard is a visualization that shows your plan for a narrative. If your public service announcement is going to be filmed, as opposed to aired on the radio, you'll need to assign each part of your script a visual representation.For example, you may use the following visual path:- Begin with voiceover, accompanied by written text on a black background
- Transition to a film scene, featuring dialogue between two people
- End with visuals of statistics and a phone number for more information
2. Film and edit your public service announcement
Once you have your script and storyboard ready, start filming your public service announcement. Allow yourself enough time to complete multiple takes so your editing process goes smoothly. Review the scenes and refer to your script and storyboard often to ensure you capture everything.Next, you may either edit the PSA yourself or hire a professional editor with whom you can collaborate. During the editing process, you can establish the order of the footage, add graphics, incorporate voiceovers and create a polished final product.3. Review your PSA
Consider having someone uninvolved in the process view the public service announcement to see if it makes sense. You can also determine if they have any questions, then decide whether to address those questions with further editing or re-shoots. The opinion of someone in the role of an objective viewer is invaluable in making sure your message is clear, inspiring and convincing.Related: 20 Marketing Tactics for a Successful Marketing Campaign4. Air and analyze the effectiveness of your PSA
You can release your PSA to the public, then analyze it to understand how well it performs. If you have a website you're encouraging someone to visit, see if there is an increase in website visitors during certain periods. If you are asking for donations for an environmental cause, see if you notice an uptick in contributions after your PSA airs. After you analyze it, you can tweak your PSA to make sure you're reaching the right people at the right time and with the right message. You also use this information to decide how to increase awareness further or what to focus on next time you create a PSA.Showcase your skills with help from a resume expert
Benefits of a PSA
Here are a few reasons you might consider creating a PSA:- They can create change. A well-written and thoughtfully produced PSA can bring about wide exposure, benefiting both your organization and the communities it supports.
- They can be cost-effective. Many organizations that create PSAs work with limited budgets. While there may be costs associated with writing, production and research, PSAs also offer the availability to create content for relatively low costs and to and present information online for free.
- They provide an opportunity for creativity. PSAs may be most effective when they use creativity to capture viewer attention. This can make creating a PSA a fun and creative project on which to work.
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