Choosing the right voiceover artist can make or break your brand video.

There’s a reason that serious, sought-after voiceover artists are members of the Screen Actors Guild. Voiceover work is acting. It is a true craft.

Access to Voiceover Talent

Seed Marketing Studio produces marketing and advertising videos for our clients and vetting voiceover talent is part of what we do. That often means listening to one reading after the next, which rather than monotonous, is invigorating. Listening to gifted professionals bring our scripts to life is easily the best part of a workday.

In Orlando, where we’re located, there are many voiceover artists whose talents are contracted by Disney, Universal, and ad agencies that serve businesses throughout the region. That means we have access to the best of the best.

But finding the voiceover artist that’s the right fit for your brand isn’t just about having access to lots of options. Identifying the right person begins with knowing your audience.

Your Audience’s Preferences

Solid, data-driven audience profiles help you distinguish your own preferences from theirs. It’s common for a business to listen for the voice that appeals to its leadership team, but the audience you need to appeal to is likely different from your leadership team.

We encourage our clients to focus on the audience and get a clear picture of them before making any decisions about creative.

Are you promoting a product for seniors?

Are your services offered primarily to young families?

Is your outreach directed toward businesses rather than consumers?

Different voices embody trust for different audiences.

Voiceovers Build or Break Trust

We live in a visual society, it’s true, yet all of our senses are involved in the decisions we make. The sound of a voice is meaningful.

Consider these scenarios:

❎ A health clinic in Alabama uses a voiceover artist with a heavy Boston accent.

✅ An anti-aging beauty brand taps a confident, midlife woman to voice their YouTube videos.

❎ A hard-hitting newscaster is hired to do voiceovers marketing videos for a dreamy beach town.

Voiceover Case Study

Take this video for example. The product featured in the video is formulated to address serious health conditions, and those of us with health concerns are looking for not just solutions but comfort. The voiceover artist McKinney Griffin has a positive, encouraging voice that inspires hope.

I asked McKinney to talk me through the voiceover.

“When I was recording this, I thought, how am I going to bring these words to life? How I am going to act these words out? So I took it line by line, really thought about the words and what they meant. I got some good advice a while back that I’ve taken into account on all my voiceovers since. He said, “All they can hear is your voice. They can’t see your facial expressions. So you need to overact by about 20%.” That hit home. Usually, I record it a few different ways with different emotions, and then there are options to choose from that captures the feeling the way the video needs it.”

Easy to Love, Easy to Listen

When a voice is like a warm embrace, it’s easy to love. But if your music choice or sound effects are too loud or otherwise distracting, even the most wonderful voice is challenging to listen to. The voiceover should be prominent and clear, so your message shines through.

There are situations where no matter how good your voiceovers are, your audience won’t be able to hear them. They may be viewing social media in a loud public place or watching videos late at night with their partner asleep next to them. That’s when captions are essential. Muted videos can still be an effective marketing tool.

Want to learn more about Seed Marketing Studio’s creative services?