5 Tips to Perfecting Voice Over for Video

Video marketing isn’t just a fun, exciting way to advertise a brand. It’s also an opportunity to entertain and educate an audience at the same time.

According to a study by Forrester Research, it’s estimated that watching one minute of video online is equivalent to digesting 1.8 million written words. Visuals are processed 60,000 times faster by the brain than when reading text; so an effective video marketing strategy is the perfect way to not only inform your audience, but to create an immediate impression in their mind.

Videos aren’t all about visuals, though. The voice over you use is essential to passionately conveying the message of your brand. Interestingly, research suggests that different groups of people connect more to certain voices than others. Factors such as regional dialects, gender, age and tone are all important to consider when trying to appeal to specific demographics or communities.

Due to the proven effectiveness of videos, marketers across the globe are increasing their video spend year by year. It is important then to ensure this spend is not just being used on visual quality – but on audio quality too. Using the right voice over artist will enhance your video’s message, entice and attract new audiences, set you apart from your competitors and potentially improve your ROI.

Here are five tips to choosing the perfect voice over for video:

1: Have an engaging tone

Of course, your voice talent should be engaging and passionate about the product or service you’re offering. There are many different ways to be engaging though, and so it depends entirely on the market you wish to target and attract.

Perhaps your video is fast-paced and energetic - then you’d want a high-energy, cheerful voice actor. Maybe it’s sultry and seductive, or calm and collected. Researching your market is crucial to finding the right voice over artist who will be emotionally engaging and relatable to your target audience.

2: Have a succinct script

Your visuals may be colorful and impressive, but does your script really sell what you’re showing your audience? It’s a waste of time and money if you commission a video that has a bland, boring script, and voice over that’s been produced as an afterthought.

Make sure that the script is either written by your copywriter, or at least edited by a highly recommended copy editor so that it's the best it can be and fits your brand voice and style. You could also consider working with a voice over agency that can help you to create the perfect audio strategy. As well as finding the right voice talent, they will look at your script, suggest edits and direct the voice artist alongside you to bring your product and brand to life.

3: Work hard on sound quality

Sound quality is often considered one of the most important elements of a video that can make or break immersion for the viewer. If a video doesn't have good sound, no matter how flashy and beautiful the visuals are it can feel cheap and rushed. The vocals need to be as high-quality as the visuals in your video, from the talent hired to read your script to the quality of the recording space, too.

Freelance professional voice over artists will often have their own high quality recording equipment, and agencies have access to controlled soundproof booths and isolated recording spaces, so they can get perfect recordings every time. They’ll also have vast experience in post-production audio, and be able to synchronize, mix, re-record and edit sound to enhance the overall quality of the video’s message.

4: Consider localization and fluency

Many marketers find that one video isn’t enough. Ambitious companies looking to go global will commission numerous different videos at a high cost, in an effort to enter new markets and attract the attention of foreign audiences.

It doesn’t have to be that way. An agency with access to voice artists fluent in many languages is one way to get over this hump, and you can localize a single video for new markets. Intricate quality checks can even ensure the campaign has the best chance possible of connecting emotionally with foreign audiences.

5: Consistency is key

Again, video marketing campaigns are rarely one-offs. If you do have ambitions of taking your business international, then you need a marketing campaign with consistency, and a long-term video strategy that tells your unique story.

That consistency extends to the voice talent you use.  Keep a regular freelancer on the books, or get involved with voice over professionals that have dedicated managers at an agency that can work with you on your audio strategy, provide professional support, access the right talent and offer the best customer service possible.