If you are a content creator or brand, you probably understand the importance of using voice-over artists. However, even if you know this importance, selecting a voice-over talent is not the easiest thing to do. Many mistakes can be made, and selecting the wrong voice could alienate your audience. This article will cover a few do’s and don’ts when selecting a voice-over artist, so you don’t have to make any mistakes along the way.
Consider the Accent
When choosing a voice-over artist, one thing that you should not do is forget to keep the accent in mind. Why? Because the accent you select will have a direct effect on the audience that you are targeting. More importantly, you might want to work with the artist in person, which could be a challenge if you choose an accent from the other side of the planet. Sites like Voquent make recording voice-over on location possible, using many search criteria such as accent and location. This allows you to find a Spanish accent in France or a Scottish voice actor in Singapore.
Pacing and Speed
The next factor you will need to consider when choosing a voice-over artist would be their ability to understand pacing and the speed at which they can talk. A huge mistake would be not to consider these aspects since it could make watching the content unpleasant. For example, if you need a voice-over artist for narration, they need to be able to pace effectively; in other words, not sound like they are rushing through one section and taking their time on another to fit the dialogue into the content.
Previous Work and Portfolio
Another common mistake would be neglecting to research their previous work and portfolio. This is the one thing you can do to get an idea as to whether they would be a good fit for the project you have in mind. Of course, if you are choosing the cheapest voice-over artists, chances are they probably won’t have experience and therefore won’t have a portfolio, making your decision more difficult.
Your Audience
Keep your audience in mind. If you are new to content creation, or this is your first marketing effort as a brand, you need to understand the importance of the audience relating to your characters. More importantly, your character, or voice-over artist, will represent your brand. Remember, the voice needs to match your brand’s personality.
Long-Term Compatibility
Finally, the last thing you should consider when choosing a voice-over artist would be the long-term compatibility for future projects. Of course, if you just need a voice-over talent for a quick video, that’s fine. However, as mentioned above, you must keep your audience in mind. It is surprisingly easy for an audience to connect with a voice or character. This means that your voice-over talent should be compatible with your audience for the sake of familiarity for future content. Using the same voice multiple times will establish your business’ sonic branding with a consistent sound.