Practical use guide to voice over samples
Knowing the difference between voice over demos and voice over samples is helpful. Now to put it into practice on your own voice acting profile!
How do I add voice over samples to my voice actor profile?
Voice123 Playlists - Explained
Every online casting platform has its own way of allowing you to upload your work, but Voice123 adopted a specialized Playlist and SEO strategy.
As opposed to just adding voice over samples for the sake of having audio files for clients to listen to, Voice123 has introduced a special ‘Playlist and keyword tagging system.’
This allows voice actors to use the specialized Playlist system to organize and market their samples strategically. Think of playlists as a contemporary way of listening to audio. You don’t need a producer or a huge budget. In a few minutes, you can create specific playlists and upload a series of browsable samples tagged with commonly searched keywords.
Clients can then find those samples when they search for specific keywords required for their project – which often leads to direct bookings! Having these separate playlists also helps clients to get straight to what they’re looking for: your voice!
To learn how to create playlists, add voice over samples to your playlists, and follow keyword tagging best practices check out our Playlist and Samples Guide.
Maximize your digital presence with SEO
With the modern improvements in search engine algorithms, voice actors are now being hired by clients via Google searches. It’s also what makes Voice123’s Playlist system not only unique, but also SEO compatible as it allows voice actors to add different samples with their own individual tags, keywords and descriptions. This increases your chances of being found in client and Google searches.
The process of SEO might seem complicated, but it’s like searching for ‘sneakers’ on an e-commerce website. A simple ‘sneakers’ search would bring up hundreds of shoes, but you need something specific. So you type ‘red comfortable sneakers’ into the search bar and hit enter. Now, the results are more specific.
With the modern improvements in search engine algorithms, voice actors are now being hired by clients via Google searches. Click To TweetIt’s the same for clients. If they search for ‘voice actors,’ they’re not going to be able to find exactly what they need quickly and efficiently. Whereas if they search for voice actors with voice styles such as ‘warm, friendly and conversational,’ they can get specific results faster.
“I have gotten some really interesting people who have called me from all over the world and have said, "Hey, I was doing a search and you came up." I kind of use that in my keywords and my tags. So I actually get people who actually find me who are looking specifically for that sound. And I get a lot of jobs like that.” - Yolanda Spearman
It’s advised to create and upload short voice over samples in different categories. Then each sample can have a short, targeted description with related keywords that can be found in an online search
So now that you’re ready to add your voice over samples to your profile, check out our Platform Education Series. This provides a detailed guide on how to use SEO strategies, keywords, and how to optimize your profile to be hired for your next gig!
Where can I get feedback on my voice over samples?
If you’re looking for some constructive feedback on your voice over samples, Reddit and its voice acting communities are a good place to go. Online platforms also provide avenues for giving and receiving feedback such as Gravy For The Brain, Edge Studio, Voice Acting Club and Vo 101.
Look no further for voice over resources!
Voice over sample scripts, words to time calculators, industry lingo and more!
Learn from successful voice actors
Voice123 is home to a large array of professional and successful voice actors. We spoke to three of these pros, each with a top 10% ranking score to glean some helpful tips and knowledge.
Yolanda Spearman cautions voice actors to invest in themselves and avoid:
“Poor equipment! You need a DAW and an audio interface because if you try to record directly into your computer, it will sound awful, so that’s a big no – no. And you need to understand the lingo. You gotta learn your art & your craft – you gotta get some education.”
Given that SEO concepts are important to grasp, we asked Gavin Bentley for some SEO advice.
“Keywords are so critical right now. If you don’t tag this stuff, you’re just in this abyss of nothingness. And even if you’re a great talent, you’re just not going to be found because there’s no way for them to actually know who you are or what you can do… It kind of showcases your voice and is tagged well in the description where you’re writing in full sentences in third person, so that Google can kind of grab some of that SEO juiciness off of it.”
Andy James, a voice actor since 1988, shared his thoughts on SEO and categorizing voice over samples.
“It’s teaching an old dog new tricks. When you’ve done it as long as I have and someone says SEO optimization, it’s like, what? Huh? I took a webinar with two other members on the platform, Katherine Tole and Natasha Marchewka. I learned about how to optimize my platform for searches and I get client invitations all the time.”
Andy also shared the benefit of having specific playlists for his samples:
“I’m able to update with spots that I’ve actually done that you pull out one conversational read for another conversational read and just constantly keep it fresh that way. You’re kind of staying with the trends in voiceover.”
We also asked a client from Voice123 to share their experience and voice over needs.
“Since each of our projects are different, we listen to their samples for specifics to each project … I check their profiles to see if they have a history of working in the industry or if they are new to it.” – Claire R., Geomatrix Productions
And if you’re wondering what puts a client off your samples? Claire shares that it’s:
“Poor quality recording. Shows lack of experience or lack of proper equipment.”
Do’s and Don’ts of voice acting samples
Do’s
- Research
- Find samples scripts that suit your voice and your niche
- Find your niche
- Prepare a good recording space
- Ask someone for feedback after you have recorded to catch any mistakes
- Listen with headphones, not an external speaker
Don’ts
- Rush
- Make each sample longer than 30 seconds
- Edit with new software that you have never used before
- Talk about who you are, and why you want to do voice overs
- Make a quick recording on your mobile phone in a closet
- Pay money for something you don’t need, or don’t know about
- Try to achieve perfection
Boost your voice over work opportunites with a paid Voice123 membership
First-time paying members are eligible for a discount
Share this post!
A blog owner yourself? Relevant links to quality sites will help your performance on search engines. If your readers will benefit from the services or information on The Booth's Voice over Guide, please consider linking to this post or the guide itself.
