On Voice123, your voice over samples is short, audio clips that provide clients with an example of your vocal abilities. In this part of our Platform Education series, Nacho Peñalver, Voice123’s Product Designer, will teach you best practices to optimize your samples and how you book voice over work on Voice123.
What is voice over samples on Voice123?
Voice over samples are short, audio clips of voice over work you’ve done, or script reads that you’ve practiced and/or auditioned for.*
Often, people wonder about the difference between samples and demos. While demos are also voice over excerpts, they’re traditionally long, professionally produced audio recordings of every genre you can perform in! While demos might have the advantage of being recorded in perfect sound environments, more frequently than not, they’re not a true reflection of the auditions or recordings you’ll be producing from your own recording environment. Given the digital and fast-paced era we live in, clients naturally prefer short samples — examples of real-life work you’ve recorded as a voice actor in typical everyday circumstances.
*When using a third-party script, be sure to check/ask for permission to use these recordings on your website or any public profile. On Voice123, certain auditions are permitted to be used publicly depending on a client’s preferences. Learn more here.
Optimizing your voice over samples
It all starts with creating a playlist, this is like a regular music playlist that would house different genres or categories of songs.
In each playlist, you can upload relevant voice samples for that particular category. For example, Commercials would be the place to add all your commercial samples, Explainers, Animation, etc.
If you haven’t uploaded any samples yet, you can check out our step-by-step guide on how to upload playlists and samples here. Now, if you already have samples, the best way to optimize them is by adding the correct keyword description and choosing the best category that explains the purpose of the recording.
Also, just like you wouldn’t send the same resume and cover later to every potential job interview, it’s best not to have the same description and information for each sample. This would successfully appeal to a more diverse customer base. In the same way, you need your audio samples to be a clear representation of your diverse vocal skills. This will help you appeal to a wider array of clients while staying true to your vocal abilities.
Should I describe my work or my voice?
One question our Customer Success team is frequently asked is “Should I describe my work or my voice?” If we had to suggest only one, we would prioritize whichever has the most weight for you.
How many notable clients have you worked with? Will describing the project type give the clients more answers, or more questions?
Basically, the more experience your résumé reveals, the more likely you’ll describe the work because it’s recognizable. If you’re just starting out, you’re more likely to describe your voice because it’s more relatable than lesser-known projects or brands.
If you have both options to choose from, we’d recommend describing your work in order to use the sample name wisely, for example, Narrator in an environmental documentary for National Geographic. *Using the brand name is not compulsory.
This has a higher chance of getting a client to book you because they can imagine the voice in a given context rather than just imagining the vocal qualities.
Just like you wouldn’t take a dirty, crumpled resume to a job interview, don’t upload poor quality samples that don’t reflect your vocal skills or recording studio capabilities. – Nacho Peñalver
The key is to keep sample titles clean and simple while giving clients a clear understanding of what each sample is about. – showing them exactly what they’re looking for sooner.
Best Practices for your samples
What should you put in your sample name?
Write a catchy name so that clients can see what the sample is about. Include your character/role, client or brand name, and project category/type.
- If you’re interpreting a special character or a specific role, you can follow the structure: character/role name – project name – client name
- eg. Narrator – Environmental documentary – National Geographic
- If it’s a commercial sample, follow this structure: Brand/company name – project type
- eg. Wellness Organic – Instructional video for suppliers’ training
What search keywords should I use?
You can add up to 3 descriptive keywords that haven’t been used in the above fields. For instance: Morgan Freeman, Nike, easy-going, approachable.
How many voice styles can I add?
You can add up to 2 voice styles, such as warm and conversational
Can I describe an accent?
You can add up to 2 accents or ethnicities, such as Northern, Southern, American, and British.
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Quick FAQ
Here's a quick overview of more FAQs our customer success team receives about playlist and sample optimization!
How many playlists should I have? And in turn, how many samples should I have in a playlist?
If a client is looking for options, then the more diversified your samples, the better your chances of matching the VO style they’re looking for.
What does the search algorithm consider?
It first takes into account the keywords used in each field. Then, the sample name. While the rest of the fields are equally important, currently, clients can only filter samples by the following fields: voice gender & age, language, voice styles, accents & ethnicities, and the purpose of the recording.
Does having a lot of samples negatively affect my performance on the website?
No. Having a variety of samples can be advantageous as long as each sample showcases a specific part of your vocal work or abilities. When choosing the descriptions for your samples, be accurate and specific. Resist the temptation to choose keywords ‘just in case.’ This is not the time to add everything including the kitchen sink. Ultimately, samples that truly reflect their descriptions will positively affect your chances of being found by clients.
More questions? Great! We have more FAQs - check them out here.
Improve your audio quality with Voice123
To help you improve your audio quality – we’ve set up a Sound Check service with specialist sound engineers.
Now, you can benefit from their expert ears and advice as they assess your audio profile, troubleshoot issues, and provide a technical, detailed report of best practices.
This will help you improve your sound quality and optimize your work opportunities.
Get started today!
- Request a free profile assessment – our team will advise how the Sound Check service can help you.
- Complete the payment and receive a full technical report within a week detailing specific audio areas for improvement.
- Take the necessary corrective steps and start producing high-quality deliverables.
And there you have it! Thanks for checking out our #PlatformEducation efforts. In our next series, we’ll be sharing tips and insights on How to optimize your Voice123 profile.
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