How to Choose the Best Voiceover Actor for Your Commercial – The Three Questions You Need to Ask...

So you are in need of a Voice Actor for your upcoming shiny new commercial…But where to begin! With just a quick google search you can find Voiceover Artists in every shape and size with killer home studios and impressive portfolios to match. Knowing where to start on your quest for the perfect VO is no mean feat. However, there are just three simple questions that can help refine the search and reveal the perfect Voiceover to represent your brand.

If your brand had a sound, what would it be? Imagine your brand, your product and your story distilled into just sound – no visuals allowed! Would it be a smooth, luxurious sound like the delicate rustle of silk, a cat’s purr or the soft fizz of champagne? Or perhaps something energetic and a little brighter, like the ambiance at a sports game, the sound of laughter or the noise of celebratory fireworks. Thinking of your brand in terms of sound and most importantly, how that sound makes you feel, is essential! The adjectives you use to describe your distinctive brand sound are the same adjectives you’ll need to use to find the voice to match.

Who is your audience? Maybe your campaign promotes a brand-new kids toy and your audience is rambunctious pre-teens, soon to be drawing up their Christmas lists to Santa. Or maybe you are creating a PSA aimed at reminding vulnerable members of the community to apply for their flu vaccinations. In those two commercials the audience are polar opposites and the style of voiceover you choose might need to reflect this. You’ll need to find a voice that resonates with your specific audience…which leads us on to question 3…

Who does your audience trust and who would they want to hear from? For your gaggle of excitable kids, a voice that sounds just like their relatable older sister might fit the bill (if this is the voice you need, check out my portfolio). For an upcoming PSA, perhaps your audience is more inclined to trust someone who sounds warm, empathetic and caring.

Starting with your audience and working backwards will help narrow down your search and reveal the perfect voice for your next campaign!

Hi, I'm Marilena! I'm a young British Voice Actor with my own broadcast quality home studio based in London. If you'd like to check out some of my previous work and see where you might have heard my voice before, click here to visit my portfolio.