Voiceover for videos: stand out with sound

Video is in, and text is out – but you don’t need me to tell you that.

There is a clear shift toward more interactive, engaging video-based content, so if your marketing strategy is solely image and text-based, you are lagging behind. But how do you not only keep up but also stand out?

Voiceovers for videos can make your content reach your audience more effectively. In fact, about two-thirds of marketers say their videos perform better with added narration.

Let’s explore why businesses should incorporate voiceovers into their videos and actionable tips to get started.

What is a voiceover for videos?

A voiceover for videos adds spoken audio to your content by transcribing a pre-existing speech or creating new supplemental audio to integrate into your video. This added audio makes your video more digestible.

To create a voiceover, you have these options:

• Use text-to-speech (TTS) tools, which convert written text into speech quickly and cost-effectively
• Have your script read by a professional voice actor or someone within your organization to add a more personal touch

Why video voiceovers are effective

Voiceovers are much more than adding speech to your video. Instead, they’re a form of audio marketing that enhances the overall experience for your viewer.

Using audio in your content increases the likelihood of audience engagement. For example, Spotify research shows that 93% of the brain’s interaction with audio content transfers directly into ad engagement. In other words, when people hear your ad, they really listen.

Voiceovers are an excellent way to refresh existing content with audio, aligning it with current trends and your company’s latest focus. In addition to ensuring your output is relevant and consistent, adding narrations to videos helps reinforce your brand’s message without needing to create new content. 

Added spoken commentary can also help your videos stand out by providing a polished, high-quality feel that reflects well on your brand. However, their benefits go beyond that.

How videos with voiceovers can improve your corporate content

Using voiceovers for corporate videos clarifies your message and makes it more impactful, ensuring your content captures your audience’s attention and prompts them to take action.

With this type of content, you can:

• Boost your conversions: Voiceovers integrated into content lead to better engagement rates. For example, Facebook’s research shows that stories featuring narration produce better results in the lower funnel. Users in the lower sales funnel know the product, understand its features and have interacted with the brand multiple times, which often increases their conversion rate.

• Enhance user retention: Viewers retain 95% of a message when watching a video, compared to 10% when reading text. Adding voiceovers to your videos reinforces the message further as they guide the viewer through the video content, emphasizing key points so your core message is more impactful.

• Reach those with impairments: Video voiceovers are more accessible to those with visual impairments, which, according to Prevent Blindness, account for around 7 million people in the US. This commitment to inclusivity broadens your audience and showcases your brand’s dedication to diversity and equal access.

• Keep your content professional and consistent: Using a voiceover artist or TTS software ensures consistency across platforms and content types. This strengthens brand perception and builds trust with your audience while instilling professionalism.

Type of content that benefits from voiceover videos

Content types that benefit from voiceover videos include:

• Explainer: By providing clear and concise video narration, you help users better understand your products and services. A software company might walk viewers through an app’s functionalities to make more complex features easier to grasp. This approach educates users and increases confidence when using your brand’s offerings.

• Brand videos: A well-crafted narration can create an emotional connection with the audience, fostering trust and loyalty. Be authoritative to convey a sense of prestige or playful to show your brand’s relatability. The style of narration you use can help reach your target audience and build rapport with your brand.

• Repurposed content: Integrating a voiceover can bring old content back to life. By transforming outdated text-based or video content into something that connects with today’s audience, you ensure your material remains relevant and consistent with the rest of your output. For example, repurposing ever-green articles into videos with spoken commentary makes your content more accessible and impactful for modern viewers.

• Product demos: A clear, informative narration can guide viewers through the use and advantages of your offerings. For example, an electronics company can use additional audio to demonstrate how to set up and use a device. The added narration can simplify complex instructions and enhance the user experience by reducing potential confusion and increasing product satisfaction.

• Webinars: By offering multilingual voiceovers, your audio content becomes accessible to non-native speakers and opens the floor to new audiences. This inclusive approach allows your brand to connect with viewers who prefer consuming content in their native language. It also improves comprehension and retention of educational material in webinars, ensuring your messages resonate across diverse global markets.

Voiceover examples that illustrate their effectiveness

Companies that have successfully incorporated narration into their video content have seen significant improvements in accessibility and user experience.

Let’s explore voiceover examples that show how they can improve marketing strategies:

Humanizing the brand

Coca-Cola collaborated with George the Poet to create a brand film that used narration and on-screen speech from actors to create a memorable character and storyline. This approach helped humanize the brand and connect with the audience personally.

Explaining a product’s function

The cybersecurity company Brinqa has a detailed product demo video that shows how its vulnerability management platform allows users to collect data easily. The video goes through each process step so you can easily use the solution, leading to less confusion and more transparency with the brand.

Telling a story

Mazda’s “A Driver’s Life” commercial narrates a person’s history with the company’s cars. The personal journey the character goes through in the ad helps viewers connect with Mazda while injecting some personality into the brand.

How to voiceover a video

To voiceover a video, follow these four steps to create a compelling narration that informs your audience and prompts them to take action:

Step 1: Prepare your video

Establish whether you will use a preexisting video or edit something new from scratch. If you are filming additional footage, ensure it is well-lit, professional and aligned with all of the other footage within the video.

Step 2: Script your voiceover

Decide on the video’s script, making sure it matches the pacing of the visuals. The voiceover will influence the video’s tone, so be sure your script sets the tone you’re going for.

Step 3: Create your narration

If you create the voiceover yourself, acquire a high-quality microphone and find a quiet place with little echo. From there, follow your script’s pacing and tone.

Another option is to have your script read and recorded using dedicated text-to-speech (TTS) software, which produces a high-quality, consistent voiceover.

Step 4: Edit the audio and video together

Import your audio and video into your editing software, synchronizing the two to help convey your message. Adjust the audio and video elements to flow seamlessly to enhance the overall presentation.

4 mistakes to avoid with video narration

Common voiceover pitfalls can detract from the quality and effectiveness of your video content. Here are four mistakes to avoid when making narrations:

1. Poor audio quality: Having noticeable background noise and inconsistent audio levels in your recording can ruin the user experience and make your content seem unprofessional. If you are recording your voiceover personally, use a high-quality microphone for the best results.
2. Lack of preparation: Stumbling over words or frequent pauses shows a lack of preparation, making it harder for viewers to retain your content. Well-prepped voiceovers lead to higher engagement rates and longer view times. Practice your script and rehearse before recording to deliver a smooth, polished performance.
3. Ignoring tailored audience: Always tailor to your target audience. If you aim your content at an older demographic, ensure your tone and language reflect that. For example, a financial services company targeting retirees should use a calm, reassuring, professional tone with straightforward language.
4. Too much jargon: Overloading your content with technical terms can alienate viewers. Simplify your language to make you are creating something that is accessible to everyone. For instance, instead of saying, “Utilize our innovative SaaS solutions,” say, “Use our new software to make your work easier.”

Top ways to create voiceovers for videos

When it comes to creating voiceovers for your videos, you have these options:

Hire a voice actor

Traditionally, professional voice actors are the go-to choice for creating narrations because their expertise brings: :

• High-quality production: Hired actors can access professional recording equipment, ensuring your narration sounds polished.

• Professional reading: Voice actors bring a depth of emotion and clarity to your script, making your content more relatable and impactful.

• Language versatility: Professional voice actors often speak multiple languages and use different accents, making them ideal for broadening your brand’s reach.

Take advantage of in-house talent

You can record the audio in-house by enlisting the help of team members. Advantages include:

• Authentic connection: Employees add a personal touch that resonates with your audience, building credibility and trust in your brand.
• Efficient turnaround: In-house production reduces turnaround times compared to outsourcing, keeping your content creation process versatile.
• Industry knowledge: Team members possess deep insights into your products and services, offering nuanced narration that ensures your message reaches your buyer personas.

Use text-to-speech (TTS) software

Harnessing TTS technology streamlines the voiceover creation process. Top benefits include:

• • Speed and efficiency: Voiceover tools instantly generate narrations, accelerating your production timeline and simplifying scalability, even if you have a smaller team.

• Cost-effective: Voiceover apps for videos eliminate the need to hire voice actors and studio bookings, reducing production costs.

• • Consistency: TTS voiceovers allow you to maintain a consistent voice across multiple videos, reinforcing your brand identity and messaging across all content.

• Versatility: TTS offers flexibility with various voices, accents and emotions, allowing you to tailor the types of voiceovers you use to match different content tones and audience preferences.

Pros and cons of each voiceover option

Voiceover method	Pros	Cons
Voice actor	High-quality production Professional delivery with emotional depth Language versatility for diverse audiences	Higher cost compared to other methods Dependence on actor availability and scheduling
In-house talent	Authentic connection with the brand Efficient turnaround time Industry expertise and product knowledge	Potential lack of professional polish and voice training Limited language and accent options
TTS software	Speed and efficiency in voiceover production Cost-effective, reducing production expenses Consistent voice across all videos Versatility with various voices, accents and emotions	Limited emotional nuance compared to human voiceovers Quality of voice may vary depending on the software and settings used

Enhance your content with our voiceover tool

Voice Insert, our TTS software, helps businesses and creators make content more accessible. With our online voiceover app, you can effortlessly create a narration by uploading your script, which the software converts to speech. Share the audio on your social media, embed it directly into articles or use it to create a voiceover for your videos.

Whether you’re a startup looking to establish your brand voice, a publisher aiming to reach your audience more dynamically or an influencer seeking to enhance content accessibility, Voice Insert provides the tools you need to scale and grow your business with audio.