A question for you…
How do potential customers hear or read about your product? Just images and graphics? Or images, graphics and subtitles?
When you’ve sat with friends discussing that one TV advert you watched as a child that holds a dear place in your heart, you will recall it’s not those words across the bottom of the screen that you remember, it’s the voice we heard reading the script.
That’s because the human voice connects us to your message far better than images, subtitles and graphics alone. Because the human voice is the main way we communicate every hour of every day.
And a VO can attract traffic to your product or brand if the voice infers it is respectable and of value, so worth listening to and watching. And a voice can boost your call to action.
Why? Because people remember what they hear far more strongly than just what they see or read.
So what?
Well, video slots often have complex messages that only have a short time to deliver their message – and the right voice can explain new concepts and deliver information persuasively and compellingly.
And, as we slowly emerge into a new ‘normal’, now is when you could revamp your ads, promos, B2B and B2C messaging.
A great way to re-boost your marketing is to use a voice over that connects with listeners and help translate a specific message to different demographics. The idea is to portray your brand as a genuine, useful resource to your customers so that relationships with clients can be more meaningful. VOs offer a sense of authenticity that text messages and emails tend to miss.
If you're still not convinced how a VO might be able to help you boost your marketing, here are 4 reasons that might persuade you:
1. Authentic Voice Overs Make Connections that Last
The inflection of a voice, tone, and emphasis on certain words can create a level of authenticity you need to get ahead of your competitors.
Keep in mind that a voice is a distinct characteristic that others can identify with. The sounds of a professional VO can take you through a range of emotions, soothe you to a level of understanding, or even energize you to buy a new car! A VO is able to convey a personal sense of interest to entice customers to invest in your product in just a few short seconds.
You can’t fit everything into a single image to properly describe your services, but a VO will be able to create a full experience to help seal the deal.
2. Your Brand will be Easier to Remember with Voice Overs
As a small business, one of the most challenging aspects of your marketing strategy is brand recognition.
Rather than hoping customers will see your logo and have an immediate feeling, a VO establishes a fast relationship that can easily translate to other aspects of your brand message. For example, by establishing a long-lasting relationship with a VO who has a trusting and engaging voice, you can elevate your familiarity with customers over an extended period of time and secure recurring business with your clients.
3. A VO can Improve Your Call To Action Conversions
The final goal is to get your customers to make a purchase, and a voice-over artist can improve your CTA conversions far better than a blog post or social ads.
The reason for this is because a voice disguises the CTA as a genuine invitation to learn more, rather than a sales-like pitch that comes across as a cliche.
Within a voice-over ad or podcast, your VO can blend the CTA into a form of advice. For instance, the speaker can tell a personal story that ties into how the product or service could have helped them avoid a problem. In return, listeners will remember the story and relate the experience to their own, leading to a possible conversion and trust in your brand.
More than anything, the VO adds an extra layer of trustworthiness and persuasion that words alone can't convey.
4. You can Create a Variety of Voice Over Content
Hiring a freelance VO artist can be beneficial to create a range of different projects.
Here is a list of just a few projects a VO artist can help you realize:
- Video narration—a small addition that makes your videos significantly more informative without costing too much time or money.
- E-learning - Create step-by-step instructional videos for your eCommerce website or offer exclusive content to show customers the full benefits of your multi-purpose product.
- B2B and B2C corporates - using a trusting voice to advertise your business to potential clients, whether other businesses or to consumers.
There is no end to all the ways one voice can accommodate your small business needs, give you quick results, and cover more digital ground.
In a nutshell…
How do potential customers hear about your product? Just images and graphics?
According to social media analysis, having someone speak your words with a voiceover, can boost your Google rankings and outreach by around 70% (WeAreSocial, Hootsuite).
That’s because the human voice connects us to your message far better than images, subtitles and graphics alone.
A voiceover attracts traffic to your product or brand if the voice infers it is respectable and of value, so worth listening to and watching. And a voice can boost your call to action.
Because people remember what they hear far more strongly than just what they see.
You might think that paying for a voiceover is another cost - but have you thought about the cost to your potential sales of not using a voiceover?
About the author:
Kerry Hutchinson FCMI FRGS is a BW member and independent freelance voiceover with his own broadcast/digital-quality recording studio based in Torbay.
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