Voice Acting For Dummies

by David Ciccarelli

  Off-page optimization: What is out of your control

  Off-page optimization includes all the activities and aspects that are out of your control, and, more to the point, are controlled by what other people think of your website. Off-page optimization includes some of these factors:

  Link popularity: Links are the currency of the web. Links that are placed on a particular website and point to another website are seen as a vote of confidence. Link popularity is all about quantity, meaning the number of links you have pointing to your website.

  Link relevancy: Links pointing to a website within the same industry are seen as a vote of confidence from a relevant source. Industry-related links are sometimes considered a higher quality because the support demonstrated through those links is indicative of your website’s perceived authority and standing, based upon the support of others in your field.

  Anchor text: Anchor text, which is the visible and active text used to enable the link (often making the text blue with an underline), provides additional information about the source of the link and what the linked-to site will be about.

  Many search engine marketers consider that links are the most important factor in getting those all important natural (non-paid) search engine results. Many inconclusive debates discuss whether the quality of the links or the sheer quantity of the links is more important in the eyes of Google, Yahoo!, and Bing. Regardless of the answer, links clearly play a significant role in obtaining great search engine results. (For example, Google has a patented method for determining the number of links of a website known as PageRank. Websites with a higher PageRank have a greater number of links from other websites.)

  Considering paid advertising

  Build your website to be useful and relevant to those individuals seeking your services. Doing so helps to not only better position you in the search engines but also makes your website a better fit for when you try to attract visitors to your site using directories or pay-per-click (PPC) advertising programs. These sections show you the difference between getting listings in a directory, which requires an annual fee, versus paying on a per click basis to attract visitors to your website.

  Launching a Google AdWords campaign

  To complement your organic search engine optimization efforts, you should consider advertising your services using Google AdWords (www.google.com/adwords), which is the pay-per-click advertising model. When you create an account, you’re able to craft your own text ads and determine the landing page for each ad.

  Some keywords cost more than others because of how competitive they are. If you do some basic keyword research, you can discern which keywords you want to target and also decide how much you’re prepared to budget for your Google AdWords campaigns on a daily basis. Other factors include which devices you want your ads to run on (desktop computers or mobile devices) and also which countries you want to have your ads displayed in.

  You can get started with Google AdWords for as little as $5, but realistically, you can expect to pay around $100 per month for a few hundred visitors to your website. Try running a small test campaign for a month and then evaluate the results. If it’s working for you, then continue advertising. If you feel your money is better invested elsewhere, this chapter has plenty of ideas for you.

  Getting listed in the Yahoo! Directory

  Yahoo has two kinds of listings that you can use to purchase paid advertising and increase your web presence. The two are

  Yahoo! Directory, which is organized by topic

  Yahoo! Search, a search engine based on keywords

  Being listed in Yahoo! Directory costs $299, which places your website alongside your competitors and colleagues within the industry. More importantly, a listing in the Yahoo! Directory greatly increases the odds that your website will be noticed by other search engines, such as Yahoo! Search and even Google, Bing, and Ask.

  You can submit your website to Yahoo! Search (http://yahoo.com/dir/submit/intro/), although like Google, there is no guarantee your website will be listed in the natural search engine results.

  Utilizing a Voice Acting Marketplace Website

  If you don’t have your own website, a voice-over marketplace is the ideal place to begin developing your presence online. These sites are referred to as online marketplaces, where clients and voice actors can connect to complete a project. The following sections explain the benefits to these sites, what some sites are, and how you can use these sites.

  Seeing how these sites can help you

  When considering membership at an online marketplace, be sure to consider the following:

  Easy to navigate

  A professional site where you will feel proud to be featured

  Free from overt advertising by third-parties (no ugly banner ads)

  The ability to manage and edit your profile on your own without a fee

  A consistent track record of clients posting voice-over jobs

  A good number of projects that you can audition for every week

  Easy-to-use auditioning process

  Efficient system that provides you with a record of auditions submitted

  Opportunities for voice actors to be found in multiple ways

  Active marketing campaigns on your behalf

  Acknowledgment in the press

  Recognition by industry groups resulting in awards or other achievements

  A good variety of testimonials from both voice actors who use the service and clients who have experienced the service first-hand

  Good customer service and support, both online and offline

  Access to resources and templates that can save you time

  Responsive to voice actors’ suggestions

  Looking out for your best interest

  Considerate to your needs

  A trustworthy and transparent site with open business practices

  Accountability

  Integrity

  Reasonably priced annual membership fees, ranging from $299 to $1,995

  Having a web presence and a subscription to an online voice-over marketplace are appropriate steps that can be taken to draw more opportunities to yourself.

  Naming some of the available sites

  Some marketplace websites are obviously better than others. The following three are the best in our humble opinions:

  Voices.com: Voices.com is an online marketplace that connects business clients with professional voice actors. Voices.com is home to more than 200,000 customers and serves companies from Fortune 500s to small businesses. In addition to its role as a marketplace, it provides helpful resources and business developmental tools to nurture its customers, including blogs, podcasts, a digital trade publication, and award-winning customer service unparalleled in the industry.

  Elance: Elance (www.elance.com) helps businesses virtually hire and manage. The site helps clients find qualified professionals who work online, includes tools to hire, keeps track of the progress, and pays for results. Elance also offers you access to qualified clients, a virtual workplace, and guaranteed pay for your work.

  Guru: Guru (www.guru.com) is another site that gives you a chance to market your skills to prospective clients at a low cost. It includes features such as profiles to showcase your skills and experiences.

  Filling out your profile

  Your profile (this section may called a bio on some sites) gives you the opportunity to customize and brand your website and display resume information, feature voice-over work, and monitor the types of feedback you receive.

  Having a profile on a voice acting marketplace website provides you with a means to effortlessly build a web presence and feature your abilities, describe your voice, upload demos, and more. A great profile not only tells clients what you’ve done but also about what yo
u can do. It should capture their interest and motivate them to contact you for their project.

  Your profile is

  An advertisement: It allows you to highlight your voice quality and feature your skills and experience as a voice actor.

  An online storefront: It allows you to conduct business with clients from around the world.

  A business card: It informs prospective clients of your capabilities, and it provides contact information.

  A forum: It allows your clients to leave feedback so you know what you’re doing well and what you can work on.

  Your profile presents you in the best light and convinces clients that you have what it takes to complete this project to their satisfaction. When you create your profile with the goal of attracting the client rather than a personal statement of what your goals are, your opportunities increase. We explain how you can take advantage of these benefits in the following sections.

  Completing your profile simplifies the process of marketing your business. You can write about yourself and often distribute multimedia files that show samples of your work. Whether your prospective clients contact you is based on first impression. Clients will quickly glance through your profile, trying to find the one thing that they need. As a result, your profile descriptions can either make or break you.

  Maintaining a complete and engaging profile can represent your body of work and attract prospective clients. Some sites are linked to online search engines, so the more detail you have, the more you will be indexed in the results for search engines.

  The following are parts that you may need to complete on the voice acting marketplace website. These sections may vary, depending on the site. No matter if you use your own website or a voice acting marketplace website, including the following information is a smart idea to give prospects a better idea of who you are and your skills.

  Describe your voice

  Writing your vocal description is a necessary step in the branding process. Your voice description is basically a quick summation of what you can sound like that makes people want to click play and hear your demo. When you’re drafting your voice’s description, make sure that it features your strengths, specialties, and unique characteristics. Your vocal description is the first impression for the majority of clients that encounter your profile page. For example, you may describe your voice in terms of your range, acting abilities, and the kind of work you specialize in. Chapters 2 and 3 have foundational information that you may find useful when describing your voice.

  When describing your voice, make sure you specify your age ranges so prospective clients can get a better appreciation for it when visiting your page. As you specify, select only voice ages you can confidently and believably perform. Featuring demos that showcase each voice age you selected is also helpful to those visiting your profile. For example, if you can perform a variety of voice ages, provide examples of your reads for each age you can do. You may have a teen demo, a child demo, and a young adult demo, for instance.

  Identify the languages you speak and accents you know

  Voice actors who are able to fluently speak multiple languages have a distinct advantage over their peers and can charge a premium for translation and performance services.

  Specify the languages that you speak fluently in the order of fluency from most fluent (for example, your mother tongue and dialect) to least fluent. If you state that you’re fluent in a certain language, we suggest that you include demos on your profile that reflect your ability to speak that language in case prospective clients want to hire you in that language. Refer to the “Uploading your demos” section later in this chapter about uploading demos to your profile.

  In addition to the languages you speak, list all accents or character archetypes that you can perform as well as your regional accent. If you have a neutral accent relevant to your country of residence, state so. For instance, if you live in the United States and speak with a neutral accent, list that you have a “standard nonregional American” accent.

  List your skills and areas of expertise

  You want to make sure you list your special skills that directly relate to the categories of voice-overs you can record. Some categories include cartoons, movie trailers, audiobooks, and so on. Refer to Chapter 6 that talks about demos for the different types of categories you can list. Chapter 4 refers to the different roles you can do. Be sure to create individual demos that reflect these special skills.

  Include your experience and education levels

  Include a list of the major companies and organizations that you have completed voice-over work for. Update this list from time to time so people who seek your services see what you can do and that you’re still active in the industry.

  Make sure you note your experience in the voice acting field. We’ve seen several people say that they have substantial experience, but then fail to list what it is they’ve been doing. When stating your years of experience, be sure that you have painted a clear picture of the type of work you have done to better promote yourself.

  Experience can be anything you have done up to this date that lets people know where your expertise and talents lie. If you have a degree in a field related to voice acting, such as broadcast or theater, make sure you provide all the relevant information. All forms of education are welcome in this field. Consider adding details about voice-over or acting workshops you have participated in, teachers you have studied with, and post-secondary programs you have completed.

  Even if you have a degree in an unrelated field to voice acting, you can benefit from mentioning it. For example, a potential client who needs a medical narration may be more interested in you if you have an educational background in medical transcription.

  If you have done any studying with coaches, have graduated from a degree program, or have trained in a specific area, tell people your background. Remember, you never know who may be visiting your page. In addition to your experience and education, you also want to mention any associations you are a member of, including unions or guilds.

  Address what recording studio and special equipment you use

  Clients want to hear that you can get the job done, but they also want to know how you can do it. Although most clients never ask for technical information, having it handy and including on your profile a description of your high-quality studio equipment, which can be a costly investment, may help justify your fee structure.

  Here are the main studio details that you should include

  Microphone

  Recording software

  Mixing board

  Other special equipment (compressors, reverbs, delays, and so on)

  Methods of delivery (MP3, CD, FTP access, phone patch, ISDN, and so forth)

  Royalty-free music and sound effects library

  Refer to the chapters in Part V for more in-depth information about this equipment.

  State delivery methods and turnaround time

  You need to know ahead of time what methods of delivery you can provide and communicate with your prospective clients on the website. Your options include FedEx and UPS overnight shipping of a CD, MP3 via email, or uploading a WAV or AIFF file via FTP. Refer to Chapter 21 for more about file formats and the best practices for sending files over the Internet.

  You also want to be able to give an estimate of the total time it will take you to complete an average job. We suggest you estimate 24 to 48 hours with the caveat that how quickly you can finish a job depends on the job’s specifications. Be sure that you have the ability to stick to your word because many clients have rush jobs and hire based upon voice actors who can meet their tight deadlines.

  Describe your detailed service and list testimonials

  You want to elaborate in your profile about the details of your service and share information about how you deliver on yo
ur brand promise. Basically answer the question: What do you offer that makes your services unique from other voice acting talent?

  Make sure you include in your profile a section on references and testimonials from past clients. If someone you have worked with in the past has glowing praise for you, include a quote so prospective clients can see.

  Uploading your demos

  While your profile serves as an advertisement for your services, your demo provides the actual evidence of your claims. Some voice acting marketplace websites are all demos and others are all words. Balance is required to keep the client interested, so search for one that is balanced.

  Having several demos isn’t a bad thing. In fact, the more skills you can feature, the better. A montage is a great sampler of what you can do, but you also want to focus on your stronger skills in individual demos.

  Including demos on either your voice acting marketplace website or your personal website is so important to show prospective clients the different types of work you can do. Upload files to showcase your abilities. After you upload your demos, view your profile as a visitor would see it and test that the samples are downloading or playing properly.

  When you upload demos, you need to describe them so prospective clients can prepare themselves for what they’re about to hear when they click the play button. When you upload a demo, make sure you address the following information with each file:

  Demo name: Make sure the titles of each demo clearly describe what the demo is about. When naming a demo, include keywords that quickly tell the listener what the demo is about (commercial, telephony, and so on) and include your name in the demo name.

  Demo age: Oftentimes, clients seek a specific age of voice talent to connect with their audience. You may be capable of performing voice ages younger or older than your actual age, all of which you should document and record as samples for clients to review. (Refer to the earlier section “Describe your voice” about noting what ages you can voice.)