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- Marketing is essential for voice actors, regardless of their chosen niche or previous experience in the industry.
- Many voice actors face significant challenges in relation to marketing.
- Our comprehensive voice actor marketing guide will help you boost your presence in the voice acting industry, secure valuable connections, attract potential clients, and book better gigs.
The importance of marketing for voice acting
When it comes to the sphere of voice acting, "marketing efforts" may not be the first term that comes to mind. Vocal coaching? Yes. High-quality demo reels? Absolutely. A home studio? Essential. But marketing? Definitely not the first, second, or even third step to boosting your voice acting career.
Or so it seems.
Truth be told, foundational marketing practices are essential for any profession in 2024, especially if you want to build an online presence. And given that the internet is the quickest and most efficient way to reach your target audience, there's a bigger incentive to get your name out there on the web.
However, when it comes to voice acting, marketing isn't simply a good addition to your existing efforts - it's crucial!
Thankfully, there's no need to worry. Even if the only thing you know about marketing is the word itself, you'll be a voice talent marketing wizz once you're done with this comprehensive how-to guide.
But first, let's examine some of the most common marketing challenges voice actors face today.
Marketing challenges faced by voice actors today
To understand the main marketing challenges faced by voice actors in 2024, it's essential to consider one key aspect: unlike other professions in the performing arts or entertainment industry, voice acting is a much more flexible and remote-friendly career choice.
The downsides of remote/flexible work opportunities
The post-pandemic career climate has shifted towards remote or hybrid working models, given that the tasks at hand can be successfully completed from any location at any time of day (as long as deadlines are met).
While other entertainment industry gigs like acting or performing on stage (i.e., music artists) require the talent's physical presence, voice acting gigs can easily be completed at home - given that you've set up a home studio and learned to use recording software.
Remote opportunities are highly desirable. As a voice actor, you can bypass commuting expenses, benefit from flexible working hours, and avoid many distractions associated with the "outside world." While this flexibility attracts voice actors in the first place, this career can occasionally feel isolating and hinder networking opportunities.
AI voice generation advancements
Moreover, with rapid advancements in AI voice generation technology, voice actors feel like they need to go above and beyond to market themselves as worthy rivals.
The rise of remote voice acting gigs combined with rapid AI advancements makes it even more essential for voice actors to have a suitable marketing plan to ensure their noteworthy and memorable presence in the industry.
The ultimate guide to marketing yourself as a voice actor
Marketing - the activity or business of promoting and selling products or services, including market research and advertising. - Oxford Dictionary.
When it comes to marketing yourself as a voice actor, your primary service is your voice acting talent/skill, as well as your final product (i.e., your voiceovers and narrations). Skills can also include any training sessions or courses you've completed and certifications.
Although you can take some inspiration from your competitors (i.e., other voice artists), don't try to imitate anyone's personal brand. Instead, create one for yourself based on your chosen niche, skills, and, to some extent, your personality.
This is where our ultimate voice actor marketing guide comes in. Regardless of how experienced you are in the world of marketing, this step-by-step guide provides everything you need to know about promoting your voice acting services.
Without further ado, let's explore the different aspects of voice actor marketing.
Choose your niche
Before you begin your marketing efforts, it's essential to choose your niche (or niches) as a voice artist. What are you looking to do? Commercial voiceovers? Animation or video game character voices? Audiobook narration? Maybe pre-recorded messages for public spaces or AI assistants? Perhaps a bit of everything?
That's not to say you should strictly limit yourself to one niche. On the contrary, being a multi-faceted professional can get you further than most. However, it's essential to focus on where your primary skills lie and center your marketing efforts around them.
Moreover, your chosen niche (or niches) will be specified everywhere - from online directories to LinkedIn to your personal website, so ensure you've decided on the voiceover work you'd primarily like to focus on before developing your marketing efforts further.
Develop a personal brand
Your brand represents your essence: who you are, your skills, your values, and your mission/vision for the future. Just as branding is crucial for larger companies, it's also essential for individual entrepreneurs - a category that voice talent easily falls into.
So, what are the main aspects of your brand? Let's begin with the visuals.
Design a logo
For starters, design a logo (or hire a graphic designer to make one for you). Make sure your logo is eye-catching, simple, memorable, and reflects your scope. If you are looking to record anime voiceovers, why not add some Japanese or cartoon-style elements to your design?
Likewise, if your niche is audiobook narration, consider adding visual elements related to reading, such as cursive writing or a book outline.
Print out professional business cards
Consider designing and printing out professional business cards to hand out during industry events. From group coaching sessions to voice acting networking events to meetings with casting directors, a solid business card will help you showcase yourself as a reliable professional.
Make sure to include your full name, area of expertise or niche, and your contact details.
Sidenote: don't forget to include your logo on the front!
Consider additional creative elements
Alongside your logo and business cards, other helpful branding elements can include sticker sets or accessories, especially for laptops, microphones, or any other audio-recording equipment. Even though you work with your voice, your creativity will not go unnoticed.
And last but not least, a professional website will take you far. The best part? With so many excellent website builders available, you don't even have to hire a developer to build a website from scratch - more on that in the next section.
Build a personal website
With an abundance of user-friendly website builders available on the web, such as Wix, Squarespace, and WordPress, you can easily create your own website without hiring professional web developers and graphic designers (although you're free to do so if you're looking for something highly specific).
Website structure
When it comes to your website structure, make sure to include the following pages:
- A homepage with your name, voice acting expertise, niche/s, and an eye-catching banner. Also, include a CTA (call to action) for online bookings. Testimonials are optional but can help further attract potential clients and casting directors.
- An "About Me" page detailing your voice acting experience, key partnerships or collaborations, and professional journey.
- A "Services" page laying out your voice acting services and rates.
- A "Contacts" page, including your work phone number, email address, and links to your social media pages.
Website content
While crafting your website content for the pages above, don't hesitate to use helpful tools like Grammarly or ChatGPT to assist you with the writing process. However, if you decide to generate your content structure using AI tools, conduct a detailed proofread and remove any cliches. Your website content should reflect what you're about, so make sure to personalize all content - regardless of whether you opt for AI tools for content generation or a copywriter friend.
Search engine optimization
Search engine optimization practices like keyword inclusion and content structure are crucial for ensuring your website ranks well on search engines and (hopefully) appears on the first page of Google or Bing.
While most website builders offer SEO plugins, consider hiring an SEO specialist to assist you with your web content optimization (unless you're an SEO wizz yourself). An SEO specialist will help you optimize your content to rank well and conduct thorough audits to boost your search engine rankings.
Remember: better search results equals more potential clients discovering your website.
Create a high-quality demo reel (and upload it to your website)
Get that great voice out there and show your target audience what they're signing up for. A demo reel is a compilation of audio clips that showcase your skill range and vocal technique. A high-quality demo reel is essential for showcasing your voice talent and attracting a broader client base.
If you already have some experience in the voice acting industry, compile your best works into your demo reel (starting from your biggest project), showcase your range, ensure your audio flows smoothly, and guarantee high-quality audio by using a professional program like Audacity or GarageBand.
If you lack experience in demo reel production or need extra assistance creating a standout demo, consider hiring a voice acting coach specializing in demo reel creation.
Utilize social media platforms
From Instagram and TikTok to LinkedIn and YouTube, social media platforms are excellent channels for marketing yourself in the entertainment industry.
If you're good at short-form vertical video content, Instagram and TikTok are your best bets. In contrast, LinkedIn is an excellent option if you prefer crafting written content. Finally, if tutorial-style videos or vlogs are your thing, YouTube is where it's at.
Social media marketing for voice actors
Choose a couple of platforms that appeal to you the most, create business or creator accounts, fill in your details, and start posting! As they say, you're only one image, video, post, or even meme away from becoming a viral sensation.
Likewise, if SMM (social media marketing) seems completely foreign, consider looking up tutorials, guides, or courses on the topic. You can also hire an SMM specialist to manage your social media marketing activities. Platforms like Upwork and Freelancer can help you find an SMM specialist that matches your individual requirements and budget.
Keep in mind that forum websites like Reddit can also be excellent for organic promotion, helping you build relationships with other voice actors and secure new gigs.
Sign up for essential websites
From general freelance platforms like Fiverr, Freelancer, and Upwork to focused ones like Voices, Backstage, and Bunny Studio, get your name out there by signing up for several key platforms for voice actors.
Whether you have many voice acting gigs up your sleeve or you're just starting, creating profiles on essential websites like the ones mentioned above will not only help you secure more jobs (and potentially long-term partnerships, if all goes well) but will also help get your name out there.
Consider this: a client is looking for a suitable voice actor for a short or long-term project and is scouring these websites to hire someone. The more they come across your profiles on various platforms, the more memorable you become in their eyes.
However, keep in mind that all of your profiles should include essential information like your name, rate, niche (if available), contact details, previous experience, and samples of your work. If you've taken any courses or possess any certifications, mention this as well, as it makes you look more legitimate and skilled.
Network, network, network
How do people get more networking opportunities? By networking, of course!
Join groups
Discover voice actors in your area by joining Facebook groups or searching for voice acting clubs or communities in your city. If you live in a large city like New York, LA, or London, chances are you'll encounter several.
However, don't be swayed if you reside in a quieter area. Even small towns often have at least one group or community dedicated to a specific profession, and with more and more people becoming interested in the voice acting world, you'll likely find a like-minded group of people looking to make friends, swap tips, and even introduce you to helpful connections.
Reach out
Don't be shy about putting yourself out there - especially online. Consider sending outreach emails and messages via platforms like LinkedIn to casting directors in your area, agents, industry professionals, and potential clients (more on that below).
Likewise, consider cold-calling a potential client or even a casting director. You never know what opportunities may open up if you put yourself out there, via phone or otherwise.
Send killer outreach messages and emails
Email marketing - a big word!
Thankfully, we're not here to teach you all the ins and outs of sending digital email marketing campaigns (not that you need them anyway). In voice acting, you only need one key goal - to gain experience contacting potential clients directly and offering your skills.
Email marketing in voice acting is quite simple and straightforward. You only need basic writing skills and a helping hand like ChatGPT or Grammarly. Make sure to greet your recipient, introduce yourself, and briefly describe your voice acting services or specific offer. Sign off your email with your name and occupation, link your website if available, attach your resume, and hit send.
However, similar to your website content, make sure to proofread and personalize each email or message before hitting "send." Using tools like ChatGPT to provide you with a general idea of an outreach email is fine, but make sure to edit out any cliches to ensure your content doesn't sound AI-generated (even if the first draft is).
Project your voice across the web
Platforms like ElevenLabs now allow you to upload your own voice and receive payouts anytime someone chooses it for their project. You can engage in so-called "passive marketing" while also making some cash on the side.
So, how does this work?
ElevenLabs recently rolled out a Payouts program that allows voice actors to earn a substantial passive income whenever their voices are used by other ElevenLabs users. To participate, simply create an account with ElevenLabs (or sign in via Google), upload at least 30 minutes of audio to our VoiceLab, and toggle the "Enable Rewards" switch.
Select your payment preferences (default or custom), and receive cash rewards to your Stripe account whenever someone selects your voice for a project or narration.
The best part? There's no need to worry about potential misuse. Voice actors participating in the Payouts program can select their own content restrictions, and our team of live moderators will ensure your voice isn't used for any content you don't feel comfortable with.
As they say, kill two birds with one stone: earn some money on the side and get your vocal talents out there in the meantime.
Advertise your services
Advertise your services
When promoting your voice over skills, there are several ways you can attract potential clients and get them interested in your services. From social media ads to Google ads to even local newspaper columns, make the most of all advertising mediums to promote your voice skills and voice talents.
Suppose you already have a social media presence on popular platforms like Instagram or Facebook. In that case, you can set up ads via your business account to ensure your content reaches your target audience. Likewise, if you want to take your advertising efforts to the next level and set up PPC (pay-per-click) Google ads, set your budget and get the ball rolling.
Pay attention to existing clients
Whether organizing a holiday discount, giving specialized attention, or offering additional benefits, you'll turn your existing clients into satisfied clients by letting them know how much you appreciate them.
Begin by developing solid partnerships with your existing clients. Answer messages promptly (unless it's the weekend or a public holiday), consider their feedback, and show them their satisfaction with your voiceover work, which is a key priority.
Once you have several satisfied clients under your belt, don't hesitate to ask them to refer you to other potential clients. Chances are they'll be more than happy to help if you let them know you'll continue working with them regardless of future gigs.
Additional tips for successful voice actor marketing
The tips above should have you covered, but if you want to go the extra mile, consider the additional points below:
Hire an agent or marketing specialist
If your budget is stable, consider hiring a voice talent agent or marketing specialist to boost your online voice acting presence the extra mile. An agent will help you secure more voice acting gigs while ensuring they are 100% legit and pay fairly. Likewise, a marketing specialist will help boost your marketing efforts and get your name out there - especially in the digital realm.
Who to hire?
Keep in mind that a marketing specialist doesn't have to cover all scopes of your marketing strategy. Let's say you're more than happy to build your own website, sign up for platforms, or network, but you're unsure how to develop your social media strategy and set up Meta or Google ads.
In this case, you may only need to look for an SMM specialist to help you with your social-media-related digital marketing efforts while you do the rest.
On the contrary, if you're well-versed in social media strategy but need some help with your website content and search engine optimization efforts, a copywriter or SEO specialist can provide you with the additional support you require while you focus on the rest.
Take some time to pinpoint areas where you may lack information or expertise, and go from there. Likewise, if you don't feel like engaging in marketing whatsoever (no judgment; not all of us are marketing enthusiasts), a general marketing specialist may be the best option for you.
Take a marketing course
We understand that hiring someone else might be costly or time-consuming. If you went through the marketing tips above and felt like this sphere is something you'd enjoy doing on the side, we recommend you take a marketing course - one dedicated explicitly to voice artists.
Whether you choose to take a quick online crash course or attend classes in person, any extra information and guidance can help you master your online presence and outperform competing voice actors!
From free YouTube playlists to paid courses that provide certifications to informative books, you have an abundance of educational resources at your fingertips to boost your marketing knowledge, should you wish to do so.
Final thoughts
That's a wrap!
Great job on getting through this guide and being proactive about boosting your marketing efforts.
Before we leave you to plan and execute your personalized voice acting marketing strategy, let's recap the key steps covered in this article:
- Select your niche/s.
- Develop a personal brand, including a logo, business cards, and additional design elements like stickers.
- Build a personal website and fill it with personalized content according to best SEO practices.
- Create high-quality demo reels and share them on your website and other platforms.
- Utilize social media platforms and reach your target audience through channels like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
- Sign up for essential websites, including general freelancing platforms and niche sites dedicated to voice acting.
- Network through social media, online communities, and voice acting groups in your local area. Consider reaching out directly to casting directors or potential clients.
- Send professional outreach emails and messages to potential clients.
- Sign up for a voice-sharing monetization program like ElevenLabs' payout program and receive passive income while promoting your voice acting skills.
- Advertise your services through mediums like social media, Google Ads, and even local newspapers.
- Maintain solid relationships with existing clients and ask them for referrals.
- Hire a marketing specialist or agent to assist you with your promotional efforts.
- Consider taking a course in marketing if it's something you may be interested in.
Main tips and tricks aside, take this checklist with a grain of salt. See what points apply to you and which points you may need additional help with. This guide is here to help you and give you a general idea, but don't hesitate to personalize some aspects according to your individual requirements, experience, and budget.
That said, good luck with your marketing endeavors. Don't forget to bookmark this guide for future reference.
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