How to choose an effective voice over for your explainer video

So you have a story that follows the formula. You have a storyboard or a fully produced video that uses short little scenes to get across your information. Your imagery and text are on-brand. You have a fun, snappy music track. Now, how will the voice over you choose for your explainer video animation help sell your story? Choose a voice over actor who can:

1. Honor Company Culture

Explainer video voice overs should honor your company culture, brand, and demographic. The tone, style, and age of the voice should match who you want to appeal to. For example, are you going for sober, professional, and neutral, or do you need friendly, conversational, and organic? 

2. Communicate Expertise

Corporate explainer voiceovers should communicate an easygoing expertise. Your voice over artist is speaking for the company and should communicate confidence that their voice is an expert to be trusted. 

3. Clearly Inform

Explainer video voice over should gently emphasize the key words and phrases in your explainer, so the meaning is crystal clear. Remember, this is an explainer, and people should come away from it feeling like they’re better informed as to what your business offers and why it will benefit them. 

4. Create sense of intimacy

The tone of an explainer video voice should be sincere and engaging. It should convey a feeling of intimacy, of speaking directly to one person. That intimacy is what engages people and moves them towards action.  

5. Connect best to your audience

Decide on whether you want a female voice over for explainer videos, a male voice, or one that is more non-binary.  In the past, female voices were chosen for warmth and approachability, while male voices were chosen for assertiveness and authority. Thankfully, male and female voices are no longer pigeonholed into these categories, leaving more room for all kinds of voices to convey a variety of styles and tones. Choose what you feel connects with your audience the best. 

Conclusion

Explainer videos are a fairly inexpensive way to grow your audience, convey what’s special about your product, service, or company, and boost your SEO. To try your hand at putting together your own explainer or whiteboard animation video, I recommend using a site like Powtoon or Doodly.

You can also hire a company such as Idea Rocket Animation or Explainify. 

Contact me at Vanessa@VanessaJonesVoices.com to get started with a professional female voice talent who can tell your business’s story in an engaging, delightful way.