Do you run a podcast or internet radio station? Well, you may know that a great voice-over can differentiate your show and make it more enjoyable.
Even if you do most of the voice work by yourself, sometimes you want to add a dynamic new voice to the announcements.
It takes talent and art to elevate your voiceovers to the next level! But where can you find the best actors?
Well, we’ll cover the top places to find voice-over talent.
If you have decent voice skills as a presenter or actor, it’s also possible to do voice-over work on the side.
So, we’ll also explain how to get started as a voice-over artist.
Where to find Voice Over Talent
Let's start with some of the best places to find voice-over talent:
1) Fiverr
Fiverr is a place to have all your pending to-do tasks done. The online marketplace has been around since 2010 and has grown to offer a wide range of digital services.
How does it work
There are sellers and buyers. And you can be both the buyer and the seller. Get started by going to Fiverr.com.
On the search box, type “voiceovers for radio or podcast.” This is the quickest way to find freelancers who specialize in specific formats.
Each seller will have created different packages, and “Starting at” is the price for their most basic package. On their more expensive packages, they may have included more features.
You can also use the advanced filtering categories to find the right person more quickly. Filtering options include gender, language, accent, location, etc.
Some voice-over artists even do impressions.
What are the merits of using Fiverr to find voice-over talent for radio?
● Great collection of sellers
● You can read past comments for each seller and their ratings
● Affordable options. A couple of gigs were listed at $20
● There are various badges to identify distinguished freelancer (Top Rated and Pro Verified)
Disadvantages
● Not all freelancers are verified. At times, it can be difficult to find good quality.
2) Voices.com
Voices.com is an exclusive marketplace for voice actors. They make it easier for clients to find the right talent and manage the whole process through the platform.
We like that they target one specific industry, and you can find voice actors in different categories, including radio, television, telephone, video games, voice assistance, internet videos, documentaries, business, and audiobooks.
How does it work?
You first create an account and post a job for free. Their proprietary VoiceMatch algorithm will find and invite the most qualified contractors for the job. Before someone applies for the project, they can send their short audition based on the script you have provided. All you need to do is find the best audition and hire the person.
What are the merits of the service?
● A comprehensive help section with lots of articles about hiring voice actors
● Caters to both clients and voice actors
● Trusted source for finding great talent
● Satisfaction assured
● Over 100 languages & accents
● Great project management tools, including NDAs
What are the disadvantages?
● The pricing is not as flexible as other online marketplaces.
3) Voice 123
Voice123 bills itself as the first voice marketplace, and they have been connecting clients and customers since 2003. There are over 200,000 voice-over actors from over 100 countries. Big brands have sourced voice-over talent on the platform from the History Channel to Coca-Cola.
How does it work
There are two ways to find voice actors. You can either search through their directory as you listen to samples. The site also allows you to contact the talent directly and hire them with no middlemen. Similar to voices.com, you can post a project and receive custom auditions.
What are its advantages?
● You negotiate directly with the voice artist.
● No charges for the client. It’s the voice-over artist that subscribes to paid membership plans.
● There are two ways to find talent.
Does the platform have any limitations?
● It may not have the same number of features and resources for clients and actors.
The following three sites are the best places to find talent. But there are more websites to try:
4) Upwork
Upwork is currently the largest online marketplace for digital services. You can create an account as a freelancer or buyer. Like Fiverr, you connect to freelancers from all over the world. It's possible to negotiate contracts and rates. Experienced voice-over actors have also accumulated plenty of reviews, but you can also ask for paid tests or samples of previous work.
5) The Voice Realm
The Voice Realm follows the same model as other dedicated voice-actor websites. They claim to offer only the best pro talent, and you can post a free job and receive auditions from voice actors within one hour.
https://www.thevoicerealm.com/
6) Peopleperhour
PeoplePerHour is an alternative freelancing website that also allows you to find freelancers for various projects. It's a bit new to the game but it still offers a nice selection of voice-over actors.
https://www.peopleperhour.com/
7) Voiceovers.com
Voiceovers.com is another online casting site, but they claim to be different because they used intelligent technology to automate finding the right match. They also tried to make the platform very simple to use by streamlining all operations from project management to payments. You just need to post your project and quickly receive auditions.
8) Backstage
Backstage is another website that connects talent with various creative projects. You can post a job, and thousands of performers will see it and submit auditions. Alternatively, you may comb through their talent database and find the right person for your project. The platform boasts of a rich history as they have been connecting talent with filmmakers and casting directors since 1960.
9) VOPlanet.com
VOPlanet is another website that helps Voice-over actors find work by connecting them directly with clients with no middlemen. They claim to provide professional and vetted voice-over talent, with a host of top companies using their services from Amazon to Bud Light. The process is similar to Voices.com. You post a project, receive auditions, and hire the voice actor.
How to Become a Voice Over Talent for Podcasts & Radio
Now let's talk about the other side of the coin. Becoming a voice-over talent by yourself! So, where should you start?
Step 1: Developing voice-over skills - gaining an education
Sure, you got a great voice. But that's not the only thing that it takes to build a successful career.
You’ll need some basic education.
Ok, does this mean that I will not get hired if I don't have a professional accreditation?
Not at all. Potential clients will be looking at your expertise and prior experience.
It's your audition tape that will land you your first paying client.
But getting the Education part out of the way from the onset will be a blessing. What should you learn?
● Get some voice coaching: If you don't have money to spend on a professional coach, you can get started with free YouTube videos.
● Become familiar with all the major categories of voiceover work and what’s required. Here is another great explainer about the various categories from Backstage.
● Post-production skills: Now, this is not strictly part of your work duties. But it is an extra service you can offer your clients, and post-production skills will help you build your own professional, polished voice-over demos.
● Studio-setup skills: It's also paramount to know how to configure a simple studio.
● Business skills: You should think of yourself as a business, not an employee. And for this, consider developing basic skills in entrepreneurship, marketing, money management.
They are great places you can get an informal education and various support articles to grow your career, including:
● Voice Acting 101 Guides: The site is run by Jason McCoy, who has been doing voiceover work for over 20 years.
● Voices.com Talent Help Section
Step 2: Creating samples
You need a bit of practice before marketing your services to clients. And this will entail creating samples in categories of interest.
Now, we recommend conducting a real-life examination of what other professionals are doing.
Listen to samples on Voices.com or Fiverr.
Step 3: Signing up to platforms
All the places we have highlighted for finding talent also accept sign-ups from new voice actors. We have made it easier by including links to talent sign-up pages:
● Voices.com - Where to register
● Voices123.com - Where to register
● Fiverr - Where to register
● VOPlanet - Where to register
● Backstage - Where to register
● Upwork - Where to register
● Voiceovers.com - Where to register
● Peopleperhour - Where to register
● The Voice Realm - Where to register
Step 4: Growing your social media presence
Now at this stage, it's time to build up your brand! Remember that you are thinking like a business, not an employee. You should even have your sights on building an excellent voice-over team and a website eventually.
Attention is the current currency of the web. And there various ways to build up your rep:
● Create a YouTube channel - You can do fun voice-overs tutorials or review stuff.
● Create social media pages
● Have a LinkedIn account
● Build your professional website
● Start networking with other people in the industry
● Volunteering for voice-over projects, e.g., free audiobook projects on LibriVox
● Try creating a full-fledged podcast
Step 5: Receive professional help from agents
The Old casting system is not dead!
And by that, we mean that there are still agents who specialize in helping voice actors find work.
Why should you work with an agent instead of doing everything yourself?
An agent can steer you on the right career path and unleash your potential. A great agent will also have access to casting slots not marketed to the general industry.
It's worth noting that an agent is not a babysitter, and you can do yourself a favor by forgetting all those movie and TV characters. They are not there to push you and make you good at your job.
Additional advice…
You should not be paying upfront for hiring an agent. The good ones will charge a commission after getting you the best parts.
Here are some great resources that go into depth about finding acting agents.
● Get an Acting Agent from Backstage
● Get a Talent Agent from Project Casting
Step 6: Try creative ways of finding clients
Don't rely on the online marketplaces solely for finding gigs. There are other creative ways that you can use to land clients. Here are some of them:
● Check YouTube for videos that don't have any voiceovers and reach out to the creators to volunteer your services.
● Gain an entry into a business by first becoming their customer and check their marketing materials to see if they would need any voiceover assistance.
● Cold pitch through email
● Attend and participate in industry events for networking opportunity
● Cold call businesses after conducting proper research and determining if they need voiceover work.
Bottom line
We have seen both sides of the coin! Finding voice-over talent and becoming a voice-over actor.
If you want to dive deeper into doing voice-overs for radio, you may also consider creating an internet radio station.
It's quite simple, and you don't need a lot to get started. Check out our hosting plans.