What Makes a Good Voice Over Artist for Your Project?

What makes a good voice over artist encompasses many factors, from their quality and experience to other elements like availability and budget.

There are lots of extremely talented voice artists out there, but their suitability for your specific project is what’s going to make them a great choice.

The selection part of the voice over process can be one of the trickiest, as the overall success of your project is at stake. Process of elimination can be really helpful for narrowing down your choices, particularly if they all possess different qualities that you’re looking for.

So, to help your project move along and give you more clarity in what makes a good voice over artist for your project, we’ve defined some key questions to ask yourself or among your team.

What Makes a Good Voice Over?

There are various components that make up a good voice over, and having been in the industry for over 40 years, we’ve vetted and worked with many talented artists. Based on our experience, here are some key qualities to look for in a voice over artist:

• A clear and pleasant voice — This may seem obvious, but it’s important to have an individual who can articulate and enunciate words clearly, while also having a pleasant tone to their voice. This will make the listening experience more enjoyable for your audience.
• Versatility — A great voice over artist should be able to adapt their voice to different styles and tones depending on the project. Some talents may have a niche in which they excel, but it’s always beneficial to have someone who can handle a variety of roles.
• Experience — Look for someone with a proven track record in the industry. When working with a voice over agency, like us, you can have more confidence that the talent you hire will have the necessary experience and skills to deliver high-quality work. Our screening process ensures we only work with the best in the industry.
• Collaboration — As with any creative project, communication and collaboration are vital. A professional voice over talent should be able to take direction well, and be open to feedback.
• Pacing —The pacing of a voice over is crucial to the overall impact of the project. A good voice artist will have the ability to adjust their pace and tone to fit the specific needs of your project, whether it’s a fast-paced commercial or a more relaxed narration. Adding time codes to the script is very helpful for ensuring pacing matches up with visuals.

Get more advice on how to choose the right voice over artist for your project in our guide here:

What Makes a Voice Artist Suitable for Your Project?

A voice artist becomes suitable not just by sounding good in isolation, but by aligning closely with the goals, audience, and practical needs of your project.

Suitability is the combination of the following:

Audience Connection

The right voice is one your audience will trust and respond to. A conversational, relatable delivery may suit eLearning, while a bold, energetic style could elevate advertising or promotional content.

Project Fit

Suitability could also depend on whether the artist has proven experience in your industry or format. A voice artist who has previously narrated medical training modules, for example, should instinctively understand the tone and pacing required.

Consistency & Longevity

If your brand requires a recognisable voice across multiple videos, campaigns, or languages, a suitable artist is one who can reliably maintain the same quality and style over time.

Technical Standards

No matter how strong a delivery is, it must also be recorded to a professional standard. A suitable artist will provide clean, high-quality audio that integrates seamlessly with your visuals, music, or translations.

Practical Considerations

Availability, deadlines, and budget all play a part. A voice that fits your creative needs but can’t meet your schedule or cost parameters won’t ultimately be suitable.In short, the most suitable voice artist is the one who delivers a balance of artistic performance, technical reliability, and practical compatibility with your project.

Questions to Ask When Narrowing Down Your Voice Over Choices

Considering those factors above and to further narrow down your choices, you can work your way through these 12 questions below, which should give you more direction and focus in selecting the perfect voice over artist:

1. Does the artist’s tone and delivery match the purpose of my project? E.g., calm and instructional for eLearning, energetic and upbeat for advertising. If you were the content’s end user, would the voice enhance the content, or put you off?
2. Will this voice resonate with my target audience? Consider age, gender, cultural background, and whether the audience will feel represented.
3. Does the artist have experience in my industry or project type? A corporate narrator vs. a gaming character voice actor will bring very different strengths.
4. Is their vocal style consistent across different recordings? Consistency matters for projects with multiple scripts or future campaigns. This will be one you can discuss with your Account Manager, as they’ll work with a Talent Manager to select artists more suitable for these types of projects.
5. Can they deliver the correct emotional tone? Consider whether their tone makes you feel something in addition to interpreting words. This is especially important for emotional or dramatic content, like documentaries, charity campaigns, or story narratives.
6. Do they have the right accent, dialect, or cultural authenticity? This is particularly important for global, regional, or multilingual audiences. We work with voice talents fluent in 80+ languages and 30+ foreign accents, so we can cater to diverse needs.
7. How clearly do they articulate complex or technical terms? An essential for industries such as medical, legal, or software training. You may also wish to provide a Pronunciation Guide with your voice over script.
8. Are they available to meet my project deadlines? Artist availability will fluctuate, therefore, you should aim to communicate your deadlines in your initial project brief, so you’ll be served with only the artists who can fit within your ideal turnaround time.
9. Does their delivery style fit with other project elements? E.g., would their voice work well over your chosen background music, or would it possibly clash with other sound effects used?
10. Will their voice stand out from competitors in my industry? Consider whether the chosen voice adds uniqueness and memorability to your brand.
11. Is the cost aligned with the value they bring to my project? Balance budget against skill, experience, and impact on the final result.
12. Do I feel confident this voice represents my brand’s values and image? Ultimately, the chosen voice should feel like a natural extension of your brand identity.

What If I Can’t Decide On a Voice Over Artist?

If you’re still struggling to make a decision, consider creating a scoring system to compare each shortlisted voice artist against the same set of criteria. This removes some of the subjectivity and helps your team agree on the best fit.

Here’s an example scoring framework you could use:

Criteria	Description	Score (1–5)
Voice Fit & Style	Does the tone, energy, and delivery style match the purpose of your project?
Audience Connection	Will this voice resonate with your target audience (age, culture, industry)?
Experience & Relevance	Have they worked on similar project types or industries before?
Clarity & Articulation	Is the voice clear, easy to understand, and suitable for your content type?
Emotional Range	Can they adapt their voice to convey the right mood, energy, or emphasis?
Consistency & Reliability	Can the artist reliably deliver the same quality for future projects?
Practical Fit	Do they meet your project’s budget and deadlines?

Add up the total score for each artist (out of 35 possible points in this example). The highest score gives you a clear, evidence-based choice.

Consider Choosing Two (or More) Voice Artists

If it works for your project, you could consider selecting multiple voice artists. That way, you don’t have to refine your choice to just one, single voice.

Multiple voices can add more depth and variety to your project, which could actually make it more engaging for your audience. 

For example, if you’re creating an eLearning course, you could have different artists covering different lessons or modules. This way, the audience won’t get bored listening to one voice for an extended period of time.

In addition, having multiple voice artists can also provide diverse perspectives and tones, bringing more diversity to your content. This can be especially beneficial if your target audience is diverse in terms of age, culture, or background.

Add To Quote

Brian F (Professional Danish voice talent)

Gravitas, Warm, Calm, Clear. Fluent in English. Specialises in Commercials, Corporate and eLearning

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Audiobook

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Documentary

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e-Learning

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Alana R

Relatable, natural, warm, resonant and actress who starred in Netflix’s The Crown and Doctors.
Past clients: BBC, Radio 4 and Netflix

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Commercial

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Alfie E

Comedian, actor, podcaster, energetic, resonant
Past clients: Meatless, Hertz and Discovery Kids

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Commercial

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Anna S

Silky, Smooth, Warm, Authoritative, Conversational

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Narration

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Ask for Input from the Voice Over Agency

If you’re still unsure of your decision, or your team are butting heads, it’s always a good idea to get advice from the experts themselves.

Speak to your Account Manager and ask them for assistance on making the final decision. 

They’ll have all your project details from your brief, along with their own experience working with the artists and on past projects. They can offer valuable insights and help guide you in making the best decision based on your project requirements and what they know works.

Our team is always more than happy to help where we can, and that includes helping you in the decision-making process. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us for any advice or guidance you may need.

Next Steps: Selecting Your Voice Over Artist

At this stage, you should be pretty certain which of the voice artists you want to select for your project.

Once you’ve confirmed the decision amongst your team, let your Account Manager know, and they’ll take care of the rest. They’ll handle all communication with the selected artist and your Project Manager to ensure a smooth and efficient process.

Remember, you can contact us at any time for advice or support throughout your project. We want to make sure your final product is exactly what you envisioned, so don’t hesitate to ask for any additional resources or guidance!

FAQs

What Should I Listen for in a Voice Over Demo? + –

Keep an ear out for:

• Clarity
• Emotional range
• Delivery style
• Audio quality
• Alignment with your brand or project

We recommend heading over to our guide below for more advice!

Read more: Discover & Listen to Our Voice Over Demos

Can One Voice Artist Work Across Different Types of Projects? + –

Yes, many voice actors are versatile and so can work across many project types, including different formats and industries. 

Others do specialise in a specific area, so it’s always worth checking their portfolio and previous work to see if they have experience in your particular project.

In either case, a skilled voice artist will be able to adapt their tone, style, and delivery according to the needs of your project.

What Qualities Should I Be Looking for in a Voice Over Artist? + –

When looking for a voice over artist, these are the key qualities you should expect to see:

• • Professionalism
  • Versatility
  • Clear and articulate delivery
  • Adaptability
  • Experience and a strong portfolio
  • Emotional expression
  • Consistency

What are the Best Voiceover Styles for Different Industries? + –

Considering your industry can be a good way to narrow down and define your voice over needs. Here are some examples of industries and the types of voice over styles that may be suitable for them:

1. eLearning/educational: An articulate voice with a friendly and approachable tone is often preferred for eLearning and educational content. This style can help engage learners and make complex concepts easier to understand.
2. Advertising/marketing: A versatile and dynamic voice with a hint of enthusiasm can be effective in capturing the attention of listeners and promoting a product or service.
3. Animation/cartoons: A playful and expressive voice with the ability to portray different characters can bring life and personality to animated content.
4. Documentary/narration: A smooth and authoritative voice with good pacing and intonation can help to convey information in a credible and engaging manner for documentaries or narrations.
5. Audiobooks/podcasts: A warm and inviting voice with the ability to tell stories can be ideal for audiobooks and podcasts, as it can create an immersive listening experience for audiences.