When’s the last time you heard an announcement or commercial that stuck with you? Did the voiceover sound happy? Reassuring? Warm?
Did it sound female?
If you’ve observed that many of the voices we hear in the media are female, we’re here to tell you that you’re on to something. Gone are the times of the good ‘ole boy’s club—nowadays, more and more companies are turning to female voiceover help. Let’s take a look at why this is.
The (voiceover) Future is Female
First thing’s first: there is compelling evidence to show that listeners warm up more quickly to a female voice compared with deep male voices. A 2014 study performed by the University of Glasgow found that participants rated female voices and higher-pitched male voices as the most trustworthy.
It’s also possible that female voices resonate more strongly with consumers who often tend to be female themselves. It’s been over ten years since the Harvard Business Review declared that women “drive the world economy,” a phrase that came from the fact that women serve as the primary purchase decision-maker in most spending categories.
So what does this mean? If you’re starting to think about your next voiceover project, you should seriously consider hiring the help of a female professional.
A Professional? Can’t I Just Record My Own Voiceovers?
If you’re in need of voiceovers, it can be tempting to take the DIY path. Not only is cutting-edge software and hardware more accessible than ever before, but there is no shortage of videos out there that give us that boost of “you can do it” confidence, for better or for worse.
While a YouTube tutorial can be an excellent help for restringing your guitar or deep-cleaning your bathtub, there’s a lot at stake with voiceover acting. Even you have a “great announcer voice,” creating a high-quality, ready-to-go can be deceivingly complex. It’s not that we don’t think you’re capable of great things—but voice acting makes the list of tasks that are better handled by professionals.
This is because, whether you’re looking to advertise a product or deliver an important message to the mass public, your implementation must be exact. If a voiceover delivery falls flat, it can backfire and have disastrous consequences for your company or organization.
Bottom line: you’ll do yourself a favor by investing in the peace of mind that comes with using a reliable voice actor who will complete your project in a professional studio and deliver a ready-to-use product created with industry standards in mind. Voiceover actors are professionals, training for years to perfect their craft. They’re ready to help you.
While any professional voice talent will bring something different to the table, you should consider looking into using a female voiceover talent. You’ve got science on your side.
