Today, let us talk about a lesser-known yet a very lucrative niche in the world of working from home: voice over jobs from home.
Voice acting is in high demand across various industries. Voice actors are not only needed in the entertainment industry but also in marketing and creation of digital products like eBooks.
I think it’s an interesting work-at-home job. You only need your voice, some skills on modulation, personification, intonation, and animation; basic recording equipment, and you can make a living right from your own home.
I did some digging to see if it’s a viable work-at-home job, and I was pretty much surprised by my search results. There is a real demand for voice over actors, and voice over jobs from home are increasing in popularity, thanks to digital marketing trends.
Want to learn more? Keep reading. 😊
What are Voice Over Jobs?
To help you better understand what a voice over is, think of those explainer videos you’ve seen on YouTube, or those documentaries you love to watch on National Geographic. These materials need a voice-over actor to convey their message. And what these talents do for a living are voice over jobs.
You don’t even have to go very far when exploring how we consume voice overs in our daily lives. You’ve seen cartoons like Little Mermaid and Aladdin. Surely, there’s someone, a real person, behind the voices of Ariel and Jasmine. You’ve heard a PSA on the radio, and that too uses voice over actors. And let’s not forget the voices used in podcasts, webinars, audiobooks, and live events.
So, basically, anything that comes with a narration of some sort, and you can’t see the person speaking, then you actually hear a voice over.
What do you need to get started as a voice talent artist?
So, you see, if you have quite a talented voice, you could make money from it. But before you go sending out applications and demo tapes, you want to be fully prepared for the battle ahead.
If you think voice acting jobs are something you can and probably enjoy doing, here are a few things you need to get started:
Equipment
You don’t need to have the fanciest, most advanced equipment to start with. But at the very least, you’ll need a microphone, recording and audio mixing software. It’s also best to work in a very quiet, isolated space to keep background noise from interfering.
Demos
Determine the niche you want to break in, and then record a few demos for each niche. Make sure to study the requirements, when it comes to accent, personality, and stamina of the voice required, record a few samples, and then pick the best ones.
Training
Getting specific training as a voice-over artist can prove to be a worthwhile investment, especially if you’re just getting started. A voice coach can point out your strengths and weaknesses, as well as help you develop a connection with your audience. You can find a couple of online voice over training at a reasonable price on Udemy or find free ones on YouTube.
Marketing
Finally, you have to know how to get yourself out there. There are a couple of legit online jobs where you can find voice over gigs, but you also have to make sure clients can find, even when you’re not actively looking. To start with, it’s good to have a business website dedicated to your voice over services. Also consider doing email marketing, tapping social media, and face-to-face networking.
Skills you need to work as a voice-over artist
Having a pleasant-sounding voice is a primary requirement among voice over actors, but there’s more to this profession than meets the eye.
Every voice over talent, especially those who are freelancing, needs to cultivate a few important skills to survive the competition, and continuously wing fantastic gigs. So, if you want to start scouting voice over jobs from home for beginners, you might want to build and strengthen these following skills first:
- Act with your voice – your voice carries a character’s persona. Are you voicing over for a successful, educated woman, or do you embody the character of an evil antagonist? Whatever it is that your character portrays, it should come out from the way you use your voice.
- Technical skills – this is particularly important if you are working as a voice-over actor from home or freelancing. You need to know how to operate a recording software, use the microphone and edit the recording to remove errors, time gaps, background noise, and such.
- Business acumen – if you’re dead set about making a living from voice acting, then you should also understand the business side of things. Whether you do this as a freelancer or with an agent, you have to be aware of the industry, how to network with potential clients, bookkeeping, tax filing, budgeting, and so on.
How Much Do Voice Over Artists Get Paid?
It’s not easy to pinpoint the exact salary of voice over artists. How much you get paid depends on several things, including experience, the type, and size of the project. Gravy For The Brain elaborates that well-known actors doing voice over jobs can earn millions while a new voice over freelancer may only make a few dollars on his first project.
Meanwhile, Indeed shows some interesting figures. According to their website, voice over talents earn around $39,100 per year. There are companies that pay $20 per hour, while others pay $100 per day.
Voice over acting jobs from home, therefore, can get lucrative if you know how to network and market yourself. In the beginning, you’ll spend most of your time auditioning to projects. But as you build yourself up, gain more experience, and put together an impressive portfolio, there’s a good chance of earning good money from it.
Where to Find Voice Over Jobs From Home for Beginners
1. Voices.com
Voices.com calls its agency as the voice marketplace. The agency is quite popular among people needing quality voice over talents, as well as voice-over artists seeking legitimate gigs. They have been around since 2003, and have managed to establish a good reputation between voice actors and their clients.
It’s easy to join Voices.com. You simply sign up on their website, complete your profile, and upload a demo. You’ll then have access to numerous online voice-over gigs posted by clients. You can audition, get in touch with a potential client, and also get paid for your work — everything happens on the platform.
You may or may not take advantage of their premium account for voice over talents. While the free account readily gives you access to lots of jobs, the premium account unlocks even more opportunities and features. However, the cost of the premium account is $499/year, so you might want to keep that in mind before you upgrade.
Voices.com also has a rating system. Clients can rate and review their experience of working with you. If they were pleased and leave a good rating, it will be easier for you to attract the next client.
2. Snap Recordings
Snap Recordings has been around since 1996 and hires people to do voice-overs for businesses, including but not limited to voice prompts, phone greetings and message on holds. They currently have a roster of 100 male and female voice over artists, and occasionally hires to add more. They prefer applicants who are bilingual (English and Spanish).
Voice over talents at Snap Recordings read scripts, records the audio, and then sends the file through the website. Their team of audio experts handles the next stages, such as editing and mixing.
The exact pay that voice over actors at Snap Recordings isn’t published, but some people claim the company pays $10 for the first 100 words of the script, and the pay increases for the next number of words.
3. Voice Bunny
Voice Bunny is a site that matches clients with the right voice talents. They have almost 30,000 voice over artists on their platform, as well as thousands of clients looking for the perfect voice for their brands.
To work for Voice Bunny, you need to create an account, submit your test, and have the test reviewed. If you pass the test, you can start getting jobs. And apart from actively seeking clients, you also obtain wider exposure through bookings (get found through samples in their search engine), contests, and speedies (you will receive notifications on jobs that interest you).
I’ve also read that Voice Bunny is quite picky with the voice actors they hire, so it’s good to give it your best shot in the application process. The upside is that there are no membership fees, so you can look and apply for jobs without the recurring monthly cost. You can also set your own rates and work around your schedule.
4. Mandy Voices
Mandy Voices is like a massive community where you can look for voice over jobs, as well as network and connect with other professionals. It is part of the Mandy Network and primarily caters to voice over jobs in the entertainment industry, such as TV and film. They have over 600,000 creatives on their network.
It looks like Mandy Voices offers quite a comprehensive listing of voice acting roles with its massive employer directory. The website says their job listings are updated every month, often amounting to 6,500 new jobs. You’ll also receive tailored alerts of jobs that match your skills, as well as the opportunity to network with fellow voice over professionals.
5. Voice 123
Voice 123 is the brainchild of husband and wife tandem, Alexander and Tania Torrenegra. Tania wanted to become a voice-over artist, but at that time in 2002, they realized how complicated the casting process was.
So, they built a “marketplace” where voice-over actors could see and be seen, and therefore eliminate the role of middlemen in the casting process. Today, Voice 123 has built a solid reputation for massive voice-over job listings, amounting to hundreds of thousands. The platform also gives clients the liberty to post their jobs and accept applications or pick an artist they deem fit for their projects.
Like Voices.com, Voice123 allows you to sign up for free, and/or later decide to upgrade your membership. The paid membership costs you $395/year and comes with nifty features like the ability to audition to projects while they are open, appearances in searches, and getting project invitations.
6. Earworks Media
Earworks Media is a full-service digital production company that works with advertisers and television production companies in the US. The company produces videos, so they hire creative talents like voice-over professionals.
Earworks has worked with the biggest brands such as Toyota, Chevrolet, Discovery Channel, and Nike, among others. Their website says they have a roster of 200 voice-over professionals ready to work on projects.
To work for Earworks Media, you need to have a home studio set up, some experience behind the microphone, demo in mp3 format, and professional work ethics. You can apply directly to their website by filling up the application form.
7. LinkedIn
Dubbed as the social media for professionals, you should consider building a profile and network at LinkedIn to get voice over jobs. LinkedIn is free to join, and within minutes, you can have a professional profile showcasing your experiences and skills.
The good thing about LinkedIn is that you can network with people in specific industries. So, if you’re interested in working as a voice-over talent for TV animations and films, it makes sense to connect with professionals in the entertainment industry. At LinkedIn, you’ll find marketing managers, creative directors, CEOs, and every important decision-maker. Being on their radar gives you the opportunity to “expose” your talents.
Are You Ready to Make Money with Your Voice?
We may not always be aware, but voice-overs are actually part of our daily lives. We hear them on the phone, on the TV, radio and the internet. They educate and entertain us. But wouldn’t it be exciting to actually be the one doing the voice-overs, instead of the one listening?
And what’s even more remarkable is that voice over jobs from home can make an amazing income. So, if people often point out that you have a great speaking voice, this might be just the right side hustle for you.
Have you tried voice over acting jobs from home? How did it go for you? Let’s connect in the comments below.
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