In a world full of noise and everyone is scrambling to be heard.
So, how do we set our content apart?
Answer = we use the power of sound to our full advantage.
When we think about sound, we don’t just think about the physical, sonic tones presented. Upon hearing a sound, you can be transported back to a memory, a smell, a place or even a particular person that may materialise in your mind.
The relationship between sound and emotion has become a vast subject of academic research and exploration. There’s something about a sound that can evoke a wave of nostalgia in all of us.
Additionally, the advancement of affordable production tools and video maker apps has provided a noticeable increase in the creation of video and animated content that is missing arguably one of the most critical and potent connections to their audience: a human voice.
Small marketing companies offering low priced or even fixed price content creation at reduced rates keep costs down by not including actors or voice-over. Some will even justify removing voice as an added frivolous luxury that adds only minimal value. Hence the commoditization, and race to the bottom on prices for voice-over on many freelancing platforms.
Any business owner or marketer hopes their content will go viral, and of course, there are plenty of examples of viral videos without voice-overs. Take the John Lewis Christmas ads. They succeeded in capturing the nation's hearts but were also noticeably devoid of captions—visual storytelling at its best.
However, if your story needs a narrative, you must be sure that the script alone is compelling. The voice-over then brings out the intended emotions in the audience: surprise, joy, sadness etc.
The vital importance of sound
There is no denying it in this age of social media—subtitling services and accessibility services are also a growing necessity.
We are the 'scrolling generation', wanting quick, fast media served to us as we juggle our busy lives, and who can blame us? We have a million and one things to do and places to be. We don't always have the time to stop and listen. Sometimes we need to consume our information on the move, and a glance at a phone and text on the screen will suffice.
However, in this ever-changing world, how much do we lose in our increasingly impersonal culture?
Subtitles provide us with the information directly. They are easy. Do you want the info? Bam! You got it. Everything out there in front of you ready to digest. But what about the feeling, the sentiment and the story behind the words?
One of the most notable examples to draw upon would be those ever-so familiar Mark's and Spencer's food advertisements.
Of course, the hot, oozing chocolate pudding being drenched in smooth, rich cream looks appealing (I mean, we're only human, right?). But take away the voice-over's husky, sensual tones, and its power is diminished.
The voice talent's enticing tone of voice depicts a sense of longing and desire for the food, and there is no denying that this feeling transfers to the viewer.
It is contagious, it is simple, and it is so undeniably effective.
I have on many occasions found myself watching one of those adverts with a full stomach after a huge meal, not able to entertain the idea of fitting in another morsel. But low and behold, that voice soothes out of my television, and suddenly I have room for more.
The role of the voice-over here isn’t just to describe the visual to us but to take us on a journey throughout those 15 seconds of your valuable time, making us feel that we are there in the moment.
We are allowed to reminisce about how we felt the last time we ate what was being shown to us, remember how it tasted, how it smelt, and who we were with.
A snippet of text at the foot of the screen cannot replicate that emotion.
Nostalgia – It’s in all of us
A project incurs an array of costs and expenditures along the way, and it can be a challenge to keep within budget. Of course, it’s no doubt then that businesses may look to areas where they can make cuts and keep spending to a minimum. But when looking to shave off some cost, it begs the question, what do we lose from doing so?
One area to consider a loss in, and something we touched upon earlier, would be that we as human beings love nostalgia. We are constantly making memories throughout our lives that we endeavour to hold on to them.
Look around you. It’s impossible not to see someone with a phone in hand snapping pictures. We capture images of every part of our lives; a great meal, a family holiday, a reunion between friends, that extra special cup of coffee that gave us life that morning. We do this to preserve memories and capture beautiful moments, and it’s no surprise that we look to do this in other areas of our lives.
Taking away voice can take away our ability to connect with the visual in this way.
Recount the times you’ve sat with friends discussing that one TV advert you watched as a child that holds a special place in your heart.
Reflect on this, and you will most likely find it’s not those words across the bottom of the screen that you remember. It’s the amusing voice we hear or the emotional music that gave us that spine-tingling feeling.
It’s the personal touch that gives a vibrant, human side to a story.
When looking at advertising as an example, then, these moments don’t just attract customers to a company but also encourage a long-term relationship—a connection that grows with the client’s faith in the reputation and reliability of the business.
The Rise of Audio
The exploitation of audio on new technology form factors is increasing rapidly, particularly evident in the growing popularity of voice technology within the home.
Estimates from Canalys, a leading technology market analyst, show that voice and audio consumerism is rising, with Smart speaker sales up 137% year on year in the third quarter of 2018.
Devices such as the Amazon Alexa and Google Home have become a staple in the household, as the very nature of how our home life operates is evolving.
So what does it boil down to?
We all need to connect. And this goes double if you're trying to grow a customer or fanbase.
A few well-spoken words in your content allow for lingering thoughts and feelings to arrive at a natural conclusion and for the audience to take subconscious ownership.
Society is ever-evolving, and we need to cater to a wide variety of audiences worldwide. We cater to the stretched company exec, the overwhelmed student, the parent dashing between appointments, and so on.
Speak to them, human to human. A professional voice-over talent doubles your audience's engagement with the content—two eyes and two ears. Every day we are helping companies worldwide to achieve more sales, more followers and more awareness. Get in touch to have a chat with our team.
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