Why the most popular choice isn’t always the best one

Why blindly choosing the best-known voice is a pitfall

When companies go in search of a voice, they often fall back on names they’ve heard hundreds of times before. That feels safe, but it’s also risky. A voice that can be heard on every street corner loses its persuasive power. Listeners quickly associate that sound with a bank, a supermarket or a car brand, causing your specific message to be completely drowned out. It’s better to choose a voice that suits your brand’s character, rather than the one that just happens to be at the top of the lists.

The menu metaphor: steak and chips in a fish restaurant

Think of a restaurant’s menu. Steak and chips is a safe choice and almost everyone likes it. But if you’re in a specialist fish restaurant, you wouldn’t order that. It’s the same with voices. A popular voice-over artist who’s perfect for a snappy radio advert will be completely out of place in a sensitive video for the healthcare sector. Voices like Gwenny’s, for example, are specifically chosen by healthcare-related companies because they sound natural and familiar. Kirsten, on the other hand, has a very soft and friendly tone of voice that’s perfectly suited to a younger audience. Tailor the voice to the context, not to popularity polls.

What to look out for when selecting the right voice

To find the right match, you need to look beyond the first demo you come across. When listening to voice-over artists, pay attention to the following elements:

1. Natural speech and timbre: Does the voice sound forced, or does the voice actor speak as if they were sitting at the kitchen table? A voice like Gitta’s, for example, sounds very approachable - like a warm, down-to-earth woman with clear diction.
2. The voice actor’s versatility: Can the voice switch between a businesslike tone and a warm, personal approach? Experienced voices such as Machteld, a quadrilingual voice actress with over 15 years’ experience, prove that experience translates into flexibility.
3. Credibility: Does the voice’s character align with your company’s values? Johfrah, for example, sounds very warm and immediately exudes trust and credibility.

A director’s tip from studio practice

As a voice director, I see it happen every day during recordings: the stress is in the wrong place because the scriptwriter hasn’t taken the voice actor’s breathing into account. My most important tip is simple: always read your script aloud beforehand with a stopwatch in hand. Where you need to breathe, there should be a comma or a full stop. If a voice actor runs out of breath, credibility is lost, no matter how experienced the voice actor is. A good voice actor like Kristien, who is renowned for her excellent language skills, gets the most out of a well-written, rhythmic script.

How a wide range makes all the difference to your production

With 92 publicly available voices on our platform, there’s absolutely no reason to settle for a voice that’s just not quite good enough. Whether you’re looking for a voice in Danish, German, English, French, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish or specifically a Flemish voice-over, you’ll always find the right match. For French-speaking Belgium, for example, Veronique is a popular voice-over artist who can switch effortlessly between a dynamic and a soft tone. The key is that the voice resonates with your specific target audience and region, without sounding forced.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if a voice suits my brand?

Don’t just listen to the demos for technical quality; pay particular attention to the emotion the voice evokes. Ask yourself whether this person could represent your company during a live presentation. Credibility and the right tone are always more important than a well-known name.

Can a single voice artist record in different languages?

Yes, some experienced voice artists are multilingual. Machteld is an excellent example of this. She is quadrilingual and has over 15 years’ experience in the field, which makes her highly versatile for international projects without compromising on quality.

Why are follow-up and service so important at a voice-over agency?

Prompt and accurate delivery prevents delays in your production. Clients such as Stijn and Pieter often emphasise in their reviews that prompt delivery and direct communication with the team behind the scenes are at least as important as the talent of the voice itself in achieving a perfect result.

Choosing the right voice is, and always will be, a specialist skill. Don’t be tempted by the easiest option; instead, look for the voice that truly enhances your story. Feel free to contact us for personalised advice or take a look straight away at the options for a Flemish voice-over. We’d be happy to help you find the voice that truly suits your brand.