vo buyers best practices
RESPECT THE VOICE OF YOUR BRAND
VO Buyer guide
Need to add a VoiceOver to your project?
Here’s some information to help you decide
Not sure whether you should hire a human or use a synthetic AI voice?
Quick and easy may sound enticing, but when your company or clients long term reputation is on the line, it pays to plan ahead and make a conscious and educated decision about whether to use a human or AI voice. Â
01
Know Where and How the Voice Will Be Used

What is the Usage?
Before you pick a voice (human or AI) get clear on the scope of use (otherwise known as usage.) Where will the voice play? For how long? In what markets? Will it be posted only on a company’s socials or shared as part of a paid social media campaign? These are only a small handful of questions that need to be answered before hiring a voice. This info is essential for setting fair terms.
02
Think About Emotion and Nuance

Need a voice that tugs at heartstrings, delivers a laugh, or brings a character to life? That’s where human voice actors shine. AI can do a lot but it struggles with nuanced emotional reads that audiences connect with.
03
Consider Your Timeline
Do you have a tight deadline? AI can help you crank out a voiceover quickly and cheaply but not always correctly or the way you want it as a client. Most voice actors have home studios and can also offer fast turnaround. Many times, a human can make the requested adjustments in real time and get you the exact read you want in less time than it takes to continually prompt and regenerate an AI voice.Â
04
Consider Your Budget and Brand Values
An inexpensive synthetic voice could make an ad feel impersonal or even cheap, and that may not be how you want the brand perceived.
Additionally, new laws are going into place that require labeling of AI generated content. The choice to use an AI voice may very well lead to reputational harm of your brand. AI voice generation may have a low cost of entry but constant prompting and iteration uses tokens and can inflate the cost quickly. With a human voice actor, you can negotiate all costs up front so there are no surprises or hidden overage charges. Â
05
Don’t Overlook Legal and Ethical Issues

As state and federal laws are being implemented and lawsuits play out, the AI voice you use today could be illegal tomorrow. Additionally, AI generated content cannot be copyrighted so it is possible that you may not own the voice in a commercial you have paid for. Â
In addition, certain states such as Texas, Illinois, California, and New York, have new laws protecting artists rights and regulating how a digital replica can be created and used. You could inadvertently create a voice from someone who lives in a state where the creation of a digital replica may be illegal or strongly regulated. Â
06
Planning for Multiple Languages? 

Trying to reach audiences in different regions or languages? Human voice actors can localize content with cultural know-how and authenticity that AI often misses. Inadvertent cultural disrespect due to a bad AI translation and localization can be devastating to your brand and company. Â
07
Want the Option to Tweak Things Later?

Real voice actors can take direction and adjust tone, timing, or emphasis to match your vision in real time. AI can make revisions quickly, but not always accurately.
08
Keep It Transparent and Respectful
Ignorance is not an excuse. Trusting an AI company to ensure the voice you are using was created with full consent and control of the human voice actors behind it puts you at risk. Using an AI voice in a public facing project or campaign could lead to claims of misuse or breach of Right Of Publicity Laws. Using a human voice ensures that you know the source of any voice that is being used to represent your project or brand and that you have clear and transparent language the covers the approved use of that voice. Â
09
Brand Consistency
A human voice actor can become your brand’s voice, familiar, trustworthy, and aligned with your values. That connection builds loyalty. But they might not be available for quick edits.
AI voices platforms are widely available and easily accessible. The downside? If other companies use the same synthetic voice, your brand can sound like everyone else. Additionally, relying on an external company exposes you to the risk of the company going out of business or the voice being removed from their platform. You may lose your trusted brand voice without any warning or recourse.Â
10
Collaboration and Creative Input
Voice actors perform, they bring scripts to life, offer ideas, and adjust on the fly. It takes human collaboration, and the result feels real. AI is fast but in your limited control with no collaboration. Many times it won’t catch awkward phrasing or add emotion, it just reads what you type and can often mispronounce names, and industry-specific terms.
