Voiceover
A voiceover is narration recorded separately and laid over a video's pictures, rather than spoken by someone on camera. It suits product demos, screen recordings and explainer ads, where the visuals carry the content and the voice guides attention. It is also the easiest element to localise, because the picture can stay the same.
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Voiceover or on-camera presenter?
| Choose voiceover when | Choose a presenter when |
|---|---|
| The product is visual or on screen | Trust and personality are the sale |
| You need many language versions | The format is UGC or testimonial |
| The footage already exists | The placement is a creator-style feed |
Writing for voice
- Write as people speak: short sentences, contractions, no lists of features.
- Time the script to the cut. Roughly match the words to what is on screen at that moment.
- Leave space. A voice talking over every frame tires the viewer.
- Caption it. Most feed viewing begins muted.
Synthetic voices
AI-generated voices are widely used for ads. Several platforms have introduced rules for labelling realistic AI-generated or altered media, and those rules change; check each platform's current policy. Never use a synthetic copy of a real person's voice without their permission.
Questions
- Should I use an AI voice or a human voice?
- AI voices are faster and easier to localise. Human voices can carry more nuance. Either way, follow platform rules on synthetic media and never clone a real person's voice without permission.