How to use voiceovers in your elearning

Just as a facilitator can make or break a classroom-based business training program, the right voice acting can be invaluable in taking your elearning content to another level. Typically, people think of elearning as mainly consisting of text and images, but having audio is also essential for your aural learners to absorb the material. In general, a voiceover helps make the content more engaging and memorable to all learners. Most of the elearning we create includes narration, and when you need your elearning to be voiced there are a few things a developer should know.

Have a signed off script

Many voice actors charge per minute of recording, and there may be extra fees depending on how much processing is required after. This means you have to be sure that you keep audio changes to a minimum. If your script isn’t finalized, the amount spent on rerecords will start to pile up the more the VA has to redo. Also, changes aren’t just a matter of recording a single word. In general, the VA will have to rerecord the whole sentence, possibly the whole paragraph, to ensure the change flows naturally.

Know your audience

Generally, you want to keep your training to a conversational tone to be able to connect with your learners and avoid too much jargon. However, depending on the audience or subject matter you’re creating this elearning for, they may expect a more serious or lecture-like style.

Hire professional voice actors

It is tempting to save on budget and record your elearning with the nearest employee on their phone. However, it’s harder than it looks to read out a script and make it sound personable and natural. Scriptwriting is its own field of expertise, and what looks like a normal sentence on paper may sound stilted and unnatural when said out loud.

Professional actors are trained to deliver your words naturally, and in different styles and tones depending on the character of your elearning. Also, having a real recording studio and high quality microphones make a huge difference to the sound quality.

With these simple points in mind, you can create elearning that sounds great, feels right for your content, and will help your learner be engaged and retain the material better.