How to do Voiceovers for Product Demo Videos like an Expert

So you want your voiceovers to be pitch-perfect? Read on to find out how everyday video editors and small business owners like yourself can record quality voice overs for product demo videos like pros. In this straightforward guide to voiceovers, we’ll detail how to make your video editing and demo videos even more effective by adding a voiceover, so you get to work selling items online faster.

Here’s what you’ll learn (and more!): 

• What is a voiceover?

• What is a demo?

• How is a voiceover different from narration?

• Why is a quality voiceover important for video marketing?

• How to do voiceovers?

• How to script a voiceover for a product demo video?

• What equipment do I need to make voiceover videos?

• Can I record a voiceover with my iPhone?

• The best software for voiceovers

What is a voiceover?

A voiceover is the act (or the art!) of speaking or narrating over a video when the speaker is not present on the screen. When it comes to video marketing, a voiceover is key to creating an effective product demo video. 

What is a demo?

Short for demonstration, a demo video shows how your product works by showing it in action. Product demo videos are an effective way to communicate your product's value to potential customers.

How is a voiceover different from narration?

While all narration is a voiceover, not all voice overs are narration. 

Stay with us here… 

A voice-over-recording aka ‘voiceover’ is a person speaking (but not seen) during a video. They’re often explaining or describing what the viewer is seeing on screen to add more content to the visuals. Whereas narration is a specific voiceover that details all of the on-screen action, like telling a story—often used for instructional and educational videos. 

For your demo video, you might use both voiceover and narration techniques.

Read more on How to Create Voice Overs for Video.

Why is a quality voiceover important for video marketing?

Sure you want to have slick visuals, but most viewers are going to stop watching your video if the audio is terrible vs having lower-quality visuals. Audio is just as if not more important than a video’s visuals. Google says “over 50% of internet users looked for videos related to a product or service before visiting a store.”

Let’s not frustrate our potential customers with muffled or muddy voiceovers, instead, let’s get them interested and engaged in your product video and product demo to sell items online and help boost sales. 

Check out our blog on How to Make Product Videos for Shopify to Increase Sales. 

How to do voiceovers? 

Here’s how to best add your voice (or someone else’s) to a video: 

First up, you don’t need to hire a professional voice talent to achieve a good voice over, but there are a few essentials to remember. 

• Audio clarity and volume

Make sure the quality of the audio is clear and at a comfortable volume.

• Pacing

Slow down, cowboy, it’s not a race to the finish line. You need to pace your voice so it’s not too fast (or too slow). Do this by listening to the breathing and pausing occasionally to take a breath and give the listener time to take in the important information you’re sharing. 

• Pronunciation

Mumblers beware, ensure you pronounce each word correctly and clearly. While a regional accent is inevitable for some, do your best to speak clearly and sound words in a natural yet intentional manner.

• Vocal tone and pitch

Your audience can become tone-deaf quickly if your tone and pitch are off. Just like with pacing, you want to speak naturally, while also being friendly—but not to the extent it comes off as fake or forced. Unless you’re the host of Wheel of Fortune, cool it on the puns. While you’re there, remember to also avoid sounding too monotone or robotic. Just speak as if you were explaining something genuinely interesting to a friend.

Tip: The best product demo videos acknowledge their audience’s key questions and concerns and walk them step by step through the product, demonstrating to viewers the product functionality and features.

How to script a voiceover for a product demo video?

Here’s where you spend some time planning your video and writing the script for your product demo. Ask yourself what’s the value proposition of your product?

Answer these questions like you’re explaining the product for the first time: 

• How does the product help solve customer problems and improve their lives?

• What benefits does it have?

• How does the product differ from others on the market?

Then, get started on your script by turning your value proposition into your storyline. If you want to quickly visualize your product demo video, try creating a simple storyboard to help plot it out and devise your script. 

Tip: Remember, even though the product might be the star of the show, your goal is to influence your customers so they can see what’s in it for them.

What equipment do I need to make voiceover videos? 

Well, the most obvious, a microphone! A good USB microphone can be purchased for under $100, and if you plan on doing regular voiceovers, it’s worth the investment. 

Aside from a mic, you’ll want a nice quiet place to work. No need to pad out a soundproof room in your office—just be mindful of any ambient sounds like your air conditioner, birds chirping or co-workers putting the coffee pot on. Nowhere is going to be totally silent, but find what works—maybe it’s recording in your car or booking out a meeting room at the far end of your office. 

Can I record a voiceover with my iPhone?

If your smartphone is in good shape, your phone microphone is definitely an option, as an external mic is always preferable to using your inbuilt computer or laptop mic. You’ll get better results with any external mic, even a low-cost one. 

The best software for voiceovers

There’s no shortage of options for affordable software to record audio. The most popular players on the market are Adobe Audition, Audacity, Pro Tools, Logic and Garageband (but use GarageBand to record on your iPhone, not your laptop or desktop). 

And, don’t forget Clipchamp’s free online AI voice over generator—using artificial intelligence technology to turn text into speech! This tool is the best way to record a consistent voice over, especially if you need the narrator to have a particular accent, Clipchamp’s AI voiceover allows several professional voice overs suitable for a range of industries and regions. 

Got bank? Here’s where to hire voice over actors

If your budget permits, you absolutely can seek out a professional voice over actor to help you nail the perfect voice over. If Morgan Freeman isn’t available, check out freelancer and classified platforms such as Fiverr and Craigslist. 

Now you’re ready to make epic product videos with sharp audio to keep your audience engaged and boost sales from new potential customers. Sign up for Clipchamp today to access our AI voice over generator as well as easy to use video editing tools and stock footage library to make your product demos better than ever!