What is narrated podcasting? How can it help your business? Do you need it for a successful podcast? How does a voice actor fit into the mix? All these questions are where we started when we, the Mr. Thrive team, started thinking about the benefits of narrated podcasting.
In this Mr. Thrive blog, we’re here to share our thoughts with you, so you can benefit from narrated podcasting. The influence of podcasting in the world of business has amplified the need to create a stellar podcast. Read on to learn how narrated podcasting can help you achieve that goal.
What Is Narrated Podcasting?
Before we jump into the benefits of narrated podcasting and hiring voice actors to create your podcast, it’s time to define narrated podcasting. Narrated podcasting is the creation of a podcast with a set script, which is then read by a professional voice actor or podcast host. It takes the guesswork out of creating each new episode.
All types of podcasts can benefit from narrated podcasting. It makes it easier to manage each episode and feel confident in the content you’re creating. If you’re a busy business owner, hiring a voice actor to create your narrated podcast takes the work of the podcast off your desk.
The Benefits of Scripted Podcasts
There are two facets of narrated podcasting: the benefits of the scripts and the benefits of hiring voice actors. To begin, let’s take a walk through the benefits of scripted podcasts. These three key reasons make it clear just how helpful a podcast script can be in easing your work as a podcaster.
3. Guaranteed Thorough Episodes
When you record a podcast episode, you have a list of points you want to touch on and remember. We are all, however, only human, and we forget things. When you have a script for your podcast you can ensure everything is included that you meant to include.
2. Long-Term Podcast Planning
One question folks often have when they’re starting their introductory podcast episodes is, where is it going to go? What’s the end goal for your podcast? Do you have specific content aspirations? When you have scripts for episodes, and ideally a number of scripts planned ahead, it makes it easier to plan for future content direction.
1. Content Reflection Opportunities
When you’re in the middle of a podcast episode and you’re speaking off the cuff, there’s no time to make corrections. This can be helped by pre-recording episodes, but why not nip that risk in the bud from the start? With narrated podcasting, you can do exactly that. You can write a script, read over it, share it with others, and make sure it’s exactly as you’d like it to be.
6 Perks of Hiring Podcast Voice Actors
Hiring podcast voice actors adds to the growing benefits list of narrated podcasting. When you hire a voice actor, you’re getting the best voice for your show. These six perks of hiring podcast voice actors showcase how helpful it is to have a voice actor take your script and make it incredible.
6. Engaging Auditory Content
The goal of every podcast is to engage with listeners and build a loyal following in your audience. Engaging auditory content is the key to that goal. There are many poorly made podcasts out there. Sometimes voices fall flat. Sometimes the conversation runs dry. With narrated podcasting, you don’t have to worry about those potential problems.
With narrated podcasting, between your voice actor and the script perfected before recording, your podcast will be polished from head to toe. Not too polished though, it’ll be conversational, with the lending of a professional voice to guide the tone.
5. Consistency for Listeners
The best podcasts are the ones listeners return to time and again. One way to give listeners a reason to return is with a consistent voice and podcast atmosphere. Hiring a voice actor and investing in narrated podcasting gives you that consistency.
Sure, anyone can voice a podcast over and over again, to give it the same voice. When you have a voice actor, however, you’re consistently getting the highest quality voice as that consistent sound. Listeners want a podcast that sounds natural, like a conversation they can slip into. Voice actors provide that level of comfortable, engaging consistency.
4. Increased Accessibility
Podcast accessibility can be a hard line to walk. There’s a lot to think about, from providing closed captioning to creating content that is accessible to everyone, no matter their abilities. Hiring a voice actor takes care of one crucial aspect of podcast accessibility: a crisp tone of voice.
A professional voice actor can make your content clear and concise. This makes it easier for any hearing person to listen to your podcast. Additionally, when you work with a podcast production company to hire a voice actor, that company can help in other aspects of increasing accessibility.
3. Reduced Stress
Stress reduction will come about from all the other perks of hiring podcast voice actors on this list. It’s so important, however, that it deserves its own spot! Running a business is a stressful venture. Even if you love everything about your chosen field, there are going to be days that are tasking. There are also the general stressors of being fully responsible for the business.
When you can take something off your to-do list and trust it to be taken care of, it’s a major stress reliever. Hiring a voice actor for narrated podcasting does just that. You can trust your podcast to be well-managed without taking time from your busy days.
2. Sound Quality
Sound quality is one of those aspects of creating a podcast that can make or break a show. It’s all about having the right studio, snuffing out background noise, and having the right voice. If you’re new to podcasting those are foreign concepts to work your way through. For a voice actor, it’s old hat.
Hiring a voice actor immediately takes care of the need for the right voice. These folks are trained and they choose their line of work because their voices are perfect for acting purposes. When you hire your voice actors through Mr. Thrive Media, we take care of the other sound quality needs for you.
1. Efficient Time Usage
One of the most pressing problems of being a business owner is the lack of time to do everything on your to-do list. You’re thinking about budgeting, staffing, and promoting your business–including podcast promotion–daily. How will you find time to create a podcast? With narrated podcasting, the answer is easy: you don’t have to find the time!
When you hire a voice actor for narrated podcasting, all you have to do is approve a script. It can be written for you, like blogs for podcasts. Once you approve it, it’s in the hands of the voice actor and your podcast producer, to be ready-made and made live with ease.
Frequently Asked Questions About Scripted and Narrated Podcasts
Our answers to these frequently asked questions provide further insight into the intricacies of narrated podcasting. Podcasts in the digital ecosystem take up space in the form of storytelling, and these questions address that form of communication. From the act of storytelling in narration to the voice of a podcast, read on.
Can You Do Storytelling On a Podcast?
Yes, the art of storytelling is, in fact, the best way to create a podcast. When you tell a story you’re creating a narrative that listeners will want to engage with more than any other form of communication.
How Do You Voice a Podcast?
There are a few ways to voice a podcast:
- By yourself
- With yourself and co-hosts
- With guests
- With a voice actor
All of these options work in different ways. If you’re looking to create a podcast, save time, and make a polished product, hiring a voice actor is the best option.
What Does a Narrator Do In a Podcast?
In a podcast, the narrator is responsible for framing and telling the story. It’s the task of the narrator to make each episode engaging. They do this with their tone, the words they choose, and the emphasis they add.
What are the Three Main Elements of a Narrative?
The three main elements of a narrative are:
- Exposition
- Rising action
- Climax
These terms are most commonly heard in reference to narratives in books and other story-driven works. They also apply to podcasts. The exposition is the topic introduction. The rising action comes along as you tell the story. The climax is the main point, the point you drive home as the focal point of the episode.
Scripted and Narrated Podcasts: Find the Voice of Your Podcast
Narrated podcasting takes the work of podcasting away, leaving you with only the benefits. If you’re curious about narrated podcasting, reach out to Mr. Thrive Media, and take advantage of our free digital ecosystem audit, available through October 14, 2023. We’ll analyze your digital ecosystem and tell you if narrated podcasting is the right fit for you.