VO-BB - 19 YEARS OLD!

[Deirdre]

I am not interested in being bombarded by unexpected sound when I visit a website. I want the sound when I call on it-- I don't want to have to turn something OFF. I'll just leave the damned site.

It's not the quality of the voice which is the problem, but the nature of the delivery.

Embedded sound is a turn-off. It is as though the talent is desperate that a visitor won't click somewhere to hear a sample and must thrust it at a visitor.
Don La Fontaine is obviously not in the "desperate" category, but I don't like it when Don La Fontaine does it, either. It's jarring and unpleasant.
_________________
DBCooperVO.com

[Philip Banks]

It takes all sorts of people to make the world go round and it's impossible to please everybody.

[lisaloo]

First, thanks to those who have praised my site. As most of you know, I had the overall theme/concept, but knew I could never execute it myself. So I hired a couple of pros.

But anyhow . . . here's my thinking on the overall VO marketing thing, FWIW:

Always remember that the audience or market we present ourselves to is a

CREATIVE

one.

The people most likely to hire us on any given day are people who are (or at least think they are) creative. Sometimes they are even referred to specifically as "creatives".

They are also human beings just like we are, and lest anyone think they don't judge a book by its cover once in a while, well . . . they do. I think we've all been in studio when someone has said (and not in a nice way), "Look at what I got in the mail yesterday . . . what is this woman THINKING?!" Or, "Did you see this website? Does she seriously think that I'd listen to the demo after seeing her realtor-style headshot?!"

Etc.

At the very least -- and I know you know this or you wouldn't be asking -- the site has to be clean and easy to navigate. But this is a mere 50% of the battle. Beyond that, it should look and operate (in my opinion) as good as anybody else's in the world.

I've always said that there is no Junior Varsity in VO. You're either workin' or you ain't. Even if a fancy website might sometimes act as a smokescreen for a not-so-hot talent, it's all but a given that an underdeveloped or not-fab website will work against even a terrific talent.

I say if you're going to have a website at all, it had better be great. If it isn't, don't have one at all.

If you know what you want to say and know that you can't say it on your own without some help, get some help. Pay for that help. Otherwise you're just wasting the money on hosting and bandwidth and maybe even hurting your chances in the bargain.

I'll bet that there is at least one struggling web designer in your area who would do a great job for not a lot of money just to build his/her client base. Ask around.

In the end, this is no different to my mind than what the demo looks like. If you want to be taken seriously in what is a very competitive business, you simply must make the investment in the very best marketing tools you can afford.

It kinda sucks how much our racket has become a pay-to-play proposition, but there you are. No choice. It's been a lot of years since a person could break in with just his pipes and a good personality -- if that EVER was the case.

Bite the bullet, kiddo. Find someone to help you make the site of your dreams. If the demos live up to the site, you'll make that money back in three months.

Best,

Lisa
Opinionated As Usual

PS: I opted not to stream sound immediately, too. Because I hate it when I visit other sites. Just a personal preference thing, but as a consumer I like to be in control of what's coming at me. I assumed (perhaps in error) that others would, too.

[BBeen]

While I agree that the website has to be clean, and easy to navigate, I disagree with the point that it has to be "Great". Now I am not saying that a completely shoddy or unprofessional website is acceptable. I am simply saying that a web presence is necessary in this business, and a simple site that gets to the point should do the trick.

I also believe that as far as anyones career in any field goes, there is a bit of evolution involved. talent, knowledge, and marketing aspects all evolve over the course of time. My site will evolve as time goes on, as will my talent.

Just my 2 cents, not everybody will be in the 5% that Banksey has mentioned before. But unless one tries and evolves it is never obtainable.

Thanks for all the advice and help given to me by the members of this board. It is greatly appreciated.

[brianforrester]

When it comes to a website... the cold hard reality in this day and age is that if you don's spend the first 5 seconds of a potential client's time wisely... you're done! If it takes more than 5 seconds for a visitor to find either a link to your demos or the demos themselves, they're off to the next site that they just googled and you'll probably never see them again. In all honesty 5 seconds might even be generous.

I know that when I visit a site, if I see that little flash progress bar slowly ticking its way up to 100%, I'm off to the next one! If I hear a big boomin voice fly out of my monitors, I instinctively and rapidly head for the back button... I don't want to have the wits scared out of me just because I came to a site... I want to listen to your demos when I'm good and ready (usually within 5 seconds, but of my own accord none the less).

My personal opinion... I agree with Lisa... make the investment in getting your site done properly, but don't let the web designer push you into adding useless and bandwidth robbing features. Ensure the coding is clean (fast to load), and all of the content is focussed at promoting something that is of paramount importance...YOU!!!

Many web designers want to add bells and whistles and fancy dancy things that go 'wheee.' They want to do this, not for the unswerving devotion to promoting you, but for the shameful purpose of promoting themselves... "Look what I can do! I can write flash programs, install java aplets, embed do dads and make a site that can take 10 seconds to load!"

ARGH!!!!!

Fast loading times, and nothing that doesn't directly and effectively say... "I'm the right guy/gal for the job... and if I'm not... I will be for your next project! Remember me!" (For the right reasons!)

I'm always looking at ways to improve my site, and by no means do I have it figured out yet, but I do try to keep it simple, clean and professional.

My 2 cents worth!
_________________
Brian Forrester Voice Overs
www.brianforrester.com
brian@brianforrester.com
778.668.5715

[lisaloo]

"Great" is in the eye of the beholder, to be sure.

And the point about fast loading is a good one, too. Just like Brian, I have dumped out of more than a few (probably great) sites that ask me to view an intro while the page is loading or whatever. Usually this is due to heavy graphics or video -- stuff that is lovely, but just not necessary for a VO website.

One thing my designer did for me (and I am sure this is available to anyone who knows or uses Flash): my site is set it up so that it detects the connection speed of the visitor on impact. If the speed is too low for Flash, they are automatically (and instantaneously) redirected to a simpler HTML version of the site. They never even know it, unless they've been there before and maybe notice that the images are smaller or something.

This is a pretty groovy trick, I think -- and it covers the bases for folks who might still be plunking along on a 56K connection.

Fast is good.

LL

[mcm]

I've been following this thread with interest, since I'm the one who designed Bud's site and it has changed in the months since I turned the reins over. I think it is getting a little ragged and could be neatened up pretty easily for a crisper look.

The site should look professional, but I agree with Bud that it does not need to be "great" in the sense that I don't think people go to a website to be entertained unless they are actually looking for entertainment (e.g. Comedy Central's website). I have visited literally thousands of websites this year in my VO marketing and I am looking for information -- what does this company do and more specifically, do they use VO in their work. It is unbelievable the number of sites that make it difficult to get the basic information. When people go to a VO website, it should be simple (and I agree with all the posters who frown on being greeted by a voice -- it always startles the heck out of me!).

Having said that, I also agree with Bud that the site evolves as one evolves. For example, maybe today's novice will, in a few years, have a lot to say about how to get started in VO. So he or she might add an education component. -- but still keep the simplicty and ease of navigation. For now, Bud, you might want to remove all those headings that you recently turned into blue links (which are jarring with the red & charcoal color scheme we started with) and just use your Demo navigation tab to get to all those demos. The navigation bar can be tidied and crisped up too -- maybe like Andy's site, which I designed after yours and which I like better because my views had changed a bit and skills improved: http://voiceoverdrew.com

If you want some help with it, just say the word.

[BBeen]

I fear I have done Mary a serious disservice by goofing around with the site on my own. After all she did have a link on her site touting it as one of her examples of sites designed. Mary I owe you a serious apology, and some oranges. I should have left well enough alone. I really liked the original layout of the site but just wanted to change the text. I like the text I have now better. Simple, a bit intriquing and to the point. I will get this cleaned up.


Bud :cry: :oops:

[mcm]

Good grief, no apologies needed -- although I do like that little blushing animation ya got going there.

And since you mentioned it, I do love oranges :wink:

Let me know if you want any help.

[Andy]

For us isn't all supposed to be about the voice? Isn't that what we're selling here? Seems to me ya could put dancin' babes on yer web site, but they ain't gonna sell your pipes. Get 'em to the demos..that's really all ya want to do. Keep it clean, professional and easy.

I broke my fibula on Saturday. I'm on drugs. The good kind. So, I might not be makin' any sense.

[Spacegypsy]

Ow, sorry to hear that Andy.

But you make perfect sense, now what did you say those drugs were again?

[BBeen]

Yes it is about the voice but the eternal question is:

If a voice talent with the perfect voice and perfect delivery is speaking in the wilderness and no one is around to hear him(her) does he(she) make a sound????

[Philip Banks]

No it's not about the voice, Andy!!!! Hearing things on websites is universally repugnant, an outrage to humanity.

Whilst I'm sorry to learn about your accident, in writing what you writ you bring shame to this bored, this voice over profession as a hole and dare I say it, AMERICA!!!

For un/e artiste de la voix sur a web site is about.

1 - Search engine otpimisation
2 - Jpegs
3 - Mpegs
4 - Clothes Pegs
5 - Not mentioning Winnipeg
6 - HTML encoding
7 - Skipping straight to 8
8 - Having a link to 7 on your links page
9 - Including at least 3 images of voice over related items found only on
your site and not in your studio.
10- Ensuring no contact information allows people to get in touch with you
directly - person to person. Email link only.

Item 10 is as important as not having any audio. Producers have nothing better to do than dig for audio and when they eventually find it they will certainly not wish to speak to you in person if you are the voice they need.

All joking aside, whilst we need to learn about the experiences of others it is important that our websites do what we want them to do. Be guided by an experienced web designer but only accept guidance in putting on a site what you want. I once asked a web designer to change the look and feel of my site, the brief was very specific. He sent me an email saying that a preview would be available in 7 days, the cost of the site would be $600. The link to the preview arrived and what I saw was HIS site with my details on it. The interesting part about this is that when I read the "7 day" comment I telephoned my site host and told him what I wanted to do. He called me back an hour later to tell me the job was done and I owed him $50.

Particularly in our field be very careful when sharing an opinion about another person's web site. The insecurities we uncover while providing demo feedback also cross over to web sites too. Say it once but think twice before you say it is not a bad rule. Do you have to justify your website to me? No, never. Assuming you have a clearly defined goal for it, is your website doing what you want it to do? Yes, then leave it alone. No? Find out why. In the postings above, including mine, you will find some useful notes but you will also find too many opinions and few concrete facts. You need the latter if something is to be fixed.

[Andy]

I've been to Winnipeg once. So, I should put that on my page, right?

And Kat, they've got me on Vicadan (sp?)

[Philip Banks]