The VO Pro Blog

AI voices are here—and they’re not THAT awful. So where does that leave you as a professional voice actor?

In this post, we break down exactly how to position yourself to beat AI voices and stay booked in an industry that’s changing fast. If you’ve felt the fear, the doubt, or that pit-in-your-stomach moment when you heard a robot that sounded “pretty good”… this is the video you need to watch.

👉 Discover what clients still crave that AI can’t replicate

👉 Learn how to stand out, not shrink back

👉 Stop marketing like it’s 2016 and start booking like a pro in 2025

This isn’t panic. It’s strategy.

Download The (Free) Voice Actor’s Guide to Positioning Against AI: https://welcome.vopro.pro/ai-positioning-guide

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Want to get booked more from social media — without going viral, dancing on TikTok, or posting random mic pics?

In this post, I’m breaking down the 4 content types that actually attract voiceover clients. These aren’t trends or fluff — they’re based on strategy that works in the real world.

If you’re serious about growing your VO business online, this is your playbook.

You’ll learn:

• What to post (and what to stop posting)

• How to build trust with content

• The #1 shift that turns views into bookings

Whether you’re using Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, or YouTube, these VO social media tips will help you promote your voiceover business with confidence and clarity.

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If you believe that marketing your voiceover business means becoming a sleazy salesperson or shouting “Hire me!” into the ether—you’ve been sold the wrong story.

Voiceover is packed with insanely talented people who genuinely care about their craft. But when it comes to marketing, most of them shut down. They ghost social media, avoid email outreach like the plague, and hope their demo will magically do all the talking.

So if marketing gives you the ick, keep reading. Because I’m about to flip everything you think you know on its head—and show you how to grow your VO business in a way that feels natural, aligned, and genuinely enjoyable.

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You’ve probably landed here because, somewhere along the line, you heard one of three things:

1. “You’ve got a great voice! You should be a voice actor.”

2. “You can have a profitable voice acting business in 90 days!”

3. “All you need is a mic and a closet.”

And now you’re staring at your screen asking yourself: Is voice acting right for me?

Alright, if you’re new here, my name is Paul and I’m a long-time voice actor and VO business coach, and I don’t sugarcoat shit. This isn’t The Shiny, Happy VO Blog. This is real world advice from someone who has success and wants you to succeed. So if you want smoke blown up your ass, this is not the place for you.

Yes, voice acting is a phenomenal, creative, fulfilling, empowering career.

But it’s also mind-bogglingly hard, uncertain, competitive, and sometimes glorified by people trying to sell you a shitty course, and bad demo, and a dream.

So buckle up. It’s reality check time.

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The first time AI voices started sounding halfway decent, a lot of voice actors had the same reaction. That sinking feeling. The one that starts as a whisper in the back of your mind: Is this going to take me out?

For years, synthetic voices were a joke. Robotic, choppy, completely lifeless. Nobody took them seriously. Then something changed. The tech improved. AI voices started sounding more human. More natural. Some of them could even express emotions—at least in a way that fooled casual listeners.

Suddenly, AI wasn’t just a novelty. It was a tool that companies were actually using to replace human talent.

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If there’s one question every new single solitary voice actor asks starting out it’s this: How much should I charge?

If you're just starting out, the answer isn’t as simple as “pick a number and hope for the best.” Rates in voiceover aren’t arbitrary; they’re based on industry standards, market value, and, crucially, your level of experience.

So let’s break this down the right way, because guessing—or even worse, undercharging—can do more damage than you think.

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Why would anyone in their right mind PASS on a $1.1 million audition?

And Paul, aren’t you the one always beating us over the head with, “Stand up for pro rates, “Know your worth,” “Make it worth your time,” and on and on?

First of all, who ever said I was in my right mind?

Secondly, I absolutely beat the drum of “Stand up for pro rates, “Know your worth,” and “Make it worth your time.”

So why did I pass on a 1.1 million-dollar commercial audition? Why did I not even take a swing? Have I stroked out? Lost my marbles? Has Pauly’s Little Choo-Choo gone around the bend?

Today I’m going to lay out for you exactly why it took me less than two minutes to pass on this opportunity, and why… maybe…you should have, too.

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So, you’ve decided to get into voiceover. Whether you’ve decided you want to do this as a career or just looking to make some cash on the side, you need gear.

But not just any gear. The RIGHT gear. Because no one wants to overspend on a mic that makes you sound like you’re recording in a rest stop bathroom.

Lucky for you, I’m here to guide you through the maze of audio equipment and get you set up for success.

What I’m not going to do is put links in the description and show notes. I’m not tryingto sell you gear. But I will list the gear I’m talking about here.

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You’ve probably heard about “cold emailing” and thought, That’s just spam, right? Or maybe the idea of bothering someone with an unsolicited email gives you flashbacks to awful networking mixers where everyone exchanges business cards and fake smiles.

Whatever the reason, I get it—cold emailing feels like uncharted territory for a lot of voice actors.

But here’s the truth: it’s how I built my 6-figure VO business.

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You have the passion, the talent, and the excitement to kill it into the world of voiceover. But there is more to success in this industry than having a smooth voice and good gear.

Voiceover is a mix of artistry, business, and endurance. It requires strategy, dedication, and a commitment to long-term growth. To make it past the early stages and build a career that lasts, you need to master eight critical resources. These go beyond tangible items and touch on things that will define your mindset, workflow, and resilience.

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Voice acting is an art, but landing clients? That’s a science—and one that can feel like a unicorn hunt if you don’t have the right tools in your box.

Sure, word of mouth, referrals, and P2P and gig sites are all fine and well, but if you’re serious your business and about building a steady stream of clients, scalable lead generation and outreach is a strategy and skill you have to develop.

I’ve tried a lot of different lead generation tools out there. Some are better than others. Whether you’re new to generating your own leads or looking to level-up, in this post, I’m going to break down the top lead generation tools that can help you grow your business.

But this is not just a list—I’ll take you through their strengths, weaknesses, and why they matter in the context of your work. Let’s count them down.

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Today we sit down with Casting Director, VO Coach, voice actor, and head of Voiceover Activate, Libby Clearfield. Libby shares her journey from theater to voiceover, her experiences in casting, and the challenges and rewards of freelancing. She also chats about the impact of AI in the industry, the importance of following directions in auditions, the value of community among voice actors, the significance of building relationships and maintaining professional standards in voiceover work.

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The fact is your dream client is searching online right now for someone with your exact skills. Maybe they need a voice actor who can crush their e-learning project. They type a few words into Google. Boom—pages of results.

But where are you? Not page one. Not page two. You’re somewhere way down in the witness protection program of search results where no one ever sees or hears you.

That’s why SEO matters. SEO is Search Engine Optimization. It’s about showing up where your clients are already looking.

So, let’s talk about the things you can do—simple, approachable strategies that even the busiest freelancer can tackle.

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Alright, let’s talk about the mental game of going full-time as a freelancer. I’m talking about the shifts that take you from “Hey, I’m doing this voiceover thing on the side” to “This is what I do. Period.”

The mindset stuff is just as gritty and real as all the tangible things you’re already doing to make the work happen. But the mental side is where you’ll make or break yourself long-term.

Let’s walk through the shifts that get you from being part-time to owning this path full-time and for good.

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