5 Tips for Recording a Great Voice Over on TikTok
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Examples of videos doing an excellent job using voice overs
Many TikTok videos include compelling voice overs, but they’re so natural you may not even give them a second thought. Voice overs are simple to record in TikTok, but it can be intimidating to try it out for the first time! That’s why today on the blog, I’m diving into exactly how you can record a great voice over on TikTok.
Video Types for Voice Overs
Voice overs are used for a variety of video types and can be effective for businesses in any industry. Here are some examples of videos that often utilize voice overs:
Cooking or baking
A day in the life
Everything I eat in a day
DIY projects
Timelapses
How to Record a Voice Over
Logistically, recording a voiceover is straightforward. Follow these steps:
Upload your video or record video directly in the app. Either option is fine! Lately, I’m hearing rumors that TikTok’s mysterious algorithm is prioritizing videos filmed natively in the app, so keep that in mind.
On the editing screen, tap the microphone icon labeled “Audio Editing.” You’ll find it toward the bottom of the list on the right (sometimes they move it or rename it, so keep your eyes peeled).
Tap the record button and record your voiceover.
Check the box for “replace original sound with recording.” The only time I’d recommend keeping the original sound is if it serves a purpose–for example, a cooking video where your viewer will enjoy the sounds of eggs cracking, burners firing, etc. Otherwise, that original sound is just background noise.
Hit save.
Proceed to edit and post your video as usual.
Tips for Great Voice Overs
Now let’s get into the juicy part: great voiceovers. There are a lot of mediocre voiceovers out there–poor sound quality, mumbly narration, too much background noise. Here are my best tips for making your voice over stand out.
Consider what you want to say beforehand. You don’t necessarily need to write a script (that’s too formal for TikTok’s vibe), but you do need to have a clear idea of what you want to get across. Off the cuff ramblings aren’t that helpful or interesting.
Don’t put on a fake voice that doesn’t sound like you–there’s no need to pretend to be Morgan Freeman. Just be yourself.
Speak clearly and confidently, enunciating your words so your viewer can understand them. If you can record it all in one take, that’s even better as it helps you sound natural! You can try a few times to get it right, but there’s no need to record 18 times until it’s perfect.
It’s a balancing act–don’t speak so slowly that people get bored and scroll away, but don’t speak so fast that people can’t follow what you’re saying. And when you record, don’t sit too far away from the microphone or hold it way too close to your mouth.
Before you post, use the built-in functionality to add captions so it is accessible.
To learn more about TikTok content creation and strategy, check out these blog posts:
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