By Brittany Bissell

Online videos are an increasingly popular way to communicate. But many organizations are overlooking one of the most powerful tools in video — the voiceover.

Around seven out of 10 Americans use social media to connect with one another, according to the Pew Research Center.  A Cisco study says online videos will account for more than 82 percent of consumer internet traffic by 2022. 

If you’ve ever watched local or national TV news, you’ve encountered voiceovers. Reporters use them often to help deliver clear, concise stories. 

Using a voiceover provides several advantages to creating an online video.

A voiceover helps connect the story elements together  

A voiceover enables the narrator to spotlight important details of the story and connect them to the best soundbites from an interview subject. Oftentimes, an interview subject might answer a question with a long, detailed response.

Inserting a voiceover enables the narrator to voice the most meaningful part of the response and connect that to the best sound bites from the person being interviewed, ultimately making the story flow better. 

A voiceover can add meaning and emotion 

A voiceover also enables the narrator to convey more meaning and emotion in the video. That could include emphasis on certain words and use of a different tone of voice where it is needed. This creates more feeling and can spark more connection from the audience.

It’s important to assemble video content in succinct fashion. The Green Buzz Agency reports that 5 percent of viewers will stop watching videos after one minute, while 60 percent of viewers will drop off after two minutes.

A voiceover is a great tool to convey the meaningful parts of a story in a short amount of time. The goal is to keep the audience interested and engaged.

Brittany Bissell is a public relations professional and project director at Pecchia Communications. She leads a wide range of digital and traditional communications projects and activities. Email her here.