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How to write a good voiceover script

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John Sherman
2018-01-09

Are you creating an online e-learning course that needs a voiceover?

We all know that having a good voiceover for e-learning videos is crucial in communicating ideas and information.

Of course, a lot of time is put into finding the perfect voice for the part. But, in reality the most important part of the voiceover is having a good script. Otherwise, you’ve got no content and nothing to say!

For example, everyone loves Morgan Freeman’s voice and it’s become iconic. But, take away his voiceover script and suddenly it doesn’t seem so great, does it?

Writing a voiceover script is very different from writing an article or report. In fact, it can be quite difficult and requires you to work and develop your skills to get it right.

The difference is that you’ve got an audience and you have to engage the ears and mind. Without an interesting script, you’ll find that your audience loses concentration and key information for effective learning is lost.

At this point, we know what you’re thinking – how on earth will I be able to write a voiceover script? But, there’s no need to worry!

All you’ve got to do is learn what makes a great voiceover script so it’s memorable and captures the audience’s attention from the very beginning.

So, read on to find out our five tips on how to write a good voiceover script today.

Use a Conversational Tone

Let’s remember that the voiceover becomes the audio for the e-learning course video, which means it’s got to be easy to understand and interesting to listen to. Otherwise, you run the risk of creating a course that’s a waste of your time and effort.

The best way to achieve a good voiceover script is by writing it how you would naturally speak. By this we don’t mean using local phrases and personal jokes, but with lots of informal speech.

So, instead of using your best English like you would in a report, think about how you would explain a concept aloud to someone else in a relaxed setting. Spend time imagining your speech and even practicing saying it into a mirror to see if it works.

This will create a conversational tone, which involves easy language and shorter sentences. This means your voiceover will be easier to understand for your audience and make sure they learn in the process of using your course.

It’s all about making sure the script flows just like you’re having a conversation with your audience. Plus, it also helps to think about what your audience will understand too, as this can vary between sectors and experience levels.

Keep it Short

There’s no point in taking hours to say the same thing you can say clearly in five minutes.

Well, perhaps this time frame is an exaggeration, but the point is that you want to communicate the key information simply and make it obvious to your audience what they’re learning.

So, make your points quickly and avoid using awkward phrasing. Your script doesn’t have to be complicated and you don’t need pages of information.

Keep it short, as this will be more effective in e-learning than a long voiceover script. It makes sure your audience are engaged and on board with your video.

In addition, when your voiceover is short and snappy, it’s easier for your audience to take notes and not get lost in the sea of information.

Having a short voiceover script isn’t a sign of failure – in fact, it keeps you on track to success and allows you to create a great e-learning course.

Get Personal

Listing a whole load of statistics or numbers may seem like a good way to communicate the facts you want your audience to understand, but it can also be an easy way to lose your audience’s attention.

After the fifth graph or flowchart, you might notice some people’s eyes becoming glazed over! But, by creating a voiceover script that tells a story and demonstrates examples of what you’re talking about relates the information to your audience better.

People like a bit of personal learning, which they can relate to their own skills or life. Even using first and second person speech can make everything more personal for the audience.

In addition, no one likes to waste their time – an audience wants to know how the course can benefit them, so why not tell them why this course is important?

Be Positive

You’d be surprised just how much positivity can change a learning experience. When you’re writing your voiceover script, keep the language you use positive and upbeat.

This will transfer to the person reading the script when they’re communicating with the audience. Being positive is more likely to keep people engaged and interested in the course, rather than being all doom and gloom!

Format Your Writing

You’ve got to remember that you’ll be able to hear how your script should sound in your head, but you’ve got to communicate your vision on paper to your voiceover reader.

Don’t be afraid to include bold, italics and underlines in your script to get your point across and emphasize the words you want to stand out and stress to the audience during the recording.

And there you have it – how to write a good voiceover script! With these five tips, you can create a script that’s going to add value to your e-learning course and make sure everyone learns something from the video.

Learning is more than just visual elements – it takes a good voiceover script to relay important information and allow the mind to process it properly.

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