Making a Standout Website

Most voice over actors working in the industry are self-employed, non-union, freelance workers.  While there are a number of benefits to working for yourself in this manner, it also comes with additional challenges.  Namely, you have to be diligent about marketing yourself so you can develop and expand your career.  One of the best ways to do this is by making a website that attracts potential employers and makes them decide, “I want to hire this person!”  Here are some tips for making a great website that will do just that.

1. Make your site easy to find.  When creating your website, pick a domain that is easy for people to remember and is reflective of you and your work. This might be as simple as www.yourname.com or even something like www.voiceoverpro.com.  Also, go with a .com extension, rather than .net or .biz, as these are more forgettable.

2. Easy navigation and quick load times. Your site should also be easy for users to navigate and get the information they’re after. This can be done with multiple pages and menus where visitors can quickly determine how to get their desired info.  Make sure your page can load quickly too, because let’s face it, people are impatient and don’t want to wait an hour for pointless flash animation to load.

3. Have a great landing page. This is the first page that users will be directed to when visiting your site. Since this will be their first impression of you, make it a good one.  It should be aesthetically pleasing with a nice balance of text, pictures, and graphics, as well as easy access to your site’s other pages.

4. Include information that prospective employers want. Many people make the mistake of making their website for them rather than for their users.  Remember that your site exists to land prospective employers and get work, not to serve as a bragging platform for all your accomplishments.

5. Be credible. Visitors to your site will want to know that you can do what you say you can. Including samples of paid work you’ve done and positive reviews or feedback about your work will help establish credibility.  Pick the best, and put them on your site.

6. Have someone else go through your site as an objective party.  It never hurts to have another set of eyes on something, so have someone whose opinion you trust and value take a look and provide constructive criticism.  Check for errors such as sound that won’t play, broken hyperlinks, and misspelled words.