How to Add Voice-over Narration to Presentation Videos

Presentation videos allow you to make your pitch to anyone, from anywhere. With the right combination of text, music, visuals, and voice-over, you can engage and persuade any audience.

In this blog, we’ll share tips to create impactful voice-over presentations that spark emotions and help you connect with anyone who watches.

The benefits of adding voice-over narration to presentation videos

Presentation videos can be leveraged throughout your entire organization. Any department, from sales to marketing, customer support, and HR can create a video to share information in an engaging way.

Many of today’s top hybrid companies are already using video to connect and inform their teams, clients, and online audiences. Just last year, in fact, presentation videos were among the most commonly-made videos by businesses. Here are just a few reasons why they are becoming such a widely-used tool.

• Improves information retention: Video appeals to a wide variety of learning styles by using both audio and visual storytelling. When you share information in a way that resonates with your audience, their recall and retention rates will surely improve. Some studies have even shown that viewers retain 95% of a message after watching it in a video, versus only 10% when reading it in text.
• Adds personalization: Voice-over adds a unique element that only you have – your voice! These recordings add a personal touch to your videos that draws viewers in. A little personalization can go a long way for attracting and retaining attention!
• Complements your on-screen visuals: Voice-overs actually complement and add value to your visuals. Rather than overloading your video with text, you can use voice-over to go into more detail. Then, the text can be used to summarize main points and key takeaways.

How to add voice-over narration to presentation videos with Animoto

Animoto makes it easy to create voice over presentation videos! Just follow the steps below to create a complete and polished presentation that can engage any audience.

1. Choose a video template or start from scratch

First things first, choose a template! Use one of the free presentation templates below, or browse through our template library for a great starting point. You can also create your own video from scratch for the perfect fit!

2. Record or upload your voice-over tracks

Next, create your voice-over. You can either record a voice-over track from scratch or upload existing voice-overs right into Animoto. Just follow these simple instructions or dive into our complete guide to voice-over to learn how:

• Click on the “Audio” icon at the top of the page to open the audio menu.
• Click the microphone button below your video preview.
• Click “Upload voice-over” and select your track or click on “Record voice-over”
• Click the red button to record. You’ll see a three-second countdown, after which your recording will begin. Click the stop button to end your recording.

3. Trim or reposition your voice-over tracks

Now it’s time to edit your voice-overs. You can drag the buffers on either end of the recording to trim off any unwanted sound. Then, drag and drop the recording throughout your audio timeline to align with the visuals on screen.

4. Adjust the volume of your voice-over tracks

Select on your voice-over track and click the volume button. Then, increase or decrease the volume of your track to help it shine over any background music.

5. Customize your video with text, photos, and more

Once your voice-over is in place, edit your video as usual! Apply different themes to transform the design of your video. Or, make your video on-brand by adding your logo and brand colors. Then just add supporting text, photos, video clips, and screen recordings to create a compelling and easy-to-follow presentation.

6. Download and present your voice-over presentation

Finally, your presentation is ready to share. Download your video to your device for easy sharing and storage. You can then add your presentation to a portable USB to present it in person. Alternatively, you can embed your presentation in an email or share it directly to social media to connect with your online audiences.

Tips for adding voice-over to presentation videos

If you don’t have much experience with recording voice-overs, it can be hard to know where to start. That’s why we’ve put together some tips to help you record great voice-overs in fewer tries!

Write a voice-over script

Scripts can save you a lot of time! Instead of having to cut out pauses and “umms” from your voice-overs, try writing a script so you can stay on track. This will boost your confidence, help you sync your voice-over with your video, and ensure that you know exactly what to say and when.

Find a quiet place to record

Cut down on background noise to create more professional and crisp-sounding recordings. Small confined spaces like closets are great at filtering out background noises. Even recording in a room away from windows can eliminate unwanted outside noises and let your voice shine through.

Practice first before hitting record

Go through a practice run before the “real deal”. This will help you feel more comfortable and confident once you click the record button. Practice makes perfect, you know!

Don't record everything all at once

Recording a long voice-over presentation can be quite the mouthful. Instead of worrying about saying everything all at once, record multiple voice-over tracks and piece them together! Doing so makes it easier to trim bit by bit and drag your recordings throughout the video so they align perfectly with your visuals.

Use a good microphone

Last but not least, use a good microphone. Even using the microphone on your headphones will provide you with crisper audio than your computer’s mic. But if you’re creating a series of voice-over presentations, you may want to consider using a high-quality external microphone like the ones on this list.

Types of presentation videos you can make (plus templates)

Presentation videos can be made for virtually any topic! From recapping a meeting, to sharing quarterly results and making a sales pitch, you can personalize any presentation with voice-over. Here are some video ideas and templates you can use for free to start off on the right foot.

Educational presentation

Present to your peers, board members, or classroom with a voice-over video! This template brings topics to life with simple text boxes, animations, pictures, and video clips.

Sales prospecting

Make a great first impression by creating your own custom sales prospecting videos! You can use these videos to present your unique value proposition, product or service details, and stats about your industry.

Workplace explainer

Explain the importance of new workplace policies with a business presentation! These are great assets for managers, HR professionals, and anyone who wants to educate their teams.

Meeting recap

Recap the best parts of your latest in-person and online meetings in an engaging way. With meeting recap videos, you can make sure your key takeaways are front and center. It’s also an impressive delivery method for sharing findings and results with clients!

Customer onboarding

Make sure new customers hit the ground running by creating an engaging onboarding video! This can be used to get new clients setup with a new product or make sure that they know where to go for help. It’s a great touchpoint to include right at the start of your relationship.

Make a personal connection through voice-over presentations

Whether you want to make personal connections online or build excitement for your next presentation, you can do so with voice-over videos! And with professional templates at your fingertips, you can create a video in less time with double the impact. All you need is an idea and your voice!

Voice-over presentation video FAQ

How long should a video presentation be?

Video presentations should be around thirty to sixty seconds for maximum engagement. These presentations engage your audience through visuals and audio to engage viewers with multiple learning styles.

What tools do I need to record a voice-over?

All you need is a voice-over recorder and a microphone to record voice-overs! As a bonus, you can use an integrated recorder and video-maker to turn your recordings into engaging presentation videos.

Are USB microphones good for voice overs?

External USB microphones can make your voice-overs sound more crisp and professional. Oftentimes, even using the mic on your headphones provides better quality than computer microphones.