Vimeo for Voiceover: The Tool You’re Not Using Enough
When voiceover actors discuss which social media platforms they use, they rarely say they use Vimeo for Voiceover.
Instead, the usual suspects of the largest networks come up. Vimeo is a significantly smaller network, with 230 MM registered users and 1.6 MM paying subscribers world-wide. Georgi Todorov wrote an excellent overview of Vimeo’s platform statistics here.
YouTube is ten times larger than Vimeo, despite starting a year later than Vimeo’s 2004 founding. However, we all know that YouTube is a lot of noise and low-level engagement. On YouTube, you connect with Brands and Fans. On Vimeo, you connect with filmmakers, producers, designers, and creative artists. It’s like an open portfolio exchange focused on the quality rather than the quantity of content. Imagine if LinkedIn ran YouTube rather than Google.
Getting Started on Vimeo
Once you start engaging on Vimeo as a voiceover actor, you’ll find the time is much better spent than on YouTube or Facebook. The money you’re willing to dump into YouTube or Facebook is another story. But for real organic social networking interaction? Vimeo for voiceover is the tool you’re not using enough.
Join Vimeo for free to get used to the platform and interact with creatives. I subscribe to the basic PLUS plan to avoid ads but most importantly to use and customize their video players and embed videos anywhere (including this blog and website). A good place to get started to discover what kinds of voiceovers are on Vimeo is to visit the Vimeo Voice Over Group. I founded and moderated this group since 2010. You can also read more about it here in my earliest blog post. Audiosocket also has a great write-up on what Vimeo is and how to make the most of it when starting out.
How to Make Vimeo for Voiceover Work for You
Use Vimeo for Voiceover to search for geographic areas and niches of production that interest you. Note that Search works in an unusual way when you log in. If you just type “Commercial” and enter, it will only give “Commercial” results from your own profile. To see results from all of Vimeo, enter your query and go to the bottom of the drop-down box below Search to “Search all of Vimeo for ‘Commercial'”.
For example, if you enter “Helsinki” in search, you will find the profile of Pictures Helsinki and 126 of the terrific commercials they produced, with the names of all the directors. Vimeo discourages you from contacting people directly for work. Still, it is a great way to find people, and as they put it “play nice”. You can comment on, share, and like videos you truly enjoy. A Swedish agency hired me simply because I made a thoughtful comment on one of their videos for IKEA. That, and because I have a portfolio of work for clients on Vimeo on my own voiceover profile.
In the top right of the Vimeo page is the Bell symbol. This not only notifies you of incoming messages, but of the latest videos uploaded by profiles that you follow on Vimeo. Follow through and see what videos you like, you want to share or comment upon, or add to your Vimeo collections or groups.
The interface on Vimeo is nicer and cleaner than YouTube. The interaction is more organic and professional. The video and audio quality is much better. And the content is fantastic and creative. Vimeo for Voiceover is the tool you’re probably not using enough. Give it a try and I hope you enjoy it.
All the best,
Lance