Why Is Voice Over Slow? A Breakdown of the Slowdown

Tom Dheere
Oct 1
5 min read

Updated: Oct 3

For us voice actors, this summer SUCKED.

The conversations I've been having with voice actors of all genres and experience levels are definitely worth addressing. While we'll start with a focus on audiobooks, the problem is widespread. From commercials and corporate narration to e-learning, many of us are seeing fewer auditions and lighter calendars.

It's not just a vibe; it's a tangible shift that's causing a lot of anxiety. And as the VO Strategist, I believe that when faced with a problem, the first step is to diagnose it correctly.

Panicking is not a strategy. Understanding is.

Deconstructing the Slowdown: A Problem on Two Fronts

I believe we're fighting a war on two fronts. The slowdown in audiobooks and the slowdown in the rest of the VO industry are related, but they may have different primary causes.

Reason #1: Market Saturation is Squeezing the Audiobook Industry

The brilliant Emily Lawrence recently conducted a survey of 114 audiobook narrators to get hard data on the slowdown there. Click the PDF below to see her survey results.

While her findings showed that established, full-time narrators were mostly okay financially, there was a definite crunch for many others.

Her theory isn't about technology, but about talent—specifically, an overabundance of it. In her words, "The market is simply saturated."

This issue has been building and was supercharged by two key factors:

A Post-COVID Influx: Many people flocked to voice over professions during the pandemic, dramatically increasing the number of working narrators.
The Hollywood Slowdown: During the 2023 strikes and the ongoing slowdown in film and TV, many on-screen actors took refuge in voice over, adding a wave of highly skilled professionals to an already crowded field.

Emily also explains why her data shows female narrators are more affected. It's a numbers game. As she puts it, "...there are simply way more women pursuing careers as actors and so competition is always more fierce, audiobooks were just so niche before we didn't feel it until now."

It’s a classic case of supply and demand: the supply of talented narrators has outpaced the growth in demand for new titles.

Reason #2: Tariffs Are Pausing Commercial Production

But that doesn’t explain the slowdown in commercial or corporate work. I rarely narrate audiobooks anymore, but I've felt the pinch, too. So, what's going on there?

Let me put on my amateur economist hat for a second. I believe the slowdown in the voice over industry proper can be largely attributed to tariffs.

Scrabble tiles spelling "TARIFFS" on a wooden table, with scattered tiles in the background. Warm tones dominate the scene. — Scrabble tiles spelling out the word tariffs

And it’s not just about budgets, it’s about the products themselves.

"Tariffs?! What the hell are you talking about, Tom? What does a tax on imported goods have to do with my voice over business?"

Everything. Here's how I connect the dots:

Tariffs Create Supply Chain Chaos: Tariffs are taxes on imported goods. For a company that relies on parts from overseas, this can make a critical component suddenly unaffordable or, in some cases, unavailable.
Production Becomes Uncertain: Let's say you're a car company. A new tariff is placed on the microchips you import for your new electric vehicle. Suddenly, your entire production line is in jeopardy. You don't know if you can get the parts you need or what they'll cost next month.
You Can't Advertise a Product You Can't Make: Faced with this massive uncertainty, what does a smart company do? They hit the brakes. Why would you spend millions on a national TV ad campaign for a car you might have to pause production on? How can you advertise a product that might not even be on the shelves for customers to buy?
Advertising Campaigns Are Halted: This is the key. It's not just that the marketing department has less money to play with. It's that the fundamental reason for the advertising—a product ready to sell—is now a question mark. Commercials don't get made. Ad campaigns are put on ice indefinitely.

The projects that require our voices simply vanish because the products they were meant to sell are stuck in a state of limbo.

The chain reaction is direct and devastating:

Tariffs ➔ Supply Chain Uncertainty ➔ Paused Product Production ➔

Halted Advertising Campaigns ➔ Less Work for Voice Actors.

I have also seen a slowdown in eLearning, telephony, and almost every genre I regularly work in. Nobody is sure what to do with their money right now!

Your Strategic Response: How to Thrive in a Slow Market

Whether it's market saturation in audiobooks or tariffs in the commercial world, the result is the same: market uncertainty and less work to go around. You can’t control macroeconomic policy or the number of actors in the market. But you absolutely can control how you respond.

1. Diversify Everything

Now is the time to diversify your client base, your genres, and maybe even your skill set. If you're 100% reliant on national commercials, the tariff crunch will hurt. If you have a healthy mix of commercial, corporate, and perhaps e-learning clients, you're more resilient.

2. Marketing is Non-Negotiable

When everyone else gets scared and goes quiet, that's your opportunity to be seen and heard. Don't stop marketing. In a tight market, top-of-mind awareness is priceless. The clients who are spending money need to be able to find you.

3. Shift from "Price" to "Value"

In a recessionary environment, competing on price is a race to the bottom. Instead, you must frame your services as an investment with a clear return (ROI). Show your clients how your professional voice over will make their project more effective, enhance their brand, and ultimately help them weather their own financial storm. You're not an expense; you're a solution.

The current slowdown is real, and it’s unsettling. But it’s not a black box. By understanding the forces at play—both technological and economic—you can move from a position of fear to one of strategy. And strategy is what will see you through to the other side.

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