Local voice over talent can transform ‘free-internet’ from being limited, foreign or invasive, into a powerful local force for the good.

The connective nature of the internet has created a huge demand for voice over artists who can help brands make a name and grow their global audience.

Reaching global markets is becoming more and more vital for companies of all sizes. If you want to communicate across any border using translation and voice over talent, read our blog: ‘How can a voice over agency help to improve your global marketing?‘

There are plenty of success stories where brands have utilised regional voice over talent to build valuable new audiences around the world and create truly global appeal, by doing it in a diverse way.

The power of the internet isn’t just encouraging brands to use English or main-stream-language voice over artists to get creative and improve their global marketing, though. Local, regional voice talent is helping communities to come together throughout the African continent and getting people online.

How regional voice over talent is connecting people in Africa

According to a report published by the Internet Society, internet adoption throughout Africa is slow. This is despite Africans having rapidly improving access to better mobile and telecoms infrastructure across its countries.

Technology is not the problem here. Instead, language has been identified as a key barrier to change in the African continent, which is currently the least-connected region in the world. So, considering that infrastructure is already improving, how can local voice over talent help communities and boost connectivity?

With the continent the second-most populated on the planet, Africa has more than 2,000 languages spoken throughout its countries, with Nigeria having more than 250 alone. It’s little wonder then that such language diversity is hindering online connectivity amongst communities.

UNESCO also point out that while learning to read and write is a fundamental right, 38% of African adults (around 153 million individuals) are illiterate. Two-thirds of these individuals are women. As a result, UNESCO claim that Africa is the only continent where more than half of parents are unable to help their children with homework due to illiteracy.

One potential solution is based on the power of localised content, tailored to give the internet more relevance to individual people’s lives. In making content more personal, we can reach people by tapping into the transformational power of language. Whether this content is in the form of educational games, video articles, adult learning or news articles, regional voice talent provides a way of reaching the sizeable illiterate population, sharing all kinds of important information in a voice they can understand.

Where the power of voice over talent comes in

What’s telling is that many people in Africa struggle to properly access government services or education, which are often delivered in national languages such as English.

Language barriers not only stop people from adopting online apps and social platforms that could benefit them and their children in their daily lives. They also massively restrict their ability to learn and take care of themselves in the most essential ways.

Mark Zuckerberg has attempted to address the problem with the Facebook Free Basics service, which will provide almost half of African countries with free internet access. While this may make the internet more affordable for Africans, it doesn’t address the language barrier when it comes to online content. In the worst case, it has raised suspicion toward the aims of the company, with the move being labelled as ‘digital colonialism’ by some.

But it does provide an excellent foundation. Zuckerburg and others are providing the ‘pipeline’. Go and fill it up with amazing content! Solve the language problem, and break down these barriers with expert, local communication services that engage people and build links within existing communities. Create, translate and narrate content that can not only increase the value and relevance of the internet for people within Africa, but across the rest of the world too.

We speak your language. Voice Talent Online has access to more than 1,500 voice over artists and over 2,000 professional translators, with the ability to translate and record in over 75 languages. Contact us today to give your business a new voice in communities across the globe.

Reaching global markets is becoming more and more vital for companies of all sizes. If you want to communicate across any border using translation and voice over talent, read our blog: ‘How can a voice over agency help to improve your global marketing?‘