Talking Modern Voiceover Career Strategy with J. Michael Collins
- 7 hours ago
- 4 min read
with J. Michael Collins
Online casting, shortlists, SEO, agencies, and getting found in an AI-driven industry.
Building a sustainable voiceover career in 2026 requires more than great performance—it means understanding how agencies submit talent, how online casting has evolved, and how discoverability now works in an increasingly digital and AI-influenced landscape. Today’s voice actors need clarity, adaptability, and a strategy grounded in how the industry actually operates.
In this episode of VO BOSS, Anne Ganguzza and J. Michael Collins sit down for a candid conversation about modern voiceover career strategy. Together, they explore how submissions are filtered behind the scenes, why becoming a trusted, go-to talent matters more than constant chasing, and how marketing, SEO, and emerging AI search tools now play a role in being found. This episode offers practical, experience-based insight into building a career that’s positioned for long-term success.
Watch the Story Unfold ⬇️
For an even deeper dive into the conversation, you can view the full episode below. Don't forget to subscribe to the VO Boss YouTube channel for more exclusive content and expert advice!
Chapter Summaries
The Entrepreneurial "Happy Accident"
(04:14) JMC reflects on a 30-year career built on "happy accidents" and flying by the seat of his pants. He emphasizes that a successful voiceover career strategy requires constant evolution. He discusses his "full circle" journey—starting in traditional studios, becoming a pioneer of online casting, and returning to a heavy focus on agency and broadcast work.
Legwork and the "100 Touches" Rule
(09:56) The hosts discuss the significant increase in effort required for modern talent. JMC suggests that the old standard of 20 daily marketing "touches" is obsolete; today, a competitive voiceover business requires closer to 100 touches a day (auditions + direct marketing) to maintain a tough climb in a saturated market.
Demystifying the Agency World
(09:29) JMC addresses a common misconception: agents are not scary gatekeepers; they work for you. He breaks down how agency submissions really work—where hundreds of voiceover auditions may be received for a single role, but only a small, carefully selected group is ever sent to the client. For voice actors, success comes from shifting the focus away from constant outreach and toward becoming a trusted, go-to talent within an agency’s roster.
The New Frontier: LLM Search and SEO
(21:07) Anne and JMC dive into the "New SEO." Beyond traditional Google rankings, talent must now optimize for AI chatbots like ChatGPT and Claude. JMC reveals he is booking multiple jobs per week from clients who found him by asking an AI bot for recommendations. This requires a comprehensive digital footprint that AI models can crawl and trust.
Longevity and the "Five-Figure Wall"
(16:04) JMC offers blunt advice for newer talent: getting to those first $20,000–$30,000 in annual revenue is the hardest part of the job. Once you hit that low five-figure traction, scaling to six figures is often a faster process because you have already developed the resilience and technical skills needed to survive rejection.
The Immersion Strategy: VO Conferences
(32:39) As the producer of VO Atlanta, One Voice USA, and his signature Euro Retreats, JMC explains why live events are the ultimate "Super Bowl" for career growth. He discusses the difference between intimate retreats (EuroVO) and massive immersion events, emphasizing that the relationships and "lifelong families" built at these conferences are often more valuable than the sessions themselves.
Top 10 Takeaways for Voice Actors:
Embrace the Hustle: Aim for 100 marketing touches or auditions daily to stay ahead of the competition.
Optimize for Chatbots: Ensure your website content is detailed and clear so LLMs like ChatGPT can index you for specific genre recommendations.
Agents are Partners: Treat agents as people who work for you; focus on becoming the "easy choice" that they prioritize for shortlists.
Traditional SEO Still Matters: Being on Page 1 or 2 of Google provides "walk-in business" that allows you to stop constant chasing.
Focus on High-Tier Portals: If using pay-to-plays, aim for top-tier memberships (like 123 Platinum) to bypass the saturation of lower tiers.
LinkedIn is the Pro Choice: Focus your social media marketing on LinkedIn, where professional grade buyers live, rather than consumer-heavy sites like Facebook.
Persist Past the First $30k: Realize that the first five-figure stretch is the most difficult; the snowball effect happens once you establish a baseline.
Demos are Still Non-Negotiable: You cannot get agency representation or high-end direct work without an award-winning, professional demo.
Invest in Live Connection: Attend conferences like VO Atlanta or One Voice to build the "community family" that sustains a long-term career.
Do It Your Way: Forge your own path by blending old-school agency work with new-school direct marketing and SEO strategy.
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