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This post is sponsored by The Voice Library and contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information. My honest opinions about The Voice Library, and any recommendations, are based on my personal experience using this service.
People often tell me that I should start a podcast.
Makes sense, right? I love podcasts so much that I write a blog about them. So the logical, most obvious question most people ask me is, Why don’t you have your own podcast?!
For a bunch of reasons, actually.
- Microphones scare me
- I talk with my hands a lot, and that doesn't come across on a podcast
- I’m self-conscious that no one except my husband and mother care about my stories
I LOVE podcasts. I know a great one when I hear it. But I’m not sure I’m cut out to be a podcaster.
Recently, though, thanks to the folks at The Voice Library, I got the chance to try out a service that might just make me re-think this whole podcasting thing.
What Is The Voice Library?
The Voice Library (TVL) is an audio-based storytelling service that aims to make it easy for anyone to share their story.
It's not just for podcasters (I'll explain this more below). In fact, TVL launched back in 2010, long before podcasts were the mega hit they are today.
The folks behind this New Hampshire-based company believe so strongly in the power of storytelling that they set out to make a service that would be easy for all ages and skill levels to use.
The Voice Library has partnered with dozens of different organizations and businesses to help facilitate easy storytelling. They've even worked with the US Military, in a project to allow veterans to share their stories.
If you've ever heard the StoryCorps podcast, you get the idea: All types of people, young and old, from all walks of life, sharing their experiences. The Voice Library wants to make it accessible for anyone to preserve these memories.
What can The Voice Library Do?
Who is The Voice Library For?
Account setup
Pricing plans
Features
Using The Voice Library for Personal Gifts & Projects
Using The Voice Library for Podcasting
Is The Voice Library a Good Value?
Conclusion
What Can You Do With The Voice Library?
The Voice Library lets you record audio directly to their online platform, via computer, mobile app, or phone. And when I say phone, I don't mean that you have to use a smartphone to record; you can call in from a landline and just talk into the receiver!
Let's say you want to record grandma and grandpa telling the story of their first date. You just have to give them the TVL phone number, tell them to put the phone on speaker (or pick up two phones in different rooms), and tell them to talk!
Once your grandparents are finished recording their memories, you can keep their recording on the TVL platform, or download it to your computer.
You can also upload audio files that you already have and store them on The Voice Library platform. Examples of this include: voicemails you have stored on your phone, audio from an old home movie or mix tape, a song you recorded, an important business presentation, etc.
For any of the recordings you have in your TVL account, you can provide listener access with a special call-in code.
Remember your grandparents' first date story? You can share this with your siblings and cousins all over the word, without having to email them an audio file. I think this feature is awesome, because not everyone has the same smart phones, operating systems, or skill level to download and play an audio file.
The Voice Library also has other cool features to enhance your recordings. For example, the service even allows you to create a slideshow/video experience by adding photos that go along with the audio. New features are added every six months, based on user feedback and suggestions.
Who Is The Voice Library For?
Like I said earlier: The Voice Library isn't just for podcasters or wannabe podcasters.
Sure, I wanted to see how and why a podcaster would use TVL (and why they would use it over the other services available for recording/hosting podcast recordings).
But I also wanted to check out other ways in which you, reader of this blog, would be able to use the The Voice Library. I know that a lot of you - like me - might not be interested in starting a podcast.
TVL is for anyone - or any organization - that has a story to tell or preserve. This includes:
- Teachers
- Musicians
- Grandparents
- Entrepreneurs
- Non-profits
- Kids
- Authors
- Caregivers
- Artists
The folks at The Voice Library really want to help people connect through stories. At first, I thought that sounded nice, but I couldn't really wrap my head around all the ways their technology could be used.
So I got to researching, and discovered that The Voice Library website is full of ideas for how their service can be used. There are even tons of audio clips you can listen to for inspiration!
Here are some awesome ideas for how us regular folks can use TVL:
- Create a group gift for a family member by having relatives call in and record their favorite memories
- Make a time-capsule for your graduating class or scout troop
- Record your audiobook, then let fans and followers call in to listen to each chapter
- Capture stories from loved ones now, before they start to forget
- Utilize storytelling as a therapeutic device for kids and adults
- Collect customer reviews for your business
- And more...the opportunities are endless
In case you're still stumped (sometimes the creative juices just don't flow!), here's an explanation of that first bullet point:
Remember the example I gave above, about your grandparents recording the story of their first date?
When it's time for your grandparents' anniversary, you can put out a request to your relatives, asking each one to call in and record their own special memories of your grandparents. When they're finished, you'll have a beautiful audio gift for your grandparents to listen to whenever they like (they just have to dial the phone).
For more ideas about how to use The Voice Library for your business or professional goals, visit this page and scroll down to the Discover our B2B Solutions for... section.
Ready to start your own project with The Voice Library? Click here to create an account.
Review & Thoughts
Now that you know what The Voice Library is, it's time to dig into how well it works. I set out to test the platform, determine if it is as easy to use as they say it is, and see if it is a good value. Read my honest opinion of The Voice Library below.
Account Setup
The Voice Library gave me a free 2-year Podcaster account to try out their service. Because of that, they sent me specific instructions for how to set up my account, but I really didn't need them. The account creation/purchase was as simple as buying a pair of shoes online.
Click here to create your own The Voice Library account now.
Once I created my online account, I immediately downloaded the User & Activity Guide PDF and the TVL mobile app (I use an iPhone, the app is also available for Android).
I have to admit: the website and user guide are really inspirational. They made me feel like I have so many special stories to share, and that it would be easy to do so.
When I chatted with the founder of The Voice Library, he told me that in order to ensure that their service is easy to use for all ages and skill levels, they never make any process have more than three steps.
Pricing Plans
When you sign up for a TVL account, you're getting access for a certain amount of time (2-5 years, depending on the type of account you sign up for; personal account, business, education).
Your recordings will be digitally stored on The Voice Library platform for that amount of time, unless you extend the account before it expires. (TVL will give you a heads-up when your account will expire, so that you don't lose access to your recordings).
Here's the breakdown on account/plan prices:
Personal Account: $49.00 for 5 year access & 5 hours of recording time
Professional Account: $179.00 for 3 year access & unlimited recording time
The personal plan's 5 hours (or 300 minutes) of recording time seems like a reasonable amount of time, but if you run out, you can purchase an additional 5 hours for $40.00.
Listening to a recording is always free - whether you do it yourself, or you give someone else the Listener credentials. You only ever "use up" minutes with recording.
Get started with The Voice Library now.
Features
I've already touched on the most important features that The Voice Library offers: multiple options for recording and listening, from multiple devices.
Adding Photos
The option to add photos to a recording, for a slideshow effect, is really cool. At first, I thought, "If I'm going to do this, why not just create a video?"
The folks at The Voice Library have heard this before. They explained to me that research shows that the human attention span - which is getting shorter these days - is actually held longer when listening to a voice (instead of being distracted while watching video).
[bctt tweet="The human attention span is held longer when listening to a voice." username="Podcast_Maniac"]
Another reason to choose audio (with pictures) over video: performance anxiety. A lot of people don't want to be on video, or don't like the way they look, so they choose not to participate in storytelling projects.
This photo feature is only available on the mobile app only at this time.
Click here to start making your project with The Voice Library.
Editing Recordings
The Voice Library does not include any audio editing features or software. They recommend that you find and use an editing software you like/is easy to use.
This totally makes sense to me. Most phones and computers come with editing software these days, so you probably already have a free option available to you.
If TVL offered editing functionality, they'd have to constantly be adding features and increasing account prices.
But also: I don't think that, for a personal audio project, a lot of editing is necessary. You want to capture the real feelings and stumbles of someone telling their story.
For aspiring podcasters, the lack of editing functionality also isn't a big deal; few of the web services for recording podcasts offer editing software for the same reasons.
Ease of Use
I conducted a few different types of tests to determine how easy The Voice Library is to use. My results are below.
Mobile App
My first test was to use The Voice Library's mobile app. You can download it for free, and it can be used to both record and listen.
Here's a quick video showing how quick and easy it was for me to record from the TVL app on my iPhone (no audio, just a screen grab of my tapping through the process). This is real speed, not enhanced.
Note: I was testing this out while attending an outdoor sporting event. Because I wasn't on WiFi, and had a slow network connection, I wasn't able to upload this test recording. This is something to consider if you're thinking of recording "on location" with the TVL app.
I did another test with the app later, while connected to WiFi, and it worked perfectly. I saved it, then went to the desktop version of The Voice Library, where I was able to listen to the recording and download it as an MP3.
File Upload
Another way you can add recordings is by uploading MP3 files. This isn't free/part of the plan (when I did it, with a short file, it cost me $1.00). But even if it isn't free, it is easy. Here's what I did:
I recorded an audio file on my iPhone, using the native iPhone app for voice memos.
After transferring the file to my computer, I realized it wasn't in MP3 format. Thankfully, the TVL website has a link that took me to a website that converted the file for me. The whole upload/transfer to MP3 process took about 30 seconds.
Click here to create your own The Voice Library account now.
Phone Call
My next test was to call in on the toll-free phone number and follow the menu prompts to create and save a recording. I also had my best friend do this from where she lives.
To do this, I gave my friend the TVL telephone number, the Recorder ID and PIN assigned to my account, and told her to call up and record 30 seconds about her favorite podcast.
The recordings themselves went well, but I did have some qualms with the menu prompts and the amount of access given to anyone with the Recorder credentials.
First, the menu prompts: They are clear and easy to follow; you just press the appropriate key on your phone, like if you were calling the bank to check your account balance.
But my friend and I both think that there are too many prompts. We both expected to get a quick "Welcome, please start your recording now" type of message.
Instead, we both got the option to make a new recording, listen to existing recordings, delete recordings, and more. That's because the Recorder credentials are basically my general account access.
I think TVL should consider changing this. I don't want anyone with my Recorder credentials to a) get confused and not know how to record; or b) get confused and delete something!
The Listener credentials allow for listening only, and I think the Recorder credentials should work in a similar way. The folks at The Voice Library told me that they're working on changes to this, but in the meantime, I'm able to to change the PIN at any time, as needed.
Sound Quality
The audio quality of my recordings was really good. If I were using The Voice Library to create a podcast, or a presentation for my business, I wouldn't have any reservations about using TVL to record.
Remember my "thing" about microphones? I just really don’t like talking into them. So I did another test call in which I used my noise-cancelling Bose headphones, which have a built-in microphone that I barely even notice.
The audio quality when using the headphone microphone was pretty good, but I had to be sure to speak clearly and with some animation in my voice.
Using The Voice Library for Personal Gifts & Projects
After testing everything out, I think that the The Voice Library is definitely as easy to use as the creators say it is. The app and call-in features are very intuitive.
The desktop dashboard for account management (where all of your recordings are stored) takes a little longer to get the hang of using, but I think this is true of most online services these days (the app is watered-down in terms of functionality, so the desktop version feels less straight-forward).
Also, I think the reason I was confused about the pricing was due to some old customer messaging inside the dashboard (I was trying to explore all the features). Don't let that trip you up!
I don't think you have to be technically savvy to use The Voice Library, but if you do have more technological know-how, there is functionality that caters to you, too.
If you have questions or problems using TVL, their support team is available by email or phone, and they can provide you with guidance.
Click here to create your own The Voice Library account now.
Using TVL for Podcasting
I've put a lot of thought into whether The Voice Library is a good choice for aspiring podcasters.
The truth is, there are a lot of cool platforms out there right now, marketing their products like crazy to anyone who has ever thought of making a podcast.
The Voice Library isn't as flashy as those other programs. It's a lot more touchy-feely, and focuses more on the power of storytelling than it does on making you the next Apple Podcasts feature. I like that.
A lot of big-time podcasters will tell you not to get into podcasting to make money or become a star, but because you believe in your message/content.
But The Voice Library does understand that podcasters need a low barrier to entry, plenty of recording time, an option to reach listeners without smart devices, and the opportunity to monetize their podcast. (They even launched a new monetization feature for podcasters this past year.)
I did a comparison of The Voice Library to the other platforms that are making podcasting accessible to the masses: Anchor, Spreaker, Podbean, and Alitu.
The short version:
- Anchor is free, but podcasters do not own their property/recordings, and Anchor advertises their service all over your podcast (TVL allows you to keep ownership over all of your intellectual property/recordings)
- Alitu is a full functioning recorder/editing/publishing service, but it costs $336/year (which doesn't include audio file hosting), which is about 2x more expensive than The Voice Library
- Spreaker is just slightly less expensive than The Voice Library, and includes almost all of the same features, but seems more focused on live-stream podcasting
- Podbean has the same annual pricing as TVL, and gives you a free podcast website template on the podbean.com domain, but they don't have any backup for your audio files (which you absolutely get with TVL)
The Voice Library is definitely a player in the podcasting industry, and has plenty of the basic (and some advanced) features to help new and aspiring podcasters.
I think the thing I find most appealing about using TVL for podcasting is that it makes listening to your podcast more accessible to friends and family that don't normally listen to podcasts, or who don't have the technology to do so.
If you want to share your history podcast with Great Uncle Fred, who loves a good war story, but doesn't have a smartphone, give him the TVL phone number and Listener login.
Is The Voice Library a Good Value?
I believe that pricing for The Voice Library features is very reasonable.
For personal projects, 300 minutes of recording time is A LOT. Few people are going to use all of the recording minutes allotted at sign-up.
For business or podcasting projects, the unlimited recording feature is a bargain! I think TVL gives you all the basic features necessary to create a great audio product.
There aren't a ton of easy-to-use services like this out there, and few provide the support that The Voice Library does for its users.
Conclusion
I absolutely recommend The Voice Library for making personal or business projects. It's a fun, easy way to tell stories, preserve memories, and engage the people who are important to you.
I also recommend The Voice Library for aspiring podcasters. Especially those looking to make a podcast with a friend or family member who lives far away, or who doesn't have strong technical skills.
One more thing I want to add: The Voice Library wants to earn your trust. They want you to know that they do not allow advertising on their website, they do not badger you to upgrade your account, they don't track your progress or data, and they back up your files every 24 hours.
If you want to talk to a real live The Voice Library staff member for more information or ideas on how you can use their service, just visit their Contact page.
[bctt tweet="Start telling your story today with The Voice Library" username="Podcast_Maniac"]
Have you used The Voice Library? Are you thinking of starting a podcast and are considering TVL? Leave a comment below to share your thoughts and ideas!