For those who are keeping track, this is Part 3 of my story about how I transitioned from being a full-time voice over and blogger, to becoming an on-camera content creator. Click here to read Part 1, and click here for part 2.
Before I talk about the last obstacles I had to overcome, it’s important to mention some of the things I believe I bring to the table when it comes to being present on social media platforms. Those are things that (perhaps) give me a slight advantage.
PAST LIVES
What many people don’t know is that -before I became a voice over- I spent twenty-five years working as a freelance journalist and radio presenter. It started when I was seventeen at Dutch National Public Radio. I’ve worked for the BBC in London, as well as for Radio Netherlands International. When I came to the USA some twenty-five years ago, I worked as a producer for an NPR affiliate in New York City.
Last but certainly not least, I have been a blogger for over twenty years, so it’s fair to say that I know a little bit about telling compelling stories to a wide audience. I know what it’s like to boil down complex information into an entertaining and bite-sized package. And I know a little bit about using my voice effectively, thanks to my experience as a voice actor.
In other words: I didn’t have to start from square one, and this gave me confidence to take on the challenge.
However, all these experiences are now in the past and don’t guarantee anything. Over the years I’ve learned that the audience doesn’t care about past accomplishments if you don’t know how to deliver right here and right now.
The social media landscape is unforgiving and filled with young, hip, and gorgeous influencers sponsored by big brands with big budgets and a big following. What on earth would make me think that I could break through all the noise at the ripe old age of sixty-one?
OLD NEWS OR NEW OPPORTUNITY
But why not flip this argument on its side?
Because social media seems to be a young people’s game, men and women of a certain age (MY age), are woefully underrepresented. Yet, people in my demographic have more spare time, are better educated, and have more money to spend. AND, we still know how to pay attention to things for longer than ten seconds! In other words: we are the ideal target audience for companies looking to sell stuff to seniors! These companies are actively looking for influencers in our age bracket, and this became part of my long-term strategy.
Ultimately, I hope to monetize my content in some way. Not because I’m needy and greedy, but because I believe in the value of what I have to offer and I deserve to be compensated for that. But, (and it’s a BIG but…) I have to first prove myself and build a steady and engaged following before I’m in a position to negotiate some sponsorship deal.
In order to attract, you have to make yourself attractive. No one is going to open their wallet if you only have 200 followers that never comment on anything you’re putting out. My track record alone isn’t enough to convince anyone of anything.
And this brings me to point four in my list of obstacles.
FINDING A NEW ME
While benefiting from past experience and expertise, I felt the need to disassociate myself from my days as a voice acting blogger. People outside of the VO bubble are not familiar with that past, and probably do not care. Plus, I wanted to free up time formerly spent on VO related activities and colleagues, to work on my future. It’s harder to move on if you’re stuck in the past.
So, I sold all my studio equipment, and I “dismembered” myself from most VO related groups on social media. I also unfollowed voice actors I considered to be colleagues while keeping my ties to those I consider to be true friends. This freed up so much energy and time… it’s like cleaning an old shed to make room for new stuff.
Now, my main audience was going to be an English speaking audience and I’ve always felt that my strange last name was not very memorable. I mean, who knows who Jimmy Donaldson is? We all know him as “MrBeast.” Jamie Foxx is actually Eric Marlon Bishop, and Lady Gaga is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. Not that I want to compare myself to these superstars, but it goes to show that having a name that is easy to remember, is easier on the brain.
That’s why I decided to dump the last name of Strikwerda, and call myself… PAUL HOLLAND, while keeping “Nethervoice,” since I would be a voice that is speaking about the Netherlands. It would also be stupid to throw away a personal brand name that took years to cultivate. It’s a name that still takes people to my website and social media channels.
Sidenote: even though I retired from VO more than a year ago, I still get more monthly hits on my website than most voice actors in many years. Mind you, I’m no longer publishing a new blog post each week, which used to be the main attraction.
But let’s be honest, a new name isn’t going to do anything if it represents something nobody wants to buy. It’s just packaging. In the next installments I’ll talk more about my evolving content, and the way I decided to format that content to create a following of thousands.
Click here for part 4.
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