Podcast Summary: Everyday VOpreneur® with Marc Scott
Episode: Cracking the Code on Voice123 – How to Be Found and Book More Work with Nikki Schwartz
Air Date: September 4, 2025
Guests: Marc Scott (Host), Nikki Schwartz (Guest)
Episode Length: ~53 minutes
Overview
This episode dives deep into the complexities of Voice123, one of the most popular—and perplexing—online casting platforms for voice actors. Marc Scott is joined by Nikki Schwartz, a voice actor turned admin guru, who has developed tools and strategies for optimizing Voice123 profiles to get found in searches and book more work. The conversation ranges from Nikki’s unique journey, to her data-driven approach for profile optimization, and actionable advice for leveraging the platform’s algorithm—dispelling long-held myths and shifting mindsets along the way.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Voice123 “Code”: A Problem Worth Solving
- Voice123’s Complexity: Both Marc and Nikki immediately acknowledge the “confounding” nature of Voice123’s search and audition system.
- Marc (01:25): “Just the fact that we have to crack a code to even figure out how to be able to use the site probably speaks to a greater problem in and of itself.”
2. Nikki’s Journey to Optimization
- From Teacher in China to Voice Actor & Organizer: Nikki shares her story, emphasizing her love for “boring admin stuff” and how it set her apart.
- Entrance into Voiceover: She started in a dubbing studio in China and eventually pivoted to offering support services for voice actors, especially after becoming a parent and stepping back from recording.
- Discovering the Admin Edge: Her enjoyment in streamlining chaos and her willingness to tackle admin tasks laid the foundation for her value proposition.
- Nikki (07:35): “I like it when it goes from really bad to really organized.”
3. Building a Tool for Chaos – AI as Opportunity, Not Threat
- No Coding Background: Nikki candidly explains how she used ChatGPT to teach herself Python and build a tool for analyzing Voice123 profile data.
- Nikki (10:20): “I actually did end up going to ChatGPT and saying, like, I want to build this thing, but I don't know how to do anything.”
- Reframing AI: The conversation flips the script on AI from existential threat to creative enabler.
- Marc (12:03): “Can we just take a minute to acknowledge how freaking awesome it is that you go from somebody who has no clue about any of this stuff to using this tool to teach you how to code and build another tool?”
- Nikki (12:51): “It helps me do stuff that frees me up to do the important human creative part. It can do, like, the manual labor that nobody wants to do anyway.”
4. The Two Algorithms on Voice123
- Audition & Search: Nikki clarifies that Voice123 has separate algorithms for automatic audition matching and search-based direct invitations.
- Nikki (21:18): “I think of it as actually Voice123 has two completely separate algorithms. One is the one… for automatic auditions… the other one is the search, which a lot of voice seekers will use.”
- Why Search Matters: Many buyers skip mass auditions in favor of searching profiles, favoriting, and sending direct invites for specific needs.
5. Shifting Mindset: Platform as Search, Not Just Pay-to-Play
- The platform’s true function is closer to Google search than traditional pay-to-play.
- Marc (17:51): “The people who are willing to play the game, learn how to appease the algorithm… there’s an advantage for the people who are willing to do that.”
- Intentional Visibility: The goal isn’t just quantity—it’s being found for the right things by the right clients.
- Nikki (19:29): “It’s about ranking for the actual thing that you want to be found for because it’s appropriate.”
6. Optimizing Your Profile—the Practical Steps
a. Multiply Your Clips, Don’t Rely on Single Demos
- Upload individual clips segmented from your demo, each tagged with specific styles, genres, tones, and relevant keywords.
- Marc (35:10): “Is the name of the game to a degree, he who has the most clips wins because you have the most SEO potential?”
- Nikki (35:19): “Yes. However, if you had a hundred of the same kind of clip… you only get one at bat.”
- Diversity of Keywords: Unique, well-tagged clips increase chances of matching buyer searches.
b. Precise Keywording and Descriptions
- Meticulous tagging using current casting trends, client specs, and real language from castings is crucial.
- Nikki (29:19): “I made a custom GPT… that would just give me back synonyms. I’m stuck. My brain is stuck. Okay, well, there’s affable, there’s personable, there’s amiable… but the more you do it, honestly, the easier it gets.”
c. Update Your About/Bio Sections
- Your bio is also SEO-able; use keywords, but keep it natural and relevant.
d. Continuous Analysis & Adjustment
- Nikki regularly monitors profile health, updates clips/samples, tracks casting trends, and provides data-driven recommendations—because “the algorithm does change” (46:24).
7. Access and Tier: Is Search Democratic?
- Pay Tiers: While higher tiers offer more visibility, search is relatively democratized if you do the keyword work.
- Nikki (39:38): “Search is more democratized... I’m able to help people who are not platinum, not elite to be found on page one along with elite.”
- Free tier has more limits; basic and above can compete on equal search footing if optimized.
8. Working with Nikki: What She Offers
- Levels of Service:
a) DIY Reports—Nikki analyzes and generates a comprehensive to-do list for improvement.
b) Assisted Setup—She provides keyword strategies and supports live updates.
c) Full Service—She manages full profile optimization directly, for busy pros.- Nikki (43:07): “They already have their samples up... Nikki, just do it. And I say, okay, I’ll see you in two weeks. Bye. Bye. And I’ll listen to their, all of their samples and I will make a spreadsheet... and they log into their computer... I sit with them while they copy and paste in the updates.”
9. Transferability: Beyond Voice123
- The optimization mindset translates to other casting sites and your personal website’s SEO.
- Marc (31:38): “The samples that are on your Website. If you want to do SEO and geo on your website to attract people… Getting yourself found in ChatGPT or Claude or Gemini… that’s going to matter more than SEO.”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On Branding:
Marc (02:55): “Isn’t that what a brand’s supposed to do—make you want to know more, make you ask a question, make you dive into it a little bit deeper?” -
On Industry Frustrations:
Marc (14:19): “You end up in freaking online casting purgatory because you submitted too many auditions and didn’t get enough likes and you dropped to the bottom percentiles…” -
On Mindset Shifts:
Nikki (19:29): “It’s about ranking for the actual thing that you want to be found for because it's appropriate.” -
On Buyer's Perspective:
Nikki (22:32): “I think the people who are more experienced, who have less time, who want to just like, boom, boom, boom, will do search.” -
On the Real Value of Optimization:
Nikki (36:24): “Put up more clips of the things you want to book more of, because people will come and think you want to book more of that thing and they’re going to try to hire you.” -
On Gaming the System:
Nikki (38:04): “If you put in just boatloads of keywords… you will be found more, but you will be found and disliked a lot more and get punished in the algorithm…” -
On Demystifying the Process:
Nikki (47:39): “It's a true reflection of reality of that sample. And of course, your audio file is a reflection of what you do when you’re booked.” -
On Results:
Marc (33:50): “Lynn gave me the rundown and she's like… within weeks, I made back my membership and investment for the year from jobs that I booked as a result of direct search.” -
Parting Advice:
Nikki (50:37): “Make yourself findable. Exactly.” Marc (52:03): “Be found in search. Be findable.”
Timestamps of Important Segments
- 01:25 – Voice123’s code & the admin’s perspective
- 03:31 – Nikki’s career journey: from China to Missouri to admin specialist
- 09:00 – Transition to support services & VA for VO
- 10:20 – Using ChatGPT & learning to code tools for Voice123
- 12:51 – The good side of AI: freeing creatives from admin busywork
- 14:07 – The “audition rat wheel” of Voice123 and algorithm frustrations
- 17:51 – Mindset shift: Voice123 as SEO/search engine, not just pay-to-play
- 19:29–21:11 – Core strategy: being findable for what buyers actually want
- 21:17 – Two separate Voice123 algorithms (audition matching vs. search)
- 24:00–26:00 – The specifics of sample tagging & role of descriptors
- 29:19 – Using AI, custom tools, data analysis for synonym/keyword selection
- 31:38–32:00 – Skills and strategies transferable to websites, other sites, and even future search engines/LLMs
- 35:03–36:24 – Demos vs. clips, and what kind of sample library to build
- 38:04 – The risks of “keyword stuffing”
- 39:38–40:58 – Search access: tiers, democracy, and beating bigger spenders with strategy
- 41:32–44:51 – Detailed rundown of Nikki’s optimization services
- 46:24–48:49 – The need for up-to-date, high-quality samples; algorithm updates; market realities
- 50:37 – Final takeaways and the importance of balancing buyer/talent needs
Conclusion
This episode provides a rare, detailed look under the hood of Voice123, debunking the myth that it operates like a simple pay-to-play audition platform. Nikki Schwartz brings real, data-driven advice to “de-chaos” your approach: treat your profile and demo clips as SEO-able assets, tailor them to match current casting trends, and optimize for both search and substance. Whether you want a DIY roadmap or need a hands-off solution, the episode demonstrates that strategic, authentic optimization—not sheer volume, nor game-able hacks—will make you findable not just on Voice123, but across the evolving landscape of online casting.
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Final Advice:
Make yourself findable. Be strategic. Let your profile work for you, not the other way around.