Everyday VOpreneur® with Marc Scott

Episode: Should Voice Actors Give Voices.com Another Chance?

Guest: Gina Scarpa

Date: November 6, 2025

Overview

In this candid and engaging episode, host Marc Scott sits down with voice actor and coach Gina Scarpa for a nuanced conversation about Voices.com—a leading online casting platform for voice actors. Marc and Gina tackle the site’s controversial history, evolving practices, and the tangible opportunities (and challenges) it presents to today's VOpreneurs. Gina, known for her positive approach to Voices.com, shares hands-on advice for maximizing results on the platform, addresses common complaints, and encourages listeners to reconsider the prevailing industry narratives.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. Addressing Voices.com’s Controversial Reputation

• Past Issues: Marc recounts his own negative experiences, including discovering egregious commission practices—sometimes as much as 92.5%. He explains how a lack of transparency and communication from Voices.com leadership led to widespread mistrust.
  • “The worst example was I caught them red handed taking a 92.5% commission.” —Marc [05:02]
• Gina's Perspective: Gina acknowledges these concerns but points out that many current Voices.com staff weren’t involved in past bad practices and have tried to implement positive change.
  • “I think they've done a better job of listening to the community...they've been a really good partner to me.” —Gina [07:04]
• Ongoing Skepticism: Marc expresses skepticism about whether real transparency now exists, particularly regarding managed projects and commissions.

2. Understanding Managed/Professional Services & Commissions

• Triple Dipping Concerns: The hosts discuss the structure of memberships, commissions, and additional fees, with Marc questioning if "triple dipping" is still a problem today.
  • Gina clarifies:
    • Pay for membership
    • Pay the 20% commission on each job
    • All payment and messaging is kept on-platform for security and recourse reasons
  • “My understanding...is I paid my money to be on the site. I pay my fees to book the job. I know what those fees are, and I...don't think like that, you know, that's the...stories of old.” —Gina [21:45]

3. The Dual Audience Challenge

• Balancing the needs of both buyers and talent is a persistent struggle for online casting platforms.
• Buyers' Perspective: Most clients are unaware of platform politics or past controversies—they simply want an easy way to get VO work done.
  • “The buyers on the platform are fully and wholly innocent in all of the sins of the platform itself.” —Marc [68:16]
• Talent’s Misconception: Blaming buyers or assuming they’re complicit is often misguided.

4. Rates and Quality of Work

• Not All Rates Are Low: Gina debunks the myth that Voices.com is only low-paying, citing multiple above-GVAA projects she’s booked.
  • “There’s a lot of good things on there...There’s actually a lot of things you could do that would make it a much more enjoyable experience and put you in a position of power.” —Gina [15:14]
• Negotiability: Both Marc and Gina emphasize that rates—and even budgets—are frequently negotiable if approached professionally.

5. Site Algorithms & How to Win More Auditions

• Algorithm Basics: Voices.com uses a sophisticated “Voice Match” system, similar to Voice123, to sort and serve auditions to talent based on profile optimization and past performance.
  • The more complete and strategically tagged your clips and demos, the more auditions you’ll see—sometimes over 100 per day for top talent.
  • “I have 131 jobs sitting there...they’re all viable, they’re good.” —Gina [31:07]
• Meritocracy: Moving up in visibility is based on:
  • Having a complete, optimized profile (genres, age ranges, languages, styles, etc.)
  • Quantity/quality of uploaded demo clips
  • How often you’re shortlisted and book jobs
  • “You have to have 100% Voice Match for every job to maximize your shot.” —Gina [41:46]
• No Penalty for Audition Volume: Unlike Voice123, Voices.com doesn’t punish talent for high audition rates, provided you maintain a strong match rate.

6. Search Optimization & Packages

• Importance of Search: Increasingly, buyers are discovering talent via search on the platform—not just through auditions. Optimized clips with relevant keywords vastly improve visibility.
  • “Search is so important...there’s a lot of success in this industry being willing to do the things that other people aren’t willing to do.” —Gina [40:19]
• Packages Feature: Voices.com now offers a Fiverr-style “Packages” option, allowing talent to set ready-to-book services with set rates, boosting direct bookings without auditions.

7. Old Narratives vs. Today’s Reality

• Both Marc and Gina stress that much of the outrage toward Voices.com recycles outdated stories—sometimes over a decade old.
  • “Those are the people complaining...because the casting sites moved away from you.” —Marc [52:42]
• The industry—and the platforms—have evolved, and talent must be willing to continually update their strategies.

8. Gina’s Voices.com Optimization Course

• Gina has created a course (“Optimize and Win on Voices”) dedicated to helping VO talent maximize their chances of success on the platform through profile optimization, clip strategy, and understanding algorithms.
  • “There’s things you could do immediately that have an immediate impact on how well you’re doing.” —Gina [32:24]
• The course is about an hour long, with actionable steps; implementation takes several hours but is critical for ROI.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Marc Scott [05:02]:
  “The worst example was I caught them red handed taking a 92.5% commission...The client was hidden on both platforms, but I was able to figure out who the client was.”

• Gina Scarpa [07:04]:
  “They've made a lot of positive changes...They've been a really good partner to me. So I like, I really do hear what is happening on both sides.”

• Marc Scott [36:07]:
  “I have always thought that voices.com, regardless of all the other stuff, gave the most level playing field.”

• Gina Scarpa [40:19]:
  “Search is so important...a lot of success in this industry is being willing to do the things that other people aren’t willing to do.”

• Gina Scarpa [47:14]:
  “If I’m not 100% for something, I will get to the bottom of it and I will make sure the next time that doesn’t happen.”

• Marc Scott [68:16]:
  “All things aside, the buyers on the platform are fully and wholly innocent in all of the sins of the platform itself, and they just want to find great voice actors.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [03:09] — Gina’s Optimism Amidst Voices.com Controversy
• [05:02] — Marc’s Account of Historic Commission Issues
• [07:04] — Gina on Recent Voices.com Changes
• [13:29] — Negotiability of Budgets on Managed Projects
• [21:00] — Fees, Memberships, Escrow: Is Triple-Dipping Still a Problem?
• [24:37] — The Algorithm: How Voice Match Works Today
• [31:07] — 131 Auditions Available: Opportunity for Top Talent
• [40:19] — The Power (and Challenge) of Profile Optimization and Search
• [46:46] — The Value—and Pitfalls—of Full-Length Demos vs. Clips
• [52:42] — Outdated Complaints: Adapting with the Times
• [58:09] — Gina’s Solution: The “Optimize and Win” Course
• [62:23] — What It Takes, in Time Investment, to Win on Voices.com
• [63:38] — “Packages” Feature: Direct Bookings Without Auditions
• [68:16] — The Innocence of Buyers and Why It Matters

Actionable Advice & Takeaways

• Don’t Dwell on the Past: Many of Voices.com’s worst practices are in the past, and there are fresh opportunities for well-prepared talent.
• Optimize for Today: Success depends on a modern, optimized profile with many relevant clips and strategic keywords.
• Seize Direct Booking Paths: Embrace features like Packages and search optimization to unlock non-auditioned income streams.
• It’s a Numbers—and Strategy—Game: The more effort you invest in your profile, the better your shot at real ROI.
  • “If you're not willing to spend five to ten hours to put yourself in the best possible position...then what are you doing complaining on Facebook?” —Marc [61:35]
• Be Open Minded: Both the industry and the tools have evolved; keeping up gives you the best advantage.
• The Course: Gina’s “Optimize and Win on Voices” course offers concrete, actionable steps to maximize your platform experience. Find it at ginascarpa.com.

Conclusion

Marc and Gina offer a thorough—and refreshingly honest—assessment of Voices.com in 2025. While the platform’s past may be checkered, Gina’s firsthand experience, specific optimization tips, and broader insights suggest that a new story (and new opportunities) are possible for proactive, entrepreneurial talent. If you’ve written off Voices.com, this episode makes a compelling case for a second look, provided you’re ready to do the work.

For More Resources:

• Gina Scarpa’s Voices.com Optimization Course
• Everyday VOpreneur website