Audio product descriptions for blind shoppers: briefing an editor and voice artist

A practical guide to accurate spoken product details, testing the script, choosing a voice artist and keeping an accessible written alternative.

What the task involves

A product photograph may show its shape while telling a shopper who cannot see the image very little about its dimensions, texture or operation. A small online shop can offer concise, factual spoken descriptions alongside other product information. This is primarily an editing and voice-recording task, not an advertising exercise. Flowery claims must not displace verifiable characteristics that help someone decide whether the item suits their needs.

Start with a factual product record

Record what the item is for, its measured dimensions, material, shape and features that could be identified by touch during safe use. Distinguish these facts from assertions such as 'luxurious', 'extremely comfortable' or 'suitable for everyone'. Do not invent a measurement because it sounds plausible. For an item made of several parts, explain how the significant components are arranged and exactly what is supplied in the package.

Write from the overall form to the details

Begin by naming the product and giving a clear mental picture, then explain the features that matter for choosing and using it. Listing every decorative detail can bury essential information; omitting a control, compartment or attachment can be equally unhelpful. Ask the editor to justify which details were retained and which were omitted. The aim is an accurate description that can be understood without looking at the photograph, not a longer marketing slogan.

Select and check an editor and narrator

Ask candidates about experience writing clear, accessible descriptions and commission a small test for one actual product. Where possible, seek feedback from a person with relevant lived experience without presenting one person's preferences as those of all blind shoppers. Agree how the voice artist will pronounce dimensions, unfamiliar names and materials. Set a suitable pace, clear pauses and a recording without background music that obscures the information.

Publish text as well as audio

Provide the same information in text: some people prefer a screen reader to playing a separate recording. Label the playback control clearly and check that it can be operated with a keyboard. One well-produced audio file does not make an inaccessible shop accessible. Navigation, forms and other interactive elements need their own checks, ideally by someone competent in digital accessibility. Treat the narration as one part of the product page.

An illustrative workshop example

Imagine a workshop selling desktop organisers with three compartments. It supplies the editor with measured dimensions, photos and a simple diagram. The script describes the overall shape and the position of all three sections, and the narrator records a short version without music. During a test, a listener points out that 'on the left' is unclear without specifying the orientation of the organiser. The editor fixes the reference point before publication.

What a recording cannot establish

An audio description does not certify product quality, safety or suitability for every shopper. Do not claim untested attributes or promise universal accessibility. Feedback from real users can help, but must be sought with consent and respect for differing preferences. The finished audio should supplement a usable catalogue, not replace accurate specifications, alternative text, accessible controls or other ways of obtaining information.

Finding collaborators directly

A shop can describe its editing or narration requirement, a broad area and relevant product photos in a genuine Match2Go request, then discuss the brief directly with anyone who responds. Avoid sharing unnecessary personal or customer details. Match2Go is a geosocial service built around direct communication and grows through recommendations rather than paid advertising. It currently focuses on Russia; local participation elsewhere has not been verified. No particular specialist or reply is guaranteed.

Prepared with AI assistance; independent human editorial review has not been confirmed.