Good morning,
Here’s what you’ll find in today’s DTC:
🎙️ This voice-changer tool is a game-changer for video ads. Learn how you can use this to amplify your next campaign.
📈 Here are different ways you can use Google Trends to help your site get more traffic and sales.
🧠 And… this mentally tough mindset is key to reaching your 2025 goals.
You’re reading this newsletter along with new subscribers from: Soroptomist, LeaseLoco, and Zogo. 👋
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🎙️ This ElevenLabs Hack is a Game-Changer for Video Ads
If you’re running video ads, you know the right voiceover can make or break engagement.
And while ElevenLabs is an incredible tool for AI-generated voiceovers, let’s face it—relying on its "Text-to-Speech" feature can feel like flipping a coin.
Sometimes, the output is too flat.
Other times, it’s awkwardly paced or even feels outright robotic. 🤖
And if you’ve ever spent hours splicing together multiple takes to create something halfway usable... we feel your pain. 😩
Here’s the workflow we’ve been using at Pilothouse to make ElevenLabs not just work—but work better. 💡
Step 1: Start with Your Own Voice 🎤
Forget wrestling with AI to get the pacing and tone just right.
Open your phone’s Voice Memos app (or whatever tool you prefer) and record your script yourself. 📝
Why?
Because it lets you nail the energy, pacing, and authenticity right out of the gate. No back-and-forth, no compromises. 💯
Once you’re happy with your recording, Airdrop it to your laptop.
This is where the magic ✨ happens.
Step 2: Transform It with ElevenLabs’ Voice Changer 🛠️
Upload your recording to ElevenLabs and let the Voice Changer tool do its thing.
With a single upload, you can turn your voice into a completely different persona:
It’s like having a full roster of voiceover talent—minus the budget burn.
Step 3: Iterate on Winning Ads 🔁
Here’s where it gets interesting.
Got a top-performing ad? Don’t just let it ride—this workflow opens up endless opportunities to test new iterations.
What does this mean for you?
One winning ad can suddenly evolve into a whole suite of variations, each tailored to different audiences or tones. 🚀
Why This Workflow Delivers
1. 🚀 Efficiency Gains
By starting with your own voice, you skip the trial-and-error grind of tweaking subpar AI outputs. The result? Polished voiceovers in less time. ⏱️
2. 🎯 Authenticity Meets Flexibility
The input has your natural energy and pacing, while ElevenLabs adds a professional finish. And with Voice Changer, you can pivot personas on demand. 🔄
3. 🧪 Maximized Iteration Opportunities
This isn’t just about creating one voiceover—it’s about building systems that let you iterate faster. New script ideas? Test them. Different tones? Try them. It’s all on the table. 🗂️
TL;DR: Your Secret Weapon for Scroll-Stopping Ads
At Pilothouse, we’re seeing serious efficiency and iteration gains by pairing ElevenLabs’ Voice Changer with real human recordings. 🧰
Whether you’re channeling a grandma 👵, a gruff old man 🧔♂️, or the next big TikTok voice 💁♀️, this workflow is unlocking creative freedom—and better results. 📈
Try it. Tweak it. And watch your ads do the talking.
📈 Three Cool Ways to Use Google Trends
Have you seen the latest updates Google has made to Google Trends?
It’s easier than ever to see search data and make comparisons, which can be beneficial for brands looking to find popular products and figure out what keywords to target.
Here are three ways you can leverage Google Trends for your business:
1️⃣ Identify Popular Products In a Category
Hit the Explore tab and compare up to five different products.
For example, you can look up five different types of cheeses for your cheese store to see what’s rising in popularity.
Next steps: Draw website visitors’ attention to the SKU that’s rising in popularity with a Popular or Trending tab.
For products that are seeing a steady decline in popularity, use that information to help you with inventory ordering and management.
2️⃣ Refine Keyword Targeting
Not sure what keywords to target?
Compare them to get a sense of their widespread uses.
Maybe you use the keyword ‘denim cut-offs’ on your product detail page (PDP) but everyone is actually searching for ‘jorts’ for the past few months.
Same product, just a different name.
Next steps: Knowing what keywords to target is key to getting more traffic to your site and PDPs.
Find popular keywords and make sure to add them to your site where applicable to get more traffic and sales.
3️⃣ Create a Content Calendar
See when an item spikes in traffic at what point in the year.
We were surprised to learn that searches for Halloween start rising as early as July!
What other surprising stats have you spotted? 👀
Next steps: Refine your marketing calendar so your campaigns are timely and don’t miss out on eager shoppers who like to get a head start.
The takeaway?
Knowing when customers first start searching for a product and what keywords they are inputting can help you build a timely marketing calendar and create copy that brings in more traffic and sales.
IN THE NEWS
Meta plans to launch millions of AI bot profiles to increase engagement on Facebook and Instagram. 😲
These AI-generated characters can follow users and leave comments and questions to keep users hooked on using the app.
What this means: A bot will never forget to like your post.
But for marketers… It'll be more tricky in 2025 to figure out which influencer engagement metrics are inflated.
Read the full story in our News section below. 👇
🌐 IN THE SOCIAL SPHERE
Being persistent, even during periods of uncertainty, is the key to improving yourself every single day and facing challenges head-on.
💸 MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
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DTC Newsletter is written by Rebecca Knight and Frances Du. Edited by Eric Dyck.
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