With Broadband becoming the standard access to the Internet in all four corners of the world, the benefits possibilities utilizing rich media and interactivity in marketing are starting to become a reality if not the norm. One of the most active areas is in the so-called Animated Avatars know by many names such as: Talking Web Characters, Virtual Representatives, Virtual Characters and Web Compares. Their popularity growing every day, it’s not by accident, one critical reason is… “they work” ..
Putting over complex products and services is much easier if done using the spoken word. visitors absorb the information easily in what the media industry calls the “lean back marketing” method. So if you are trying to make your site or media composition stand out from the crowd what better option is there than an audio visual virtual web character.
It’s a proven fact that in an educational setting information retention and concentration is improved when compelling content is used. What therefore are the key elements when selecting your animated web character.
Nice Avatar or Nasty Avatar: Many offerings look as though it has fallen out of the ugly tree, is the quality something you are comfortable being associated with your image. So it’s fair to say you’re talking virtual representative should be “attractive” to look at and have a compelling and convincing animation. Remember, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Lip-syncing is an Art and a Science: I cannot quite understand why anyone would find it acceptable to offer a virtual talking avatar product that lip-syncs badly, maybe they don’t think it’s important, or more likely, they don’t know how to do it, it’s the difference between understanding a fundamental and exacting science and saying “ah! shucks, that’ll do”, it won’t do! Our brains react in micro-seconds when faced with something that doesn’t look right! so a serious narration can turn into a comedy sketch. Does the virtual representatives lips stop moving when silent, does it shape the phonemes correctly or is it just a random selection of movements. This is a critical element in delivering a compelling narration, and should never be overlooked.
Ambient animation during delivery: Some offerings out there have adopted the “toy” approach to avatar control, the visitor can move the mouse left, right, up and down and the eyes and sometimes the head follow the pointer, that’s great as a “toy” but it dramatically detracts from the “message”. How can a viewer be expected to absorb the information from your narration, if they are poking the character with the mouse and trying to get it to cross its eyes. Virtual Compares are serious tools, yes they can make you smile, and yes there is definitely a “novelty” factor, this is one of animated web characters strengths. Remember the primary purpose is to put over your message and help you stand out from the crowd. If you wish to be humorous put it in your script, then you are in control of the delivery. All animations should be kept to a minimum to avoid distraction. Less is definitely more.
Virtual Spokesperson – The Sound of the Voice: Does the avatar sound machine processed, or does it have a real voice, do you find text to speech audio realistic and convincing, most people don’t! Text to speech may seem convenient but in general it sucks! Remember! this is a virtual representative, your own animated web or media compare it is an extension of your image, unless you sound like a robot steer clear of synthesized voices. TTS may improve in the future but as of now it just brings a smile followed by a cringed to most people’s faces. Use your own voice, or a friends, or shell out for a professional voice over artist, they are not as expensive as you think!
Tailoring the Avatar: Tailoring the web characters environment should be restricted to clothing and backgrounds in the main, your want your visitors and users to build a rapport with your virtual representative, so changing its looks continually does not offer continuity to the visitor.
Talking Avatar Hosting & Integration: Many Talking Web Character offerings require the composition to be hosted on proprietary servers, Remember you know longer have control of your content, if you rely on your web compares integration with visitors then this could be a catastrophe! if the 3rd party looses there servers, your Avatar is no longer available. Another income stream from some companies is to get you to commit to a Pay-for-view contract. Again you are losing control, if you suddenly get a higher level of visitation the costs of maintaining an virtual web character could be very expensive, or worse the character doesn’t display just the logo from the supplier. Ideally you want a solution that gives you total control of the final composition in an industry standard format; Flash, Flash Video or conventional Video, you can integrate it within your own media or web solution with no hidden charges or service risks.
Add a touch of flexibility: Flexibility can offer multiple uses as you become more adventurous with your virtual representatives so consider the following; The ability to be creative and design your production off-line; Can you get your hands on the native output in an industry standard format such as Flash, Flash Video, AVI etc so you could integrate your work into other environments such as Powerpoint, Camtasia, youTube, eBay etc, is there a good selection of compelling characters, care there additional composition add-ons such as clothing and backgrounds available. Are there any other services that can assist you from the supplier such as Voice-Overs, integration and bespoke services. Every little helps. Education & Training the compelling way: Imagine a PowerPoint presentation, facts, figures, graphs and images and there delivering the presentation, embedded within the screen a virtual tutor, available 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. CBT has a new face, virtual assistants and guides integrate seamlessly into presentation media. Many formal education and training environments from the junior and pre-school nursery to the marble corridors of the corporate giants have seen the power of compelling media delivery. Literature assignment can be delivered in context and even brain teasing science and math education can become more precise when you have the help of a virtual tutor that has the power of “voice”. Un-attended education across the web or operated locally makes virtual education delivery highly effective and manageable. We know that retention is improved, we know that “lean back” education can be effortlessly absorbed and we know that there is nothing more powerful when it comes to delivering complex ideas or facts than the spoken word. The flexibility is endless. Education creators can concentrate on the subject matter and choose the ideal Virtual Tutor to assist in the process. Virtual Teachers can be available in different forms. Technology at its best, with a face and a purpose.
Summary: Implementing a Animated Web Character badly is detrimental and could reflect on your business, it pays to take your time in the creation and don’t settle for second best. Remember your future could depend upon it.
Assisted Education Delivery: Imagine an educational format including a virtual animated lip-syncing presenter or tutor, the content is infinitely more compelling and memorable, knowledge retention is improved and a more relaxed experience can be achieved with ease. I have already mentioned that complex ideas and services are noticeably easier to put over using the spoken word, when additionally faced with a virtual representative it is even more effective. Many training and formal educational environment incorporate media within their presentations and educational content. Virtual Teachers and Tutors are common place in establishment high in the corporate stratosphere and junior schools alike, they both have something in common, the ability to concentrate on content and its compelling and memorable delivery. Un-attended education across the web or operated locally makes virtual education delivery highly effective and manageable. CBT has a new face, interactive courses can have virtual assistants and guides. Virtual Teachers can be available in different forms, ages, sexes and even fantasy, the flexibility to use the ideal representative for the delivery is fantastic. Imagine teaching a second language with a bi-lingual virtual teacher, literature assignment can be delivered in context and even brain teasing science and math education can become more precise when you have the help of a virtual tutor that has the power of “voice”. The opportunities are endless within this sector and best of all, achievements can be accelerated at all learning levels. Simple everyday presentation tools like PowerPoint can have a virtual tutor simply integrated in seconds, it doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective.
