Remember when it was fairly common to land on a Web page and find yourself face-to-face with an animated person reading the text on the page word for word? Those early virtual spokespeople have evolved, leaping out of their frames and shedding their cartoon appearances. Today’s virtual spokes models do more than simply read the page’s content. They appeal  site visitors on a personal level.

Early Virtual Spokespeople

Virtual spokes models are not new to the Internet. A typical early virtual spokesperson featured an animated talking head that read the words featured on the website. Web visitors either loved them or hated them. For some, hearing the text read by a robotic voice was more annoying than useful. Annoyed visitors don’t stick around long, and for the most part, these early spokes models have fallen out of favor.

As broadband connections have become more common, so too have video spokes models. At first, these virtual spokespeople appeared in video boxes just as any other hosted video on a website. Depending on how the Web developer set up the site, the videos either play automatically upon opening a page or are launched by the visitor. While it’s not unheard of for a video spokesperson of this type to read the page’s text, most follow their own scripts and deliver additional information.

Modern Virtual Spokespeople

With advanced Flash technology and a new emphasis on video spokes models, today’s virtual spokes person is a far cry from those early incarnations. You may still see the occasional animated spokes person; however, expect a level of interactivity that wasn’t present before. For example, Animotioninc.com’s virtual spokesperson, Bucky Smiles, appears buried under a clump of snow. A brush appears and the user is invited to brush the snow away to reveal the character, chattering teeth and all. Next, the user can drag a cup of coffee over and warm up the poor guy who finally has the opportunity to deliver his message.

As far as video spokespeople go, the actors are no longer confined to tiny frames. These virtual spokes models step across the screen, appearing as overlays on the site. For example, a virtual spokesperson can walk across the website, pointing visitors to specific areas of the site. Depending on how the scene was shot, a video spokesperson can jump into the website, landing on the page and delivering a unique message.

Today’s modern virtual spokes person is far more engaging than previous generations. With video spokespeople, an actor or actress presents a short message which has been scripted with a specific purpose in mind. For example, a video spokesperson might welcome site visitors, highlight specific products, or prompt visitors to perform a certain action such as sign up for newsletters or fill out a survey.

The modern video spokesperson for the Web is also more personable than the animated spokesperson of the past. Most video production companies offering virtual spokespeople have a cast of attractive, versatile actors and actresses capable of delivering any message. If your site appeals to businesses, a professional spokesperson can add credibility to your site. If your site appeals to a younger crowd, a young and vibrant virtual spokesperson can add a touch of fun and excitement to your site. Best of all, today’s virtual spokespeople add value and can lead to increased conversion rates.