VIRTUAL INFLUENCERS WHAT ARE THEY AND HOW DO THEY WORK

Ever wondered that the influencers that you so desperately follow and admire may get automated in the future? Yeah you heard that right, AI has dominated every aspect of the way humans work and function in this society and social media is no exception.

After the upsurge of ChatGPT and all the other Automated devices companies and brands have significantly changed the way they approach their customers which has invariably driven them to rethink their strategies as well.

Now Virtual Influncers is quite a new term in the market and may get a bit confusing to the one who has never heard of this term before which is why in this article we will try to demystify it and explore the innumerable possibilities it holds under its belt.

WHAT ARE VIRTUAL INFLUENCERS?

Virtual Influencers are by definition computer generated personalities which holds the same characteristics and traits as humans but are completely AI generated. They can be customized according to style, fashion sense, interests and target a specific niche of audience relating to that type of personality.

They are becoming more and more popular among brands and their force has to be reckoned with as companies are lining up to get themselves involved with this new type of Social media marketing tool which is gaining much traction in the west and is already growing in the Asian markets as well.

HOW DO THEY ACTUALLY WORK?

Now in reality these virtual influencers are lifeless by themselves so how do they influence a lot of crowd and eventually help brands grow their business?

Here comes the sweet sauce, the real secret designers behind the virtual influencers, a group of creative and talented people curate and customize these personalities in such a way that it resonates with the audience that they might want to target for example the type of gender, looks, interests, relationship status and sexual orientation etc. are some of the factors that are carefully put together to make this lifeless entity burst up with aliveness and start gaining a lot of attention.

These secret creators can edit these virtual influencers into whatever backdrop they desire for example if the creator loves to travel all they have to do is to get a background of a famous place and juxtapose the virtual influencer on it thereby creating a feeling that this is an actual person who is enjoying their trip on this exotic place while ticking off thier bucket list.

Definition and Creation:

• Virtual influencers are digital characters created using computer graphics and animation.
• They are designed and managed by a team of creative professionals, including graphic designers, animators, and marketers.

Customization and Personalization:

• These influencers are customized to have specific looks, personalities, and backstories that resonate with targeted audiences.
• Attributes such as gender, appearance, interests, relationship status, and sexual orientation are meticulously crafted.

Content Creation:

• Virtual influencers engage in content creation just like real influencers, posting photos, videos, and stories on social media platforms.
• Their content often includes collaborations with brands, promoting products and services.

Audience Engagement:

• By interacting with followers through comments, direct messages, and live streams, virtual influencers build a loyal fan base.
• Their posts are designed to evoke emotional responses, creating a sense of connection and relatability.

Flexibility and Versatility:

• These digital characters can be placed in any setting or scenario, from exotic travel destinations to high-fashion events.
• This flexibility allows brands to create diverse and engaging campaigns without logistical constraints.

Cost-Effectiveness:

• Virtual influencers can be more cost-effective than real influencers, eliminating the need for travel, accommodation, and other expenses.
• They also avoid issues like scheduling conflicts and personal scandals.

Data-Driven Strategy:

• The performance of virtual influencers is closely monitored and analyzed.
• Data insights are used to refine their personas and strategies, ensuring maximum impact and relevance.

Brand Partnerships:

• Brands collaborate with virtual influencers for product endorsements, leveraging their unique appeal and broad reach.
• These partnerships help brands connect with tech-savvy and trend-conscious audiences.

THE ANGLE OF STORYTELLING : THE KEY TO HACK THIS GAME

Storytelling is a vast topic and it cannot be incorporated in a single article but to give you a jist, to connect with the customers brands use various tools to relate the product that they want to sell and the way they effectively do it is Storytelling.

Similarly, when these virtual influencers are stitched with a background story that people can relate with for example an influencer who has just saved a cat from dying in the rain could generate a lot of attention from the cat lovers and this inturn can be a huge opportunity for brands to jump in market their products.

The reason why there is a huge demand of Anime in the world is because in that there is a lot of control in the hands of the creator which is not totally possible with a human being as a human being has their physical limitations which could be eliminated with a virtual influencer.

A virtual influencer can be an astronaut but to a real influencer that would be practically impossible until unless he’s the most influential man on earth such as Mr. Musk !

HOW CAN BRANDS BENEFIT FROM THIS?

Some of the most popular virtual influencers has crossed well above the 1 million followers milestone as more and more people have started getting infatuated by their presence on social media.

In a 2023 Sprout Pulse Survey of 307 US-based social marketers, 81% said influencer marketing is an essential part of their overall social media strategy.

So with virtual influencers the benefits are enormous. In Fact in a poll it was revealed that 51% of all UK consumers prefer virtual influencer over human influencers which is a staggering insight for brands for future perspective.

First of all with Virtual Influencers, the control of content is par excellence, one mistake with a human influencer can cause the whole marketing campaign to run late and eventually cost the companies more over reshoots adding pressure of nearing deadliness, this is not the case with the former as the work flow is much smoother and any changes required can be dealt with in no time, so it saves money as well as time and resources.

Virtual influencers never age, which gives them a clear cut edge against real influencers as they can serve the brands purpose for longer period and garner the trust of the customers as well. These Visual influencers are highly adaptable as well, as they can be used and modified according to the required target audience. Due to the consistent and unchanging appearance and personality brands will feel safer to build their strategies in a predictable way for long term without getting into other factors of resistance and negotiations that happen with human influencers.

ARE VISUAL INFLUENCERS THE FUTURE OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING?

The impact of AI is sometimes haunting as the level of precision and execution is simply jaw dropping which forces one to think will this replace the human beings totally? To answer this question we need to understand a basic fact and that is the evolution of marketing over the years, companies and brands allocate a certain amount to meet a certain target, they hire influencers and work with them to help promote their brand and eventually hope to generate some sales around them, if they found a different solution to this problem with less money and less resistance and with a wider audience appreciation, the brands who will not follow this regime will eventually stand in the losing side.

Renault, a famous car company has already announced their first Visual Influencer as their brand ambassador, this will open up the eyes of their competitors and other businesses in general because eventually, whatever drives sales will eventually be the hot topic of conversation in everyone’s mouth. Will humans be completely replaced this is still a sceptical statement as a lot of people don’t really connect with Automated or AI generated characters as they prefer the touch and feel of a real human to relate with them. The future holds a lot of mysteries but surely we as a collective species are moving in a terrain which is exciting and exhilarating at the same time.