Directories that talk to you Options

[cre8pc]

This is the first I've heard of anything like this. Has anyone else? What do you think? Would it be cool to be able to send an audio greeting to those who find your web site in searches?

Click4Choice Offers New Cutting Edge Technology and a New Look

New technology adds a Virtual Hostess to Directory listings making Click4Choice the first directory to offer a Virtual person to speak to visitors and tell them details about listed websites.

(PRWEB) October 22, 2004 -- Click4Choice has chosen Oddcast, Inc to employ a virtual person to greet visitors as they browse the listings. Click4Choice is the first Directory to offer audio/visual listings which is extremely effective in getting a message out. The new technology offered by Oddcast http://www.oddcast.com/sitepal?&affId=29438 , Inc allows website owners to write up a message they want to get across to our visitors.

When a visitor visits the detail page of the website, he or she is presented with a snapshot of the website along with our Click4ChoiceVirtual Hostess http://www.click4choice.com/dir/Detailed/5749.html The Click4Choice Virtual Hostess will tell the visitor what the website offers in detail and give the visitor a clear picture of that business. Owners simply enter a message for their listed website when editing the listing! 

[kensplace]

I ave seen some selleres use those virtual talking people on some ebay auctions. Personally I cant stand the whole concept. Its a waste of bandwidth, and very gimmicky. Some people love it though.
Its the way the net will be eventually, not content, just ads, like on tv.

[UKWizz]

Well I think we need to admire Click4Choice for trying something new. Today with so much of the market being dominated by the larger se's and directories the little guy has to be inovative.

UKWizz

[vincent_g]

cre8pc

I like to thank you for taking notice.
The Virtual Hostess is a feature that I hope catches on not only in Click4Choice but in other directories also.

I think a directory has to do more to make the sites listed stand out.

I guess many will be watching Click4Choice to see how it fares out.

It's a feature that I felt was needed and if it goes over well I will look into expanding it into new directions.

The Virtual Hostess is a creation by OddCast's SitePal.

Oddcast is pretty excited about my implementation and helped in supporting the Press Release.

Again I wish to thank you for the fantastic spot on Search Engine Round Table and for taking notice.

Vincent G.

[cre8pc]

It was my pleasure, Vincent.

I saw your press release and felt it was not only noteworthy, but fascinating. The Web is ever-changing and innovations such as this will be fun to watch and use

[stoner3221]

I just proposed a similar idea to my developer for sponsored submissions. It’s a great idea!

[kelvinbrown]

I first offered a similiar service to my directory clients over a year ago. But voice only, using the clients real voice.

Did make many sells, but they same company is upgrading to add video to voice. So I will try again to sell my clients on using audio visual ads.

Kelvin

[kensplace]

Did it work out?
Voice only would not be too bad, as it would not require plugins like swf to play.... And could be optional, without leaving a huge blank space if you have some settings disabled like many people do... (edit note to o/p - huge blank space is not good, can you not look into detecting if plugin is disabled and putting up a text version in its place?)

Theres almost always nothing new in computing, its all been done before - just the marketing people are clueless generally, and jump on things as they dont know any better.

[vincent_g]

It's seems we have a new contender.

http://speegle.co.uk/

http://www.theherald.co.uk/business/27350.html

Talking Directories - Talking Search Engines - What's next!

Vin

[Jean_Manco]

Speegle has already been mentioned over here:
http://www.cre8asiteforums.com/forums/inde...showtopic=17830

[vincent_g]

Yes but the PR is pretty new and it gives me a chance to add an observation.

I don't know how well that will go over due to the quality of the speach not being as good as it should be.

I opted to have a second column within the database so users can have the vhostess read that verses reading the Description.

This allows one to tweak it out to get the best results.
There's a test screen where one can place the text and have it read back.
When it sound right just paste it in the vhost column.

This way one doesn't have to give up an SEO advantage by trying to make the Description read properly by the service.

Vincent G.

[beitemiller]

Considering the competitive market SE's battle for, I have to congradulated Click4Choice for trying something outside the norm. Not sure if I will like it personally, considering the bandwidth issues and all, but it is something that is noteworthy.

[James]

I would say that it gives the directory a USP. However, I'm not entirely convinced that the application is right for a talking assistant.

I tend to find that I scan-read directory pages looking for a headline or sentence that sticks out from the rest. I click the link, click the back button. I don't have time, in this environment, to wait for my virtual host to download or get into their speel. I'd have disappeared long before they paused to take their first breath.

Having said all that, I am sure that there are plenty of opportunities for adding virtual assistants to ecommerce stores where you can hear more about the key features of a particular product.

I guess the reality is that I prefer the kind of informative videos that you get on the Macromedia website such as http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/mx/flash/..._dev_flv_081604. They can be viewed when I want to watch them, include some degree of interaction and are informative.

[James]

Having just been to https://www.oddcast.com/store/indexAccounts...tSku=SITEPAL_EN, I can see the power of the technology when trying to sell something. Before I'd even started reading the blurb about the premium account, I'd been told it!

[Comilfaut]

U can put voice message directly on your site using Flash Voice Buttons.
http://www.reutera.com/Flash-Voice-Buttons/

[James]

Hi Comilfaut and welcome to the forum,

Thanks for providing the link. Looks like an interesting idea. One thing I was confused by was the fact that they don't appear to have used their own product to help sell their product.

Kind Regards,
James

[bragadocchio]

Welcome aboard, Comilfaut,

Interesting link. You have me wondering what the best use of that would be.

I think that there's a place for audio on a site. But what is the best way to use it?

I suspect that's a topic that we will be discussing quite a bit over the next couple of years.

I like the way that sound clips are used on this page:

http://www.myownbusiness.org/audio/index.html

Listening to conferences or seminars online can be interesting, too.

It can be interesting to hear an author read their own short story or essay.