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Mastering the Art of Web Typography: Enhancing Readability and Brand Identity

Typography is a core element of web design that impacts how easily people can read and engage with your content. 

Your message and brand identity stand out when you have a font that draws the eye in. 

When you know how to use web typography principles to grab attention, you can transform a good-looking website into one that is captivating. 

Let’s take a closer look at why your website typography matters — and how you can use it to enhance readability and brand identity.

Understanding typography

Web typography best practices focus on how text looks and feels on a screen. Unlike print typography, where the final product is static, web typography must adapt to various screen sizes and resolutions. 

This means you’ll need to choose fonts that are both aesthetic and function properly on different devices.

But before you dive into choosing fonts, you need to understand a few basic terms.

Fundamental typography terms

Here are some basics to know:

  • Typeface vs. font: A typeface is an overall design, like Helvetica. A font is a specific style within that typeface, such as Helvetica Bold or Helvetica Light.
    • So, when you choose Helvetica, you’re picking a typeface. When you choose Helvetica Bold, you’re selecting a font.
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  • Serif vs. sans-serif fonts: Serif fonts have small lines at the end of characters (like Times New Roman), enhancing print readability. *Sans-serif fonts (like Helvetica) are cleaner and generally easier to read on screens, making them a popular choice for web design.
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  • Kerning, tracking, leading, and hierarchy: Kerning adjusts the space between individual letters, tracking adjusts the space across a block of text, and leading is the space between lines of text. Hierarchy is how you use different sizes and styles to guide readers through content.
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Font selection for web design

Here’s how to select the best fonts for your website:

Consider readability and brand identity

Choose a font that aligns with your brand’s personality. For instance, Helvetica’s clean lines suit professional sites like Beaches of Normandy Tours, where its articles, such as the Liberation of Paris, must clearly convey historical information. On the other hand, a playful font might suit a creative agency.

Use web-safe and standard fonts

Stick to fonts that are widely supported across modern browsers. Fonts like Arial, Verdana, and Georgia are safe choices. 

Implement font stacks

If you prefer unique fonts, use font stacks. This means listing several fallback fonts in your CSS, so if one isn’t available, it’ll use another one of your choices.

This helps make sure that your text looks good across different devices. For example, you might use “Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif” in your CSS. If Helvetica isn’t available, Arial or a generic sans-serif will take its place.

Designing for readability

Readability is key to a successful website. 

Here’s how to make sure your text is easy to read:

  1. Text size and line length: Aim for a base font size of 16px. For line length, keep lines between 40 and 80 characters to avoid reader fatigue. Larger fonts are easier to read on smaller screens, so adjust sizes for mobile devices.
  2. Spacing and alignment: Make sure there’s enough space between lines and paragraphs. This vertical spacing, or leading, should generally be 1.5 times the font size for body text.
    1. Use white space strategically to make your content more digestible and visually appealing.
  3. Color contrast: High contrast between text and background color is essential. Use tools like a contrast checker to make sure your color choices meet accessibility standards. For example, black text on a white background is typically a safe bet.

Advanced typography considerations

Adapt your typography to various screen sizes and settings. 

Consider: 

Screen size and resolution

Text may look different on various devices. Responsive design helps adjust typography based on screen size. (Test your designs on different devices to promote consistent readability.)

Adjustments 

Experiment with typography settings. 

Compare how changes to line height, letter spacing, and other aspects affect readability.

X-height and counter-openness

The x-height is the height of lowercase letters, which affects readability. Fonts with larger x-heights are generally easier to read. Counter-openness refers to the space inside letters like “e” and “a” and should be ample for legibility.

Enhancing brand identity through typography

Choose fonts that reflect your brand’s character and values. 

For instance, Henry Meds uses clean, sans-serif fonts to establish a modern, professional image. This aligns with its commitment to clear and accessible health information. It also uses consistent formatting, clear headings for navigation — and white space around text blocks to make the content more engaging and digestible. 

This look is congruent across its blog, which helps readers more easily digest its medical topics, such as the following one about semaglutide costs without insurance.

Other successful brands, like Nike and Coca-Cola, also demonstrate how typography can strengthen brand identity. 

Nike uses bold fonts that communicate strength and innovation. This perfectly aligns with its dynamic and forward-thinking brand image. On the other hand, Coca-Cola uses a script font that evokes a sense of nostalgia and tradition. This reinforces its classic and beloved brand persona. (Who could ever forget its beloved polar bears and Christmas-themed branding?)

Long story short: Choose fonts that resonate with your core message to leave a lasting impression and connect deeper with your audience.

Wrap up

Mastering web typography means ensuring that your text is readable, your brand identity is clear, and your content effectively engages your audience. 

Understand typography basics, choose the right fonts, and continuously test and optimize your website to create a web experience that looks great and performs well. Remember, great typography enhances readability and strengthens brand identity. So, take the time to perfect it and watch your website thrive.

Featured image by Florian Klauer on Unsplash

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Cultivating Brand Success: Leveraging LLC Structure for Effective Marketing Strategies

Entrepreneurs, startup founders, and small business owners all share a common goal: building a thriving brand. But in today’s competitive landscape, achieving success requires more than just a great product or service. You need effective marketing strategies that resonate with your target audience.

Something few entrepreneurs consider is that the structure you choose for your business can influence the effectiveness of your marketing efforts, making your life easier or harder depending on the stage of growth your business is in.

In this article, we’ll explore how a Limited Liability Company (LLC) structure empowers you to cultivate brand success through well-defined marketing strategies.

The Limited Liability Company (LLC) structure

An LLC offers a business structure that combines the flexibility of a sole proprietorship with the personal liability protection of a corporation. This means you have more control over your business operations compared to a corporation while also shielding your personal assets from business debts and lawsuits.

Benefits of forming an LLC

LLCs are popular business structures for small and medium-sized businesses for the following reasons:

  • Limited Liability Protection: This is one of the LLS structure’s main advantages. Personal liability protection means your personal finances are safeguarded from business liabilities, offering peace of mind when investing in new initiatives.
  • Pass-Through Taxation: LLCs avoid double taxation for their members (corporate tax and personal income tax). Profits and losses “pass through” the business to the owner’s personal tax returns. This simplifies tax filing and can offer better tax efficiency than other business structures, depending on your individual tax situation.
  • Flexibility and Management: LLCs offer more management flexibility than corporations. Decision-making is streamlined, allowing for quicker adaptation to market changes. There’s a less complex corporate hierarchy to navigate, empowering you to seize fleeting marketing opportunities or respond to sudden shifts in consumer preferences.

The LLC structure’s downsides

Despite the advantages, LLCs do have some cons:

  • Less Credibility: Compared to corporations, LLCs may be perceived as less established, especially when dealing with larger companies or securing significant funding. This can be a hurdle to overcome, particularly in industries where a corporate image is important.
  • Profit Sharing: Profits and losses pass through to the owners, potentially impacting their personal tax brackets. This can be a consideration, especially for businesses with high profits.

Steps to form an LLC

The process for forming an LLC varies by state but is usually quite simple and streamlined (especially compared to corporations). In many US states, you can complete the whole process online.

Forming an LLC generally involves:

  1. Filing Articles of Organization with your state’s Secretary of State.
  2. Paying a filing fee.

Some states may also require filing an Operating Agreement, a private document defining ownership and profit sharing, outlining management structure, and detailing voting rights, among other specifics of the business.

Though a simple process, consulting with a lawyer or legal service to ensure you complete the process accurately is advisable.

What is a marketing strategy?

A marketing strategy defines your overall approach to reaching your target audience and achieving your business goals. It outlines your brand messaging, target markets, marketing mixes, and budget allocation. It’s the foundation upon which you build your marketing efforts.

The LLC structure enables better marketing strategies. To understand why and how, we must first clearly separate a marketing strategy from two related terms wrongly used interchangeably: a marketing plan and marketing tactics.

Marketing strategy vs. marketing plan vs. tactics

You can think of your marketing strategy as the “big picture” roadmap to connect with your potential customers and reach your marketing goals.

A marketing plan, on the other hand, translates that strategy into specific, actionable steps. It details tactics, timelines, and performance metrics for your marketing initiatives, forming the nitty-gritty that brings your marketing strategy to life.

The tactics outlined in your marketing plan are the specific actions you take to execute your strategy. For example, in a digital marketing strategy, tactics could include social media campaigns, email marketing, content creation,  and others.

How the LLC structure enables more effective marketing strategies

The unique advantages of an LLC structure can significantly enhance your marketing efforts in different ways:

Increased flexibility

LLCs are more flexible legal entities than other structures like corporations. This flexibility allows businesses to create and promote a unique brand identity, enabling them to tailor marketing messages to specific target audiences, increasing resonance and engagement.

An LLC structure also makes it less cumbersome to form partnerships and collaborations with other businesses, influencers, or organizations. By leveraging these partnerships, LLCs can extend their reach, access new customer segments, and benefit from shared resources, amplifying the impact of their marketing initiatives.

A more agile structure

LLCs’ lower organizational and hierarchical complexity means there’s less momentum to overcome when changing direction. In other words, marketing virtual assistants can change and implement marketing strategies with minimal bureaucracy.

This agility is crucial for seizing fleeting opportunities and addressing challenges promptly, helping businesses stay ahead of competitors and maintain relevance in the eyes of consumers.

Limited liability protection

Knowing your personal assets are shielded from business liabilities allows for bolder marketing investments. You can confidently allocate resources to advertising, promotions, and other marketing activities critical for brand recognition, something you may be hesitant to do if you’re running your business as a sole proprietorship.

In short, the financial freedom brought about by personal liability protection empowers you to experiment with a broader range of marketing strategies without the fear of risking your personal finances.

Smaller size equals better connection with customers

Many LLCs operate on a local scale, fostering a closer relationship with their customer base. This allows them to gather valuable insights into consumer preferences and tailor marketing campaigns that speak directly to their target audience.

This proximity also allows them to participate in community events and support local causes. Such involvement with the community not only fosters customer loyalty but also enhances brand reputation, leading to more effective word-of-mouth marketing.

More streamlined decision-making

In LLC structures, decision-making isn’t bogged down by complex corporate hierarchies and bureaucracy. This agility enables faster adjustment to market changes and execution of novel marketing tactics.

Real-world LLC marketing success stories

Here are some inspiring examples of how LLCs have leveraged their structure to develop winning marketing strategies:

SpaceX’s  digital marketing strategy

SpaceX, the famous aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company founded by Elon Musk, operates as an LLC. This unicorn startup is now worth $175 billion. It’s second only to Boeing in the aerospace industry, making it one of the clearest examples of how an LLC can grow to become wildly successful.

SpaceX’s marketing strategy has been unconventional and highly effective. They’ve used social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to create a buzz around their ambitious space exploration endeavors, generating excitement and attracting a passionate following.

A post on X by SpaceX
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Elon Musk himself is a passionate CEO who frequently posts on social media about the company’s latest successes. This social-media-driven approach perfectly complements the LLC structure’s flexibility and allows SpaceX and its directives to directly engage with its target audience, generating brand awareness and increasing brand reputation.

Airbnb’s affiliate program

Airbnb, the hospitality service that allows people to list, rent, and find vacation rentals, initially started as an LLC. Airbnb’s key marketing strategy revolves around affiliate marketing. Its innovative affiliate program, where travel bloggers and websites could earn commissions by promoting Airbnb listings, is a prime example of how LLCs can leverage partnerships for effective marketing.

Airbnb's dashboard
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In fact, LLC is a recommended business structure for affiliate marketing companies. This strategy allowed Airbnb to tap into a vast network of influencers and reach a wider audience without incurring significant upfront marketing costs.

The Bottom Line

The LLC structure offers a unique blend of flexibility, agility, and financial security that can empower your business to develop and implement highly effective marketing strategies. By understanding the advantages of an LLC and how it aligns with your marketing goals, you can unlock significant growth potential for your brand.

Remember, a well-defined marketing strategy is the cornerstone of building brand success, and the LLC structure provides a solid foundation upon which to build your marketing efforts.

Featured image by Pixabay

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The Importance of Password Managers in Secure Authentication

Passwords are frustrating. They’re hard to remember and easy to steal. Add to that the security best practice of requiring strong, unique passwords for every website… and we’re left with a recipe for frustration and vulnerability. 

Yet, as our world becomes more digitized, the need for robust online security has never been greater. This is where secure authentication methods and password managers come to the rescue. 

Let’s unravel the secrets of secure authentication to understand how to protect ourselves in this evolving digital landscape.

What is secure authentication?

Secure authentication is the process of proving you are who you claim to be when accessing an online account or service. This process establishes trust and grants access to sensitive information or resources, including your bank account, email, or company intranet.

It’s the equivalent of entering a combination into a locked safe or showing your ID at the bank when you want to make a withdrawal.

Importance of secure authentication

Authentication is essential to online security and modern life for multiple reasons:

  • Prevent data breaches: Secure authentication safeguards against unauthorized access that can lead to data breaches and identity theft. According to IBM research, major data breaches can cost companies over $4.4 million each.
  • Uphold trust: Businesses rely on secure authentication to comply with data protection standards and regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
  • Protect brand reputation: A strong stance on cybersecurity is necessary in today’s digital society, which directly impacts brand reputation. Recent hotel trends and trends in other industries have found that brand reputation is becoming more critical than ever. Consequently, having secure authentication to protect guests’ data like their ID, Social Security numbers, and credit card details in hotel property management systems (PMS) is essential to maintain a strong brand reputation.
  • Avoid lawsuits: Any professional services that handle sensitive client data must have secure authentication in place. States have different data security laws and what to do in case of a breach.

Forms of secure authentication

There are many ways to ensure robust and reliable authentication for online accounts and other systems:

#1 Password-based authentication

People have been using password authentication since 1961 when MIT computer science professor Fernando Corbato created the first computer password. This familiar method relies on a username (usually an email address) and password combination and is the most common form of user authentication used today.

This form of authentication falls under the “something you know” category. Popular passwords have several downsides, including being hard to remember and allowing anyone who knows your password-free access to your data.

Passwords are vulnerable to phishing scams, social engineering attacks, and brute-force attacks, especially if you use weak passwords or reuse the same password across sites. Consequently, a core part of online security relies on using unique, strong, secure passwords for every online account and app you use.

#2 Passwordless authentication with passkeys

Secure passwords are, by definition, hard to remember, which is an inconvenience, making passwordless authentication attractive. There are multiple ways to authenticate users without a password, but passkeys are getting all the attention.

Passkeys vs passwords

(Image Source)

Passkeys use cryptography to eliminate the need for traditional passwords, making your accounts less susceptible to social engineering attacks, phishing, and other attacks. They also destroy the need to remember passwords since they’re created and stored on each device you use and verified “under the hood” without human intervention.

#3 Biometric scans

These fall under the “something you are” category. Biometric authentication includes facial recognition, fingerprint and iris scans, voice recognition, etc.

Iris scan for biometric lock

(Image generated with Gemini Advanced)

Biometrics help prevent phishing ?and social engineering attacks and are almost invulnerable to brute-force attacks.

While convenient, these methods have limitations when used alone and are usually used in tandem with other forms of identity verification.

#4 Token-based authentication

Tokens add a valuable layer of security because they require something you physically have. There are two main types:

  • Hardware tokens: These are dedicated devices that generate temporary authentication codes. They can appear as key fobs, USB sticks, or smart cards.
  • Software Tokens (Authenticator Apps): These are apps installed on your smartphone or computer to generate similar temporary codes used in two-factor authentication or multi-factor authentication (more on that below).

#5 Certificate-based authentication

Digital certificates are like digital passports issued by trusted authorities called Certificate Authorities (CAs) using public-key cryptography. They verify the identities of individuals, websites, and devices.

Certificate-based authentication is often used in enterprise networks, secure websites (like banks), and secure email communications.

#6 Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

Multi-factor authentication is the answer to the weaknesses of using the forms mentioned above for authentication separately. It adds extra layers of protection by requiring more than one factor to prove your identity.

The basic idea behind MFA is to provide:

  • Something you have (like a personal computer or a mobile device)
  • Something you are (a form of biometric authentication).
  • Something you know (like your password)
MFA identification

(Image Source)

Two-factor authentication (2FA) is the most common type of MFA, requiring just one additional factor for an increased level of security (therefore, you need only two factors).

Password managers and secure authentication

A password manager is like a digital vault to keep your sensitive login information, like your passwords, safe. However, password managers today do much more than just store these details? — ?they’re critical tools for embracing secure authentication practices.

Password managers help you avoid weak, reused passwords, empowering you to adopt the strongest security methods.

How do password managers work?

At their core, all password managers help you:

  • Store credentials securely: Your passwords are protected in an encrypted vault, accessible only with a master password and often additional security factors. Most offer unlimited password storage in heavily encrypted form using military-grade encryption algorithms like AES-256-bit or XChaCha20 encryption.
  • Generate strong passwords: Password generators can create long, unique, and complex passwords for your accounts. They remove the guesswork and frustration and improve the user experience when using passwords.
  • Autofill login forms: Another core password manager feature is they can directly fill in your login credentials on websites and apps, making the sign-in process faster and smoother.
1password vault

(Image Source)

Most popular password managers also offer other basic features, such as browser extensions for all major browsers and dark web monitoring.

Premium features of password managers

Many password managers offer premium plans like individual, family, and business plans that unlock additional advanced features. Some of these additional features include:

#1 Multi-factor authentication (MFA)

As explained above, MFA adds that extra layer of protection to your password vault by requiring additional factors alongside your master password.

#2 Passkeys

Premium password managers often provide passkey support, enabling seamless passwordless logins on websites and services that support this technology.

#3 Single Sign-On (SSO)

SSO simplifies the login process across multiple connected systems, which is a big help in business environments. SSO effectively outsources authentication to a trusted identity provider or IdP.

Some password managers offer seamless integration with popular identity providers like Okta, Auth0, OneLogin, or Azure AD. They make logging in with IdPs quick and easy, and the IdP then signs you into all other connected services.

#4 Authentication apps

Some top-tier password managers can double as authenticator apps. This means they can generate temporary codes like one-time passwords (HOTPs and TOTPs) for 2FA and MFA.

Google authentication

(Image Source)

Strong passwords are no longer enough

In our digital world, secure authentication is no longer optional? — ?it’s critical.

The key is finding methods that work for you, protect your data, and give you peace of mind. Secure password managers make using strong authentication seamless. They improve our digital lives by allowing us to explore passwordless options or implement multiple security layers to avoid security breaches.

Featured image by rc.xyz NFT gallery on Unsplash

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 Exploring AI Video Generators: A Comparative Overview

Video is one of the most powerful and engaging forms of content in the digital world. According to a report by Cisco, video traffic has been growing at a compound annual growth rate of 34% and was projected to account for 82% of all internet traffic in 2022

However, creating high-quality videos can be time-consuming, expensive, and challenging, especially for small businesses and individuals who lack the resources and skills to produce professional videos.

That’s where AI-generated videos come in. AI video generators can help you create stunning videos for various purposes, such as marketing, education, entertainment, and more, without requiring technical expertise or expensive equipment.

In this blog post, we’ll explore what AI video generators are, how they work, what makes a good AI video generator, and compare the three best AI video generators of 2024.’

What are AI video generators?

AI video generators are online platforms that use artificial intelligence to create videos at scale from text, images, audio, or other input sources. 

They use natural language processing (NLP), computer vision, and deep learning to analyze the input, generate a script, select relevant media, add effects, synthesize speech and audio, and make a video in minutes. 

The result is a realistic and engaging video that can be customized and edited according to your preferences.

AI video generators can help you create various types of videos, such as:

AI video generators can help you save time, money, and effort in creating videos and improve the quality and effectiveness of your video content.

How AI video generators work

An AI video generator is a powerful tool that uses artificial intelligence to automate the video creation process. Depending on the tool, the process may vary slightly, but generally, it involves the following steps:

Step #1 Input

You provide the input for the video, such as text, images, audio, or a URL. 

The input can be a script, a blog post, an article, a product description, or any other source of information. Some AI video makers include script generators based on large language models like ChatGPT.

Step #2. Analysis

The AI video generator analyzes the input, using natural language processing (NLP) to understand the text’s meaning, context, and tone and computer vision to recognize the objects, faces, and scenes in the images.

Step #3. Generation

The AI video creator then generates a video clip from the input, using deep learning to select relevant media, such as stock footage, images, music, and sound effects, and to create a storyboard, a voiceover, and subtitles. 

The AI video generator also adds effects, such as transitions, filters, and animations, to make the video more appealing and dynamic.

Step #4. Customization

You can customize and edit the video using different video tools provided by the AI video platform. 

You can change the media, voice, text, colors, fonts, logo, etc. You can also add audio files for background music and other elements to your video. You can also add or delete scenes, adjust the duration, and rearrange the order of the video.

Step #5. Export

Once you finish editing your video, you can export and download the video in various formats and resolutions, such as MP4, MOV, AVI, 720p, 1080p, and 4K, producing professional-looking videos every time. 

You can also share the video on social media platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, and Instagram, or embed it on your website or blog.

What makes a good AI video generator?

The best AI video generator depends strongly on your particular use case.

In some cases, you may be interested in quickly editing a video you previously made to remove its background, add visual effects, or transform it into a cartoon, for example.

In other cases, you may be interested in creating a training video from scratch based on an idea you have in your head. These and other tasks require different sets of features, the most important of which are:

#1. Extensive video template gallery

A good AI video generator should offer various customizable video templates for different purposes, such as explainer, marketing, or educational videos. 

Your chosen video editing tools should allow you to customize the template to change the media, the text, the voice, and other elements of the video.

The video templates should also be updated regularly so that you can access the latest trends and styles in video creation.

#2. AI video editing

A good AI video generator should also provide an AI video editor that allows you to edit and enhance your videos using artificial intelligence. This includes performing common tasks such as: 

  • Video quality
  • Stabilization
  • Brightness
  • Saturation
  • Trimming
  • Cropping
  • Rotating
  • Resizing
  • Contrast
  • Color

How? Through simple prompts in natural language, generating personalized videos from input text.

The AI video editor should also be able to add effects to your videos, such as transitions, filters, animations, stickers, and emojis, and remove unwanted objects, backgrounds, and noises without using green screens.

#3. Custom AI avatars

Custom-made AI avatars that can act as spokespersons, characters, or instructors in your videos are becoming more common every day in the AI video generator market. You’ll find excellent options like Synthesia io that offer realistic, expressive, and diverse custom avatars to bring your videos to life. 

These AI avatars should be able to lip-sync, gesture, and emote according to your script and should be fully customizable in terms of their appearance, clothing, and accessories.

#4. Audio and speech synthesis in multiple languages

The more modern AI video generators offer audio and speech synthesis in multiple languages. Some allow you to dub an existing video in any language you like, matching your tone, pitch, speed, and accent and lip-syncing your video to the AI-generated speech. 

Some tools also let you add original, royalty-free background music and sound effects to your videos.

With this feature, you can create videos for different audiences and markets in a matter of minutes with the click of a button.

#5. Integrations with other editing tools

Finally, a good AI video generator should also integrate with other editing tools, such as Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Canva, and WordPress, so that you can further edit and optimize your videos using your favorite tools. 

The integrations should be seamless, easy, and fast so that you can transfer your videos between different platforms without losing quality or data.

Comparing the 3 best AI video generators for 2024

Now that you know what makes a good AI video generator, let’s look at the three best AI video generators for 2024. We’ll break down how they compare in terms of features, price, and suitability for different use cases.

#1. Synthesia

Synthesia homepage showing a screenshot of the AI video generator.
Image source

Synthesia is an AI video generator that allows you to create videos from text in minutes. You can choose from hundreds of video templates or create your own custom video from scratch. You can also use Synthesia’s AI avatars to deliver your message in a realistic and engaging way.

Top Features

  • Natural-sounding TTS voice synthesis in 120+ languages
  • Realistic human-like avatars
  • AI script generator
  • AI video editor

Price

Synthesia offers a free trial to create one video from a 200-word prompt. The paid plans start from $29 per month.

Best for

Synthesia is ideal for creating videos of the best possible quality in various languages with a human touch.

#2. Pictory

Pictory homepage showing promotional images of the AI video editor.
Image source

Pictory is an AI-powered tool that allows you to create videos from text, images, or URLs in minutes. You can upload your own content or use Pictory’s AI to find relevant content from the web. You can also use Pictory’s AI to edit and enhance your videos and add voiceovers and subtitles.

Top Features

  • Auto summarizes long videos
  • Text-based video editing tool
  • Creates video highlights
  • Blog-to-video feature
  • Script to video

Price

Pictory offers three paid subscription plans starting from $23 per month up to $119 per month.

Best for

Pictory is ideal for repurposing existing content, such as blog posts, articles, product descriptions, or social media posts, into a video.

#3. InVideo

Screen Capture of the InVideo AI video generator in action.
Image source

Like Pictory, InVideo is an AI video generator that allows you to create videos from text, images, or URLs in minutes. 

You can choose from thousands of video templates or create your own custom video from scratch. You can also use InVideo’s AI to add effects, transitions, filters, and animations to your videos and generate voiceovers and subtitles.

Top Features

  • Generate entire videos from text prompts.
  • Extensive collection of over 6,000 video templates.
  • Intuitive video editor.
  • Natural-sounding voiceovers in 4+ languages.
  • Collaboration and multi-user editing.

Price

InVideo offers a free plan that allows you to create up to 60 videos per month with a watermark and an InVideo logo. The paid plans start from $15 per month and offer more videos, higher resolution, no watermark, and more features.

Best for

InVideo has the largest collection of video templates, with over 6,000 templates, making it ideal for streamlining video production. It’s also ideal for learning to create videos from scratch using AI, free of charge.

3 best AI video generators comparison table

Here’s a summary of the main features, prices, and best use cases of the reviewed AI tools to help you compare the three best AI video generators for 2024. 

You can use this table to find the best AI video generator for your needs quickly.

FeatureSynthesiaPictoryInVideo
Top Features– Natural-sounding TTS voice synthesis in 120+ languages.- Realistic human-like avatars.- AI script generation.- AI video editor.– Script to video.- Blog-to-video feature.- EdiVideo editing using prompts.- Creates video highlights.- Auto summarizes long videos.– Generate entire videos from text prompts.- Extensive collection of over 6,000 video templates.- Intuitive video editor.- Natural-sounding voiceovers in 4+ languages.- Collaboration and multi-user editing.
Price$29/mo, or $264/year– Standard: $23/month, or $228/year.- Premium: $47/month, or $468/year.- Teams: $119/month, or $1,188/year.– Free: $0/month (with watermarks)- Business: $30/month, or $180/year.- Unlimited: $60/month, or $360/year.
Best forCreating the best quality videos in multiple languages.Repurposing existing content into video.Crafting videos from templates and learning AI video generation for free.
Video template library60+50+6,000+
Output video quality1080p for the Standard license.Unlimited for Pro license.Up to 1080pUp to 1080p
Custom AI avatars140+NoYes (not clear how many)
Speech synthesis (TTS) in multiple languages120+ languagesOnly English4+ including English, Spanish, and Hindi.
Integrations35+ integrations including WordPress, YouTube, Vimeo, and ShopifyOnly 3: Google Drive, Hootsuite, and YouTube.JW Player, Brightcove, Akamai, YouTube, and more.

The importance of AI video generators

AI video generators aren’t just a novelty or a gimmick. They’re powerful and practical tools that can help you create amazing videos in minutes.

AI video generators can help you:

AI’s role in enhancing real-time game aesthetics

AI video generators have revolutionized character design and environment dynamics in PC gaming. In popular games like Fortnite, these advanced tools are instrumental in crafting highly detailed and interactive outfits, offering players an immersive experience.

Take the Fortnite Batman Who Laughs outfit, for instance. AI’s precision and attention to detail enable the rendering of intricate designs, capturing this crossover character’s haunting and iconic appearance. 

Every menacing laugh, terrifying smile, and eerie movement is amplified, blurring the lines between the virtual and real worlds.

Image of Fortnite character - The Batman Who Laughs generated by AI
Image source

This real-time enhancement isn’t just visual. It extends to how characters respond to the environment and players’ actions, making games like Fortnite a playground of endless possibilities. Every session is a unique and captivating experience.

Cutting production times in half or less

Using AI video generators to automate the video creation process helps you bypass time-consuming processes like recording voiceovers, shooting video footage, editing the video, and adding sound and visual effects. 

Doing so allows you to cut your production time in half or less.

Improving marketing ROI

Saving time saves you money, but so does hiring voiceover artists, actors, and professional video editors to make your videos. Using AI video generators, you can create high-quality and engaging videos for your marketing campaigns at a fraction of the cost it’d take you with a more traditional approach, improving your marketing ROI.

For example, when individuals buy used RVs, they often rely on videos to gauge the vehicle’s condition, history, and features. An AI video generator could transform this process, creating simulated videos based on RV specifications, reviews, and history, offering potential buyers an immersive virtual tour. It’s a testament to how AI video technology can be applied in diverse scenarios.

How AI video generators can transform your video creation process

AI video generators aren’t just a novelty or a gimmick. They’re practical AI-powered tools that can help you create amazing videos in minutes without requiring technical expertise or expensive equipment. 

AI video generators can help you step up your content creation, cut production time and costs, improve your digital marketing asset performance, and level up your sales documents and business proposals, among other benefits.

Here’s to outsourcing the heavy lifting of your video creation workflow!

Featured image by Igor Omilaev on Unsplash

The post  Exploring AI Video Generators: A Comparative Overview appeared first on noupe.


5 Top Benefits of Conversational Marketing for Your Business

Sending targeted marketing messages is a great way to build brand awareness, boost sales, and generate leads. However, this one-way interaction may not be enough to reach customers wanting to engage with their favorite brands.

Nearly 70% of customers prefer to use conversational marketing chatbots because of how quickly they can initiate a conversation with a business on their own time.

A conversational marketing strategy can help you provide customers with the immediacy they crave.

What Is Conversational Marketing? 

Conversational marketing is just what the name suggests. It’s a form of marketing that focuses on interacting with potential customers through two-way communications (either in real-time conversations or client-time conversations) — more on that in a bit.  

If you’ve ever shopped online, there’s a strong chance that you’ve engaged in conversational marketing before. 

You might see a chat icon with a message pop-up when you visit a website. It might say something like “Hi, welcome to….How can I help you today?” or something more specific that ties to that product or service offering.

For example, Carmax features a chatbot that caters to a wide range of car buyer needs, from setting appointments to finding more information about financing.

Carmax chatbot
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This scenario is conversational marketing in action. The goal is to engage website visitors and convert them into leads through conversation, often through automation or artificial intelligence tools. 

Customers’ actions will trigger a chatbot, like when they spend a lot of time looking at a product page. The chatbot may ask if the customer wants to learn more about the product. 

But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Conversational marketing can take many other forms. Examples include lead-generation chatbots (like the example above), social media chatbots, live chat, voice assistants, and email. 

How Conversational Marketing Works

In an ideal conversational marketing strategy, conversation happens in “customer time.” In other words, conversations take place whenever the customer wants. 

It doesn’t have to be in real-time. It can be whatever time is most convenient for the customer. So, conversational marketing should focus on the needs of the customer. 

Conversational marketing meets customers where they are. So, for example, imagine that your customer base spends a lot of time on Facebook. 

It may be best to set up a chatbot within Facebook Messenger to answer questions and boost the chances of converting these customers. Why?

Because your customers already use Facebook multiple times per week, it’d be much easier for them to send a message on the app than perform a Google search for your company’s number or email address. 

For example, if a potential customer is looking for linen suits for men, and there’s an option to message the brand directly in the app about sizing and turnaround times, it creates a seamless shopping experience.

Example of StudioSuits Facebook Messanger chat.
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And if there’s an indicator that the brand responds quickly (in this case, instantly), then it’s an even better solution. A customer can get real-time answers for all of their shopping-related questions. The result? Lower bounce rates. And higher conversions. What’s not to love?

Keep in mind that your conversational marketing efforts should be easily scalable. The last thing you want is for your business to get left behind because you don’t have the staffing or budget to serve your customers. Enter chatbots. 

Bots are valuable in a marketing strategy because they already have answers prepared for the most common questions based on data that already exists. That takes the burden off your customer support team. And chatbots can work 24/7 a day (no beauty rest required).

That’s not to say that chatbots should replace humans. But bots are useful when a customer needs a quick answer to a simple question. If the bot can’t help with a particular inquiry, it should provide quick access to a live rep.

With a detailed sales playbook in hand, your sales reps can follow all the correct steps during the sales process to overcome common sales objections and close the deal. Think of it as a foolproof guide to engaging with customers throughout the sales cycle.

AI-powered chatbots and the human touch are a dynamic duo for turning prospects into customers. Align them together and watch your sales soar.  

Industries Using Conversational Marketing

There are a few industries that are frontrunners for harnessing the power of conversational marketing. So, if you need inspiration, take a peek at these two examples.  

Healthcare

Healthcare is a major industry that requires human interaction. A healthcare brand like Henry Meds can benefit from using conversational marketing to help patients quickly get the information they need about Henry Meds’ products, services, or health-related concerns. 

But that’s not all. Through conversational marketing, Henry Meds can provide personalized treatment plans in three simple steps.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Complete a simple online form with your health history.
  2. Schedule a telehealth consultation at your convenience.
  3. Receive your medication delivered to your doorstep.
Telehealth example of conversational marketing.
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Henry Meds adds conversation and convenience to a traditionally cumbersome process. It’s one of the many drivers behind telehealth’s impressive growth rates over the past few years. 

Local Businesses

Businesses that provide local services can also leverage conversational marketing to engage with their customers and reduce friction throughout the buying process. 

For example, Watermill Flowers, a florist in Fort Lauderdale, uses real-time order assistance to guide customers through the ordering process, help them choose the right floral arrangements, and address any concerns.

Watermill Flowers uses a chatbot on Facebook Messenger to answer customer questions and take orders.

Watermill Flowers Facebook Messenger chatbot
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This local business showcases another great example of where instant responses can boost consumer trust in a brand. Why? Customers can get their questions answered (at their beck and call) before deciding on a purchase.

And if that purchase doesn’t happen with your brand, they’ll run into the open arms of the next local business that appears on the search engine results page (SERP). 

5 Benefits of Conversational Marketing

1. Get to Know Your Customers

When you set up a chatbot, it automatically collects key information about your site visitors. 

During a conversation, your buyer’s responses can give you valuable insights into:

  • Why did they come to your site
  • Their biggest pain points
  • What product features do they care about

By the end of the conversation, you’ll qualify them and understand whether a lead fits your ideal customer profile.

2. Create a Positive Customer Experience

Because conversational marketing helps you learn more about your customers’ needs and pain points, you can create personalized experiences.

For example, you can adjust your conversations and recommend certain products or services based on customer interests and where they fall in the customer journey.

3. Build Customer Loyalty

Conversational marketing allows you to respond quickly to customer support issues. Or help customers make a purchase decision by providing key information. 

These gestures create a positive feeling, build trust, and increase customer loyalty. Customers are more likely to make a purchase with a brand they trust and keep coming back for a positive buying experience, boosting your conversation rates.

4. Create a More Human Touch 

Today’s customers want to feel connected to the brands they interact with. 

So, use customer data wisely to tailor conversations. Address users by name, remember past interactions, and offer relevant recommendations.

Make chatbots feel more human by giving them names, personalities, and avatars. Program them to understand context and emotions, and occasionally use informal language or emojis, where appropriate.

And if a chatbot can’t answer a query, ensure a smooth transition to a human representative.

5. Provide Real-time Feedback and Answers

Customers usually browse through a product catalog or list of services before they make a buying decision.

If they need further information, they may engage with someone from the sales team or a customer service rep over the phone. But this often requires waiting, which can hurt sales in the age of instant gratification. 

No one wants to spend minutes or hours waiting on hold for a customer service rep to answer their call. Or wait days for an email response. That’s the quickest way to frustrate customers and lose them to a competitor that provides faster support.

Chatbots can help you give your customers the immediacy they’re looking for when it comes to answering their questions or problems.

Plus, customers may prefer to interact with a chatbot over an actual human, especially if they just need a quick answer to a question. For instance, Albert, a personal finance and mobile banking app, uses a chatbot to answer financial questions on the spot. 

Albert Genius chatbot
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In short, a chatbot can meet your customer’s needs by giving customers answers in real-time or when they need them most. 

Move More Leads Down the Sales Funnel With Conversational Marketing

Conversational marketing is about understanding and meeting our customers in their comfort zone. It’s like having a genuine chat with a friend, offering assistance right when they need it. 

This strategic approach builds trust and guides potential customers smoothly through the sales journey.

So, as you plan your next marketing move, consider integrating conversational tactics. It’s time to truly connect with your audience. Your customers will be grateful, and your profits will show it.

Featured image by Freepik

The post 5 Top Benefits of Conversational Marketing for Your Business appeared first on noupe.


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