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As social media professionals, we’re tasked with staying ahead of a constantly evolving landscape — not just in platforms, but in how audiences consume and engage with content. One of the fastest-moving frontiers? AI-powered video communication.
What started as a playful experiment — creating an AI avatar to promote my new course — quickly became a strategic case study in messaging clarity, audience resonance, and the evolving role of avatars in content marketing.
Here’s what social media strategists can learn from this real-world test.
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The Challenge: Cutting Through the Noise, Creatively
The idea was simple: use a few AI tools to create a short, engaging video that announced my upcoming course, Prompted to Create: A Breakthrough Approach to AI for Marketers. But instead of appearing on camera myself, I wondered:
What if an AI-generated avatar could deliver the message on my behalf — in my voice, to my audience?
Not to save time. To spark insight.
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Watch the 5-Minute Behind-the-Scenes Video
“I Built an AI Avatar to Promote My Course — Here’s What Surprised Me”
Watch on YouTube
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️️The Process: From Prompt to Persona
The avatar — affectionately named Abigail — came together through a creative but strategic toolchain:
- ElevenLabs for voice generation using their podcast feature
- ChatGPT for co-writing a tone-appropriate script and creating image prompts
- Ideogram for rendering still images of the avatar
- HeyGen for animating lip-sync video
- Riverside.fm for captioning and platform-ready exports
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The Outcome: More Than a Talking Head
Abigail wasn’t just a promotional gimmick. She became a prototype — and a thinking tool. Here’s what surfaced:
Message Testing from a New Angle
Hearing the avatar deliver my message helped me identify subtle tone shifts and clarity gaps I hadn’t seen in the script.
Persona Embodiment
The process of bringing Abigail to life deepened my empathy for my target audience — far more than static persona docs ever could.
Creative Play Becomes Strategic Insight
From script to animation, the process made me rethink how delivery, visuals, and pacing affect message resonance across platforms.
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Key Lessons for Social Media Marketers
AI avatars can support your work in surprisingly powerful ways — if approached with curiosity and intention.
Here’s what they offer:
- A rapid way to test messaging tone and clarity
- A chance to bring personas to life for yourself and your team
- A sandbox for low-risk, high-insight creative experimentation
This isn’t about “automating your job.”
It’s about supercharging your creativity and communication with a new kind of co-pilot.
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Want to Learn More?
Prompted to Create: A Breakthrough Approach to AI for Marketers
This upcoming CEU-eligible course dives deeper into AI-enhanced messaging, content creation, and real-world tool workflows.
Join the waitlist: play.combridges.com/prompted
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Coming September 4th: Free NISM Webinar
The New AI Video Landscape: What Every Social Media Marketer Needs to Know
Get an insider’s look at emerging AI video tools and how to use them creatively and strategically in your social content. Coming soon!
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Final Thought
AI isn’t replacing social media marketers — but it is reshaping how we connect, create, and communicate.
Now’s the time to explore the tools — not from fear, but from a place of curiosity, clarity, and creative leadership.
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About the Author
About the AuthorJon Leland is a digital marketing strategist, AI creativity consultant, and the creator of Prompted to Create: A Breakthrough Approach to AI for Marketers. With decades of experience in media innovation and a deep passion for creative experimentation, Jon helps marketers and creators harness AI tools to communicate with more clarity, humanity, and impact.
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