SmartListen Tips & Best Practices

If you haven't read our SmartListen 101 guide, check that out to enable SmartListen across all of your content. If you've already done that, then check our tips & best practices for creating voice-powered experiences below!

Tip #1: Keep it Conversational

Since SmartListen uses AI to determine what viewers are saying, it's up to you to define the best keywords or phrases it should be listening for. Voice-Powered content should sound natural and conversational. Add SmartListen Prompts in a way that mimics human conversation, using everyday language and avoiding complex jargon. The possibilities should be easy to understand and resonate with your audience.

In this example, the creator added SmartListen Prompts based on what the viewer would naturally say:

Tip #2: Sound Design

As SmartListen relies on hearing your viewers, it's important to sound design your experience so your viewers can smoothly control the experience with their voice, regardless of which device they're on.

• DO lower the music and other effects while giving your viewer a chance to use their voice
• DO use features such as Unsync Overlays to have choices appear at the right time
  
• DON'T play loud or high-frequency background music on your clips
• DON'T have extensive dialogue on clips during a voice-powered choice

Tip #3: Let Your Audience Know

Keep the voice interactions simple and intuitive. Make sure users understand what voice prompts are available and how to use them. Provide clear instructions and cues within the content to guide users on how to interact.

Outside of the content, let your viewers know this will be a voice-powered experience so they know ahead of time to view it on a device with a speaker and in a quiet enough environment.

Tip #4: Use SmartListen Prompts in Unique Ways

With voice controls, not only is your content more accessible, but it also lets your viewers get immersed in your content in ways they never could before! Instead of being limited by what's on-screen, viewers can use their own context to engage with the content as they see fit.

Instead of making a traditional multiple choice quiz, you can do a charades or jeopardy-style experience where a group of students can work as a team to give out answers. 

Whether it's providing information, answering questions, or delivering entertainment, focus on meeting the needs and interests of your audience.

Tip #5: Mix and Match Interactivity

Keep in mind, even when using SmartListen, you can still give your viewers access to touch or click-based controls. You can mix these so viewers can interact however they'd like, whether they want a hands-free experience or they're in a loud area where touch controls would work best.

You can even disable voice controls over certain clips, for truly unique experiences that immerse your audience in a variety of ways. In the overlay editor, just remove any default text or Alt Text on a button, and it won't trigger the microphone. This is useful when you want your audience to specifically tap or click the screen.

Tip #6: Create Something Today!

Try SmartListen for free today by signing up on our website. We can’t wait to see what you create with SmartListen and our other smart media tools.