Adding a talking AI host to a website is less about code and more about decisions: what she knows, how she sounds, and what she should do with each visitor. The technical part, embedding her on a page, is usually one line. Here is the whole process in order.
Step 1: Decide what she is for
Write one sentence: "When a visitor arrives, she should ___." For example:
- explain our treatments and book a free consultation (a clinic);
- answer guests' questions and suggest upgrades (a hotel);
- qualify buyers and book viewings (real estate);
- greet passers-by and collect contacts (a trade show stand).
That sentence decides everything else, from her first line to the button she offers at the end.
Step 2: Choose the kind of avatar
There are four kinds: real-time video avatars, enterprise digital humans, 3D hosts drawn by the visitor's browser, and chat widgets with a picture. They differ in looks, cost per conversation and launch time. The full comparison is in interactive AI avatars for websites.
The short version: for many visitors and your own brand character, choose a 3D host. For a few short, photoreal sessions, choose a video avatar.
Step 3: Prepare her knowledge
She is only as good as what she knows. Gather the questions your team answers every day, then the facts behind them: services, prices, opening hours, policies and the next steps you want visitors to take. Write the answers short and plain, the way they should sound out loud. Set the limits too: what she must never invent, and when she hands over to a person.
The details are in how to prepare your business knowledge for an AI avatar.
Step 4: Give her a voice and a personality
- Voice: warm or crisp, fast or calm. Listen to several before choosing, on a phone speaker as well as headphones.
- Name and role: "Riya, the studio's consultation host" works better than "AI assistant".
- Opening line: short, friendly, and it says she is an AI: "Hi, I'm Riya, a virtual assistant for the studio. What can I help you with?"
- How she sells: offers the next step once, at the right moment, and never pushes.
Step 5: Embed her on your site
Most avatar platforms give you one of two options:
- A script tag that adds a floating host to every page, usually in a corner, opening to full size on click.
- An iframe or a dedicated page, for a full-screen host on a landing page or an in-store kiosk.
Put her where decisions happen: the home page, service or product pages, and the pricing page. On a lobby or store screen, run the same host in kiosk mode, full screen with no browser bars.
Step 6: Make sure she loads fast and works on phones
A host that slows the page down costs you more visitors than she wins. Check:
- The page loads first and the host loads after, so search rankings and first impressions don't suffer.
- Phones: test on a mid-range Android phone and an older iPhone, not just a laptop. 3D hosts should have a lighter model for phones.
- Sound: browsers block audio until the visitor taps. Her first line should start on a tap, with captions on screen.
- Typing as well as talking: many visitors browse with the sound off, or in public.
Step 7: Cover privacy and transparency
In the EU, people must be told they are talking to an AI, both in her first line and with a label on screen. Update your privacy notice, decide what is stored and for how long, and sign a data processing agreement with the provider. The checklist is in AI avatars, the EU AI Act and GDPR.
Step 8: Measure, then improve
Track a few numbers from the first week:
- conversations started, out of all visitors;
- the questions asked most often, and the ones she couldn't answer;
- leads handed over: bookings, calls and emails.
Read a sample of conversations every month. Each unanswered question is a gap to fill in her knowledge.
How long it takes
With a ready-made character, a host can be live in about two weeks. A custom character, with your own look, presentations panel and booking handover, takes four to six weeks. Most of that time goes into steps 3 and 4.
Lobbyface runs this whole process for you, from the discovery call to monthly updates. Book a call, or watch Riya at work first.