What is an Avatar and its use on the Internet?

You have probably heard about avatars before, but perhaps you are still not completely certain what exactly they mean. In the online world, an avatar is a picture of a character that represents the user. Online avatars are mostly used on gaming sites, dating sites, forums and other places where people interact between each other.

How and Where Avatars Are Used?

            There are many role-playing games where using avatars is a must. Like for example in the game World of Warcraft users can customize own characters to represent them in the game. They are then easily recognized by their avatars when they play the game. As players advance in the game, their online character will gain experience, items and other things, which will allow the avatar to change and get upgraded over time. Avatars are loved by gamers because many believe they bring them luck. Their friends can also easily recognize them when playing the game at the same time.

            Besides in games, avatars are also used in popular internet communities. People gather in chat groups and organizations where they discuss different matters and that is the time when they use avatars. Avatars are part of the virtual world and they can be easily modified and customized per person`s personal interests and preferences. They are unique from one individual to another, and as soon as someone creates an avatar, that person becomes a member of a large internet community filled with thousands of avatars. People can easily connect with other members of the online community and talk to them through voice chat or text messages.

            Online forums are another place where avatars are commonly used. When you register in an online forum, you are usually required to provide some personal information along with a picture to represent you in the forum. You can visit the site Kik Girls as an example of a search engine for Kik users in which its suggested to create an avatar if you wish to not upload a photo.  Many users do not wish to use their real photo, so they use an avatar, or an image, that represents the persona of the user. The image together with the username both serve as avatar for the forum user. Next time they contribute to the forum and post something, their post will appear next to the image they have selected as their avatar.

            No matter where they use it, people can use avatars in any way they like and they can change it at any time. What makes avatars interesting is that they can be easily switched, modified and altered in any way the online user wants. You can use different avatars for different websites and forums, so you are free to experiment with them. Some people change their avatars daily, while others use them for many years. There are people in the virtual world that are more known because of their avatar than because of something else.

            Now you have a clear picture about what avatars are, so go ahead and create something unique for yourself. There are plenty of characters to choose from, so use the one that truly represents your online persona.