“Hey Siri, where should I go to dinner tonight?”
“Hey Alexa, what kind of toothpaste should I buy?”
“Hey Google, what kind of workout should I do today?”
These are just a few questions that people all over the world are asking their voice assistants right now. This probably isn’t news to you. Since the rollout of Amazon’s Alexa tools in 2014, voice assistant devices have been as ubiquitous as smartphones and have infiltrated our daily lives in the same manner. However, what you might not know is how much this new technology is — or should be– influencing your digital strategy. Incorporating voice into your digital strategy is essential for staying competitive in today’s technological landscape. We’ve put together this guide to help you integrate voice assistants into your strategy for 2020.
HOW DID THE VOICE SEARCH BOOM BEGIN?
Although voice technology has blossomed in recent years, the voice revolution stems all the way back to the 1960s. In 1961 IBM introduced IMB Shoebox, the first digital speech recognition tool. This tool only recognized 16 words and digits, a paltry number compared to Alexa’s current 30,000 skills.
In 1997, Dragon released the first speech recognition product available for consumers called Dragon Dictate which ran for a whopping €6,000. Fourteen years later as technology improved and the price point decreased, Apple released Siri, a voice assistant that uses voice queries and a natural-language user interface to answer questions, make recommendations, and perform actions by delegating requests to a set of Internet services. Since the introduction of Siri in 2011, voice technology has continued to improve and has transitioned into sophisticated in-home assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home.
More than 50% of Europeans currently own a smart-speaker and research suggests that by 2020, 50% of all searches will be screen-less. With no signs of slowing down, voice recognition technology will undoubtedly continue to be a major player in the digital marketing field for years to come.
WHY YOU NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT VOICE STRATEGY
It’s clear that voice recognition technology is not just a passing fad. Brands that fail to consider voice technology in their strategy will be left in the dust by competitors that are taking advantage of the limitless marketing possibilities of this new phenomenon. Voice recognition technology effects:
Customer Experience
Voice strategy is one of the most intriguing new tools being used to improve customer experience.
You know when you’re talking about how bad you need a new shampoo and then hours later you see ads for shampoo in your timeline? That’s voice AI. It may be creepy and feel a little invasive, but it’s what’s happening and it what’s working. Because voice assistants like Alexa and Google Home are designed to identify its user’s voice, it allows them to present content that will be appealing to that specific user based on previous interactions. This is elevating customer experience because it allows people to cut through the clutter and receive targeted content that is tailored to them.
Furthermore, voice technology reduces the need for written interaction which can be a huge time-saver for busy customers and lend itself to conversion rate optimisation by making it easier for users to respond to calls to action. Voice commands make certain processes easier and more convenient which users are constantly looking for in their chaotic day to day lives. Incorporating voice recognition into your products can greatly improve customer experience which usually equates to loyal customers and more sales.
SEO
Voice technology is rapidly changing the game for SEO guidelines. Because search inquiries made through voice are often phrased differently than those made through written inquiries, content producers are having to adapt to these changes. Voice inquiries are often longer and more linguistically natural so incorporating longer keyword phrases that are often used in conversation can help you rank higher in voice SEO. These voice inquiries are also usually phrased in a question such as “Alexa, what movies are playing today?” as opposed to just typing “movie times” into a search engine. Using questions as keyword phrases will also help optimise SEO on voice recognition platforms.
Competition
If you don’t have a voice strategy and your competitors do, guess who your customer base will likely find more easily?
Those that do not have a voice strategy will be left in the dust following the voice revolution. Adhering to new SEO guidelines and adapting your current strategy to use voice technology will reward you in the future. You’ll be more easily accessible to voice assistant users and your content will be optimised for these platforms. Because voice technology is still in it’s beginning stages many brands have not adopted a voice strategy so get a leg up on the competition and start considering how voice will factor into your strategy this year.
MOVING FORWARD
Voice recognition technology isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so the bottom line is that you need to get with the times or be left behind. Voice assistants offer such an exciting range of new possibilities for the marketing industry so creatively integrating voice into your digital strategy can revolutionize your brand. Many brands are already successfully strategizing for voice marketing so there’s no better time than the present to begin using this groundbreaking technology. Let us here at Digital Innovations help you bring your strategy to life with our professional web design and SEO services. Request a quote to get started today!
