Chances are good that you’ve used Siri, Alexa, or a similar AI voice assistant over the recent months or years, but have you stopped to consider the tremendous potential of voice marketing?
Leveraging the power of voice user interfaces such as Apple Siri, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant, voice marketing is poised the become the next big thing in the worlds of digital advertising and branding.
As the average consumer leaves typing, clicking, tapping, and swiping behind to embrace the future of hands-free, voice-activated computer use, wise marketers are quickly following suit. In the words of high-tech consultants Deepa Naik and Nikhil Karkhanis:
“Consumers are adding voice to their shopping cycle using voice agents and interfaces like voice-enabled virtual assistants, voice search, and smart speakers. Brands and marketing professionals are finding innovative ways to respond to these newly opened channels.”
The popularity of voice user interfaces
Both in the home and the mobile space, a rapidly increasing number of people are interacting with digital devices and navigating the Internet using only their voices. In fact, according to the Pew Research Center and several other reputable sources, nearly half of all mobile users employ voice technology while operating their smartphone devices.
And the growing popularity of voice user interfaces shows no signs of slowing or abating, with more and more people transmitting and receiving key information by voice/audio means alone. The leading global high-tech research and advisory company Gartner contends that 30 percent of online searches will be entirely screenless by the end of 2020. Gartner credits the ubiquitous use of portable and wearable audio components such as Apple AirPods and Echo Buds as well as household devices such as the Google Home and the Amazon Echo for the rise of screenless Internet surfing.
Just how far will voice user interfaces take us in the near future? A recent study by Juniper Research predicts exponential growth in the use of digital voice assistants thanks to advances in the smart speaker, smart television, and smart wearable markets. Juniper expects that consumers will be using more than 8 billion digital voice assistants by 2023. This figure represents an estimated 2.5 billion increase from the number of digital voice assistants in use at the end of 2018.
The marketing potential of audio content and voice-enabled devices
So how can businesses tap into the incredible marketing capacity of voice user interfaces? Here are just a few tips ad tactics that you might want to consider.
1. Build a Custom Voice-Activated App
Akin to the physical apps that you know from your smartphone touch screen, Alexa Skills, Google Actions, and Siri Shortcuts all allow users to connect directly with your company and its goods/services simply by speaking a few words. According to the most recent numbers from Amazon, there are more than 70,000 Skills currently available.
2. Launch a Podcast or Flash Briefing
One of the great things about a podcast is that it can be both accessed and enjoyed through a single device using only your voice and your ears. No need to trouble your eyes or your fingertips for a thing, thanks to the voice user interface. Marketers also encourage companies to create and distribute flash briefings – short, prerecorded audio pieces that offer news and other informative content via one or more voice-enabled devices.
3. Invest in Sonic Branding.
Although the rise of voice-enabled devices and digital personal assistants has recently reinvigorated this tried and true marketing approach, there is certainly nothing new about sonic branding. Encompassing any auditory element that might be described as a defining sonic mark or an audio logo, sonic branding has long been a common practice in traditional television and radio advertising. The three-note deodorant jingle “by Mennen” and the Apple computer boot-up chime immediately spring to mind!
4. Leverage the Power of Voice Search Optimization
The art and science of getting your company to the top of online searches by your key consumer demographic, search engine optimization (SEO) has long been a (if not the) key component of any effective digital marketing campaign. In the era of spoken searches, voice search optimization (VSO) has evolved as a natural offshoot of traditional SEO practices. An investment in VSO is essential if you want to optimize your branding and products/services content for searches made using voice-enabled devices.
To learn more
For more information about the power of voice marketing in 2020 and beyond, contact a representative of Bigeye today. In addition to its status as a leading voice marketing agency, Bigeye can help you with all manner of digital outreach in the modern marketing landscape.
