Disrupt your industry with voice technology

Once the domain of Captain James T. Kirk and Isaac Asimov, AI-powered assistants are now part of the mainstream. And Voice technology is ready to change the way we live our lives.

Accenture’s Digital Consumer Survey found that millennials are particularly fond of voice technology, with 84% of 14 to 17 year olds using digital voice-enabled assistants, like Amazon Echo and Google Home.

Of the 26,000 consumers questioned, just 4% revealed they own such a device, but there is clearly strong acceptance of the technology, as 65% use their product on a regular basis.

But perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised that consumers have been so quick to embrace the technology.

As a recent Econsultancy blog notes, voice technology is the first tech that doesn’t need to be learned. As speaking is already learned, interaction with such tech will be easy and intuitive, and this will result in rapid adoption.

What does this mean for brands?

According to Econsultancy, voice interaction reflects basic human experience, therefore it can create stronger brand connections.

Speaking to the publication, Futures Director at Mindshare, Jeremy Pounder, noted that voice “gives an early indication that speaking to a brand delivers a deeper emotional connection than interacting with it through type or touch.

“When people asked a question involving a brand name, their brain activity showed a significantly stronger emotional response compared to people typing that same brand question.”

Research discussed by Econsultancy found voice optimisation increased click-through rates by 30%, so it’s clear that brands can benefit from adopting voice technology.

What do brands need to consider?

While it might be tempting to jump on the voice technology bandwagon, brands need to make sure they get the key areas right before they implement the tech.

The areas brands need to consider are:

The delivery channel you’re going to use: Brands can opt for a personal assistant intermediary, such as Alexa or Home. The other possible route is via the brand’s own assets or channels, such as web properties or retail spaces. It’s all about what works best for you.

Ensure content is optimised for search: To do this, Econsultancy recommends “Answering the question; getting placed high up in the results page” — people don’t want assistants to read out the full page of search results;

Answering directly, objectively and being informative: avoiding “our approach is…”; and, if possible, making the search term part of the page title.

Don’t just use voice for the sake of it: Interaction with voice technology should only occur when it will give the user real value. Brands should identify the key moments of the customer journey that would benefit from the voice strategy.

How humans have conversations: We take it for granted, but conversations have structure and there are certain cues that help us to navigate an interaction. To sound less like a robot, brands need to think about and utilise this natural structure.

Find and develop the brand voice: Voice technology can help brands forge emotional bonds with consumers, but only if they succeed at creating their own, unique brand voice.

Technology is advancing at such an astonishing rate, it can be hard to work out what will take hold and what is just a passing craze. However, with its high adoption rates, it’s clear that voice technology has already become an integral part of consumer lives. With planning, brands can utilise this to enhance customer relationships and journeys.

If you’re facing a marketing challenge when it comes to voice technology, give Fireworx a call today. We can help you get the most out of this disruptive marketing tech.