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Over the past year or so, there’s been a revolution in the way consumers interact with their devices. The rise of voice-activated systems like Alexa and Google Home, not to mention Siri, is changing the way consumers get information — and is likely to change the way they search.
We hear a lot about AI and marketing with chatbots. But the next revolution in online marketing is likely to be voice AI.
Have you thought about how to make your content accessible in a world run by Alexa?
Content Marketing with Voice AI
Right now, with mobile still dominating when it comes to marketing, you might not think that you need to worry about Voice AI. However, in 2017, there were estimates that more than 35 million Americans used a voice-activated device at least once per month.
More people are interested in getting these devices, which can answer questions, and even help them order items. Even Dominoes allows consumers to order pizza using a voice-activated device. These devices are increasingly affordable — and convenient.
Because of the growing number of consumers adopting this technology, it makes sense to start thinking ahead. What are some of the ways you can market your business through voice AI?
You want to think about it now and position yourself so that you are prepared for this next trend.
Selling Using Voice AI
If you have something to sell, you want to make sure it’s searchable via voice. When it comes to Google Home, you probably don’t have to worry too much (yet) about keywords and tags. What you have for metadata will probably be just fine.
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What you want to work on, though, is figuring out how to integrate selling functions with voice. You need to develop apps that recognize voice commands and allow people to buy your product immediately just by saying a few words (and using a stored payment method).
If you want access to Alexa, upping your game for selling on Amazon makes a lot of sense as well. Your product needs to be easily searchable by voice so that others can find it.
Audio Content for Voice AI
When it comes to selling with the help of content marketing, voice AI is going to present new challenges and new opportunities. Already, some content companies, like BuzzFeed, offer daily briefings read by a human. NPR even has these types of briefings that you can ask for through Alexa.
It’s also possible to provide recipes like Hellman’s does. Think about ways your customers want to interact with your content via voice. Can you provide them with special, quick information about your products or services? Is it possible to offer special deals, or provide tutorials with your voice?
In some cases, you might need to ensure that you use engaging sounds and professional quality. It’s actually harder for information to “stick” when in audio format, so you might need to find ways to make your content memorable without being annoying.
Finally, before you get too hung up on audio-only content marketing for Voice AI, realize that Amazon recently released the Amazon Echo Show, which comes with a screen. So think about producing video content for voice-activated devices as well.
It’s a wild world out there, and you don’t know what’s coming. Your market strategy should be versatile and adaptable so you can take advantage of the next big thing.