Now that brands have had quite a bit of time to get accustomed to voice, it seems like it’s only a matter time before Amazon offers advertising through its popular Alexa platform. There were rumors early this year that the retail and tech giant was testing ad delivery through deals with Clorox and Proctor & Gamble, Amazon has denied them and declared that there are no plans for Alexa voice ads.
In fact, Alexa voice ads are almost entirely banned from the platform according to Alexa advertising policy. With the exception of ads that play through music streaming or in flash briefings, you’re not likely to run into Alexa voice ads at all, let alone Alexa targeted advertising. Previously, only ads delivered via home cards in the Alexa app were banned. Still, Alexa has left an indelible mark on marketing.
Striking a new connection between brand & consumer with Alexa
Brands have had a heavy presence on Alexa from the beginning thanks to branded skills, which allow users to make orders or access useful content. Because Alexa will recommend skills for specific uses when asked, some wonder if it will go the Google route and offer Alexa targeted advertising through search. While nothing is certain and this is just speculation, one thing is clear: Alexa and other voice platforms are changing the relationship between consumers and businesses.
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One way Alexa advertising policy may shape ad spends is that brand loyalty
may waken
, with consumer allegiances going toward AI recommendation platforms instead. In this case, platforms will wield a great deal of power over who’s seen and who’s not—which makes Amazon Echo advertising strategy an important thing to consider in the near future. It’s a bit like how Google’s rise prompted businesses to invest in SEO practices to maintain visibility, playing by the new platform’s rules. Alexa’s recommendation engine privileges higher quality skills, so businesses should work right now to establish themselves on the platform with an Amazon Echo advertising strategy based in producing high-quality voice content for the platform.
Developing a content strategy for Alexa targeted advertising
There are two ways to provide content on the Alexa platform. The first is by publishing a skill and the second relies on search optimization for voice. When it comes to offering a skill related to your brand, think of the contexts in which people interact with your product. Try to see where this aligns with their usage of voice platforms. For example, the Food Network skill provides hands-free recipe search which perfectly compliments the kitchen. Another example is how the Starbucks skill allows commuters to order their favorite drink distraction-free. Focus on the experience for similar ideas to translate your brand to voice marketing.
Ask Alexa – Kitchen Helper
When it comes to optimizing for voice search, there’s plenty you can do. One of the big affects Alexa has had on advertising already is privileging the search snippet. Snippets are the boxes you’ll find at the top of the SERP that answer questions people ask. On voice platforms, this is often the response that users will receive when they ask a question—so proper SEO for voice is key.
Here’s how to optimize content for your Amazon Echo advertising strategy:
- Adopt a question-and-answer approach in titles
- Answer the question clearly toward the top of the page
- Support your answer with heading tags, which render as lists in the search snippet
Improve your ranking in Alexa’s recommendations
A higher quality skill begets better reviews, which in turn increases the likelihood that Alexa will recommend your skill—your brand—to users who ask a relevant query. It’s important that you include specific, unique intents to increase your chances that Alexa will suggest your skill to execute them.
To ensure your Alexa skill is of top quality, measure your skill usage with an Alexa skill analytics. Useful metrics to track include the conversation paths of your most-engaged users, bottlenecks that cause users to drop off, which paths can be shortened or simplified, as well as your retention rates. By ensuring your skill is the best it can be, you’re already taking the first steps to prepare for the future of marketing.