A lot of advertising insiders toss around terms like “artificial intelligence” and “machine learning,” but what do these terms really mean and how are they impacting the industry?
Artificial intelligence (AI) makes it possible for machines to learn from experience, adjust to new inputs and perform human-like tasks. One of the most relevant and widely used AI examples in today’s world are voice assisted devices — Amazon Echo or Alexa, Google Home, iPhone’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana, IBM Watson, etc.
There are more than 30 million Alexa devices and more than 15 million Google Assistant devices currently in use. This number is expected to grow to 67 million voice-assisted devices by 2019, becoming a $18.3 billion industry by 2023.
Potential Impact
As the prevalence of voice assisted devices increases, how does this affect you and your business?
- Consumers are speaking and listening more, while typing and reading less. The average person can type nearly 40 words per minute but speaks 125-175 words per minute. People process what we hear at a rate of 500-600 words per minute. As voice technology continues to progress, a brand’s voice will not be noticed. Instead, consumers will hear Siri, Cortana and Alexa.
- More voice assisted devices equals fewer clicks. As people get accustomed to using their voices to accomplish tasks with their assistant, they are speaking more and clicking less. Nearly 50 percent of millennials say they look less at their phones since using a voice assistant. The full impacts to advertising, especially Paid Search strategies, are yet to be seen.
- Purchasing decisions are being made through voice assistants. Voice assistants are directly influencing consumer’s purchase decisions. Seventy-three percent of people using voice assistants have made a purchase directly through their device, while 39 percent of consumers said an interaction with a voice assistant influenced a purchase decision in the past month.
- Search habits are changing with voice assistants. Consumers using voice assistants are more likely to use questions or phrases when searching for a product or service, as well as long-tailed queries. For example, when you are searching for a restaurant on your desktop or phone, you might type in “best brunch in Los Angeles.” When you use voice search, however, you change your behavior and ask a question, such as “What restaurant has the best brunch in Los Angeles?” or “What restaurants are open for brunch now?”
Marketing Moving Forward
As voice assisted devices continue to gain popularity, here’s what you need to think about as a marketer to adapt to this new technology moving forward.
Focus on the consumer. Marketers need to understand consumer behaviors and platform preferences to effectively reach target audiences. For example, if your target audience is comprised of Amazon Alexa households versus Google Home households, as a marketer you need to understand these preferences and recognize notable patterns, demographics, behaviors, etc. to effectively advertise to them.
Rethink Content Creation. Write content in a natural, conversational voice that answers the questions your consumers are asking. Consider the questions relevant to your business, product or service, taking into account intent and context. There’re multiple ways to ask a similar question. Develop content and expand paid search keyword lists to included longer tail keyword phrases, reaching users based on the different questions being asked.
Now is the time to consider how your company will begin to adapt to this new wave of technology. Contact Fridge… we’re happy to help.
Nicole Wetwiski, Director of Digital Marketing
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