Voice Technology: What It Means for Digital Marketers

By Cody Bender On Nov 29, 2019

As the field of Digital Marketing is constantly evolving, emerging technologies can have a powerful impact on the industry. Voice technology seems poised to become the next great disruptor, but there’s still a lot of discussion around how Voice technology will affect the various Digital Marketing platforms and to what extent.

The State of Voice Technology

Recently, Campaign Monitor surveyed more than 400 people on the ways they use Voice technology and found that the adoption of it is growing, with 78% of respondents expecting to use Voice technology more in the future. The survey also found a majority of households currently have a smart speaker, using its Voice technology to make daily tasks easier.

As such, the survey also found that 74% of respondents prefer to use Voice technology when performing search queries, while only 26% prefer to type the question themselves through traditional search engines. This means consumers are likely using voice technology while they are multitasking or on the go.

While we do see evidence of Voice technology being adopted, consumers told us they are still looking for a better user experience. For example, 45% of respondents would like their devices to have an improved understanding of speech patterns. Similarly, they’d prefer their device to have more direct knowledge, instead of suggesting web searches, to make communication more efficient. And, another 35% would like their devices to have better AI optimization to anticipate speech preferences and the businesses they engage with most.

Conversely, 39% of respondents said they’d like to better understand and regulate how their smart device records and stores data. Overall, these results show that most consumers are familiar with the concept of Voice technology and currently use it, but have reservations around its usability and security.

Should Digital Marketers Adopt Voice Technology?

So, does this mean Digital Marketing teams should lean into Voice technology? Not quite yet. In its current form, Voice technology has limited utility in Digital Marketing, unable to provide the personalization today’s consumers have come to expect.

However, companies should continue to track how consumers use voice technology, taking into consideration demographics such as age, location and other user preferences, to see how it could potentially impact their future Marketing strategies.

Similar to any emerging technology, Voice technology will continue to evolve over time. While we don’t expect an immediate impact on digital channels, marketers can start using audio to deliver a first-class customer experience for those who interact with their brands.

Branding in the World of Audio

Branding is a crucial piece of any Marketing effort, and the same holds true in the emerging world of Voice technology. People listen to hours of content every day, which means there are plenty of opportunities for Digital Marketing teams to leverage audio branding. Staying up to date on audio trends means you’ll already be a step ahead as Voice technology becomes more widely used in the Digital Marketing landscape.

There are two audio trends we’ve seen that can help marketers get the most out of Voice technology today: audio cues and utilizing technology-enabled devices for offers and promotions.

– Audio cues: Just as you would with a visual-brand logo, you should consider creating audio cues, and audio signifier, exclusive to your brand. Consider adding these cues and similar tones to your videos, your social media accounts and elsewhere throughout your audio branding. That way, whenever your audience hears your tones, they immediately recognize you and your company’s aesthetic.

– Utilizing technology-enabled devices for offers and promotions: To increase meaningful connections with consumers, create promotions and discounts that must be activated through Voice technology-enabled devices. When your audience is listening to your ad or reading an email, offer them access to a special discount by asking Alexa or their Google device something specific. Then, you can automatically trigger an email with that specific code. These integrations can be simple and stand-alone or be part of a full campaign.

What Next?

Voice technology has a long way to go before it becomes an integral part of Digital Marketing strategies. However, this doesn’t mean you should wait to start reinforcing your brand’s use of Audio and Voice technology in your Marketing efforts.

Audio branding, for example, will bring another layer to your brand’s voice, fostering a more human connection with consumers. Although we’re in the digital age, human connection should continue to be the heart of any Marketing campaign.