Covid-19 influenced the adoption of audio marketing. As people look for ways to connect and communicate without touch, audio has become the preferred method. Audio marketing refers to the production of audio content in the form of voice assistant communication, podcasts, radio, blogging and beyond. Audio is more accessible and more convenient than video. It also provides for short and long-form storytelling and allows the brand voice to connect directly with listeners.
Hands-free devices like Alexa, Google Home, Amazon Echo, and Apple's Siri have seen an uptick in usage as Americans hunkered down at home through the pandemic. These devices became a lifeline to news and entertainment as households asked their audio assistant to shop, measure, play music, and read the news for them. More consumers today are turning to these assistants multiple times a day, as well as using voice assistants across more activities/environments through a home smart speaker, phone, or in the car.
This growth influences brands to improve optimization on their website to better meet the demands of voice search. Consumers use audio assistants for everything – from playing music, to weather reports, news and sports reports, food delivery, building a grocery list, and beyond. Olgilvy Consulting’s 2019 Trends Report predicts that nearly every application will integrate some application of voice technology within the next five years. Brands should start now with optimizing their digital profile for voice search.
Consumers search conversationally with audio assistants, asking the device a complete question. Most commonly asked questions include [in order of popularity]: Who, How, When, Where, Why and What. We can learn a lot about customers based on what they ask their device. Discovery starts with what and whom, interest and engagement increases with how and why inquires; and questions about when and where indicate that the consumer is ready to take action.
Companies can identify consumer intent based on the types and sequence of questions asked. The quality of content on a company’s website is measured by how closely consumer interests and needs match with the content available on the website. Quality websites will earn more visitor traffic. When consumers search for, “coffee shop near me,” that’s a strong indicator that the consumer is making plans to have coffee very soon. To this point, companies also want to claim and maximize their Google My Business page to boost local search activities.
Google My Business is a free listing on Google that displays basic company information: name, location, website, service description, hours of operation and other such details. As consumers query audio assistants for things “near me” or where to go to dinner that night, Google My Business offers this information quickly and succinctly for searchers.
Website optimization for voice search also includes having a responsive site design. More Internet search today is conducted on mobile and voice search is heavily used on mobile. Be sure to factor in priority positioning above the fold on the webpage to detail the answers to the questions searched. Page placement is important in guiding consumers to efficiently and easily find the information they need. Page speed, the time it takes for a webpage to load, is essential in today’s 24/7 culture where consumers will abandon an action if the page takes too long to load. This could mean your company loses potential customers!
Audio assistants also open up advertising opportunities. In Adobe’s State of Voice report, over one-third of consumers shared that advertising on smart speakers is ‘more engaging and less intrusive than online, print, TV, and social media ads.’ In a marketplace where consumers are opting into the messaging they want to receive, smart speakers provide brands with an opportunity to sell and market products and services.
