The popularity of voice search is skyrocketing with each passing day with more and more people adopting the voice search technology for their daily browsing activities. A Statista report bears testimony to the exponential rise of voice-enabled devices revealing that 35 per cent of the US population own a smart speaker and the number is anticipated to surpass 75 per cent by the next two years. The primary reason why the inclination towards voice search is growing stronger is the “convenience” that it provides for users. 

What Is Voice Search Marketing?

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Since the introduction of Google Assistant in 2011, the voice search market has witnessed significant growth, transforming voice assistants into the latest competitive platform for businesses. Kumar Saurav, chief strategy officer, AdCounty Media, explained that as the name suggests, voice search entails speaking into a device (smartphone, smart voice assistant or computer) in contrast to typing the query in the search engine. Once the user narrates his query out loud, relevant listicles of FAQs are provided to them. 

As of 2023, there are 4.2 billion voice assistants actively in operation and this figure is projected to double to 8.4 billion by the year 2024. On average, voice search assistants effectively respond to 93.7 per cent of search queries. Additionally, over 1 billion voice searches occur on a monthly basis.

The rapid evolution of AI and natural language processing has made it crucial to integrate voice-enabled search into a marketing strategy to boost brand visibility.

"In 2022, a study on voice-based searches was carried out in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany. Weather-related voice assistant searches were the most commonly performed, with American and German users being the most frequent users," Saurav said. In contrast to the United Kingdom, where 41 per cent of users relied on voice-based search, and Germany, where 36 per cent did, over half (52 per cent) of American consumers were found to be using voice search specifically for ordering food delivery.

Integrating Voice Search Into Mobile Marketing

Optimising a portal for voice search is the need of the hour especially in the e-commerce industry where people are heavily reliant on voice-enabled assistants to make informed buying decisions, Saurav said, adding that an Adobe Analytics report revealed that approximately 32 per cent of people use their smart speakers to compare product prices and another 43 per cent use these smart assistants to add items to their shopping cart.

Numerous international brands, including Domino's, Johnnie Walker and Nestle, have already embraced voice technology to enhance their interactions with customers. 

Here's how adopting the voice search marketing could be beneficial for brands:

Lesser Response Time, Better User Experience: Voice search is 3.7 times faster than traditional text-based search and is extremely convenient when it comes to large-scale projects. The consumers get responses to their queries within a really short span of time and this consequently enhances the user experience. 

Multilingual: Voice search breaks the language barriers and helps users to use a language that they are comfortable with. Google Assistant hosts 44 major languages on smartphones. Google’s interpreter mode helps translate conversations which helps brands communicate with consumer segments even if they are not familiar with their language.

Better Accessibility: The voice-search feature promotes inclusivity by enabling people with physical disabilities, and visual impairments to access digital content. It is also a saviour for senior citizens who might find traditional typing or navigating interfaces challenging. 

Great For Local SEO: The conversational nature of voice search aligns well with local SEO since people are most likely to search for local products or services in the form of a question, for eg. “Where is the nearest Indian restaurant?” Optimising SEO for "near me" type searches is crucial for the growth of your business as it can help you connect with potential customers who are looking for products and services in their immediate vicinity. 

Better TG Insights: Voice search queries often mimic conversational language. By analysing these queries, you can gain a better understanding of how your target audience talks about your products or services. This can inform your content strategy, helping you create content that resonates with your audience.