If you spend even one hour each day watching television, you’ve seen the lengthy commercials featuring users and their mobile devices as they search for products, services, or knowledge. The common denominator in all of these commercials is the user pushing a button at the end of the ad and saying “Ok Google.” Apple started the voice revolution with Siri, and now Google (among others) is poised to revolutionize search through voice-based interaction in 2015. What does voice technology have in store for marketers in the coming months?
Voice is the Future, Accept That Now
It is foolish to view voice searching as a gimmick or fad. As a business and as a marketer, you ignore the role of voice search at your own peril in 2015. Google has all the numbers, via PRNewswire.com, to suggest that voice search isn’t going anywhere. According to Google, you can thank the world’s younger generation for the emergence and strength of voice search. The numbers shake out like this:
- 40% of adults use voice search at least once a day
- 55% of teenage smartphone users conduct voice searches more than once a day
- 85% of adults view voice search as the future
- 62% of adults use voice search because it’s more efficient, in their mind
How it Impacts Marketers
Voice-search technology is getting better and easier to use, and as it continues to improve people will turn to it more frequently. Improvements in voice technology make it more likely that people will turn to voice searches to seek out information. What does this mean for you as a marketer?
Customer experience and interactions with businesses have to change. Far too many companies and marketers still rely on desktop-first formulas. The rise of voice search solidifies the importance of mobile platforms in marketing. Consumers using voice search to inquire about retail locations and/or operating hours don’t want to receive landing pages for a product. They don’t want a lead form; they want accurate information that is designed for mobile platforms that answers their voice query.
Fall In-line with Phones
Click-to-call technology is improving and consumers are relying upon it to make quick connections with businesses. Consumers love click-to-call because it offers a seamless mobile experience. They can quickly submit a voice query, such as “where can I find a local locksmith?” and receive relevant information quickly.
Based upon geo-location data from their smartphone, Google pulls up ads and organic listings for locksmiths in their area. A quick push of the click-to-call feature on their phone connects them to the business and the conversion is completed. Search Engine Land found that 78% of local-mobile searches result in offline purchases.
The future favors voice search. Consumers want quick, relevant information that offers the opportunity to act swiftly to resolve their situation. Voice search offers the seamless connectivity needed and fluidity to support the desires of consumers. Without proper mobile integration for voice search, your marketing campaign will be less effective in 2015.
Read More: How to Optimize Your Pay Per Call Campaign For Voice Search