Alexa, Alexa On The Wall, Who Is The Best Brand Of Them All?

The year is now 2017, and the ways in which brands interact with their customers are transforming every day. Traditional marketing is no longer substantial for almost any existing business looking to be successful in their respective industry. Many modern marketers are ditching the archaic terms of B2C, B2B, B2G, etc, and are focusing their efforts on P2P, "person-to-person." This business trend calls for marketers to start treating their consumers like people, by "humanizing" the brand, empathizing with the needs of the consumer, creating causes for the brand, and using relevant metrics that truly matter. However, this P2P interaction can be difficult when machines are beginning to replace the jobs of human beings.

By the end of this year alone, VoiceLabs predicts that "33 million voice-first devices will be in circulation". VoiceLabs is a technology company that deals with voice analytics assistance software placed in Amazon, Microsoft, and Google voice devices, and they are also predicting that by 2020, "30% of browsing sessions will be done without a screen." This means that consumers will have less of a say in their online search, as well as less of an influence in their purchasing decisions. This also means that brands will have less of a voice in their marketing tactics.

How can companies work with emerging voice technologies to market their products?

Currently, companies can use tools like SEO, SEM and many forms of paid media advertising on engines like Google (and sure Yahoo and Bing...) to boost their online search presence. Devices like Amazon's Alexa, Microsoft's Cortana, Apple's Siri, and Google Home take away these currehtnt marketing opportunities due to the audio/vocal only feature. Some devices have considered "radio-like" audio advertisements, but the business models of these companies do not specifically call for driving sales, but rather are simply trying to increase the number of users on these devices. Recent changes in technology software policies limit advertising on these platforms as well. Therefore, marketers are currently experimenting with new ways to drive advertising and brand engagement on voice application devices that are growing ever so quickly in homes across the world.

Some of the companies that are playing around with voice software include Nestlé, Tide, Clorox, Campbell's Soup, Purina, and Zyrtec, to name a few. Instead of thinking about Alexa as a technological limitation, these brands are using content marketing strategies to engage with the consumers in new ways. For examples, Nestlé's "GoodNes" tool allows voice driven device users to verbally search recipes and online cooking guides for ideas and inspiration. Tide's voice app allows users to seek advice about over 200 types of stains, in which the consumer can then use Tide products as solutions to their messy problems. Zyrtec has an "AllergyCast" that Alexa can reference for daily allergen information, as well as create a personalized experience through mood recording to pinpoint which allergies are causing the most problems.

Even small companies can take advantage of content marketing using voice tools. Stubb, a "Legendary Bar-B-Q Sauce", has created the first hands free BBQ menu using Amazon's Alexa. Simply by saying "ask Stubb's for recipes" will call on Mr. Stubbs himself to provide cooking techniques and ingredients in his pre-recorded, genuine southern accent with voice translation if necessary.

Beyond content marketing, technology experts are thinking of creative ways to bring the other four senses to these audio devices, such as feeling or smelling a product pre-purchase. Other ideas include brands creating "voice logos" that audibly allow the consumer to recognize brands without the use of sight. Some brands have already accomplished this through jingles and other audio appeals, such as Intel's 5-tone sound mark, or Red Robin's "Yum!" slogan.

The companies that make these voice driven devices understand the complexity of advertising and SEO on their platforms. It is no longer easy for a brand who shows up fourth or fifth in search to appear verbally from an Alexa or Siri search. Many consumers enjoy having the luxury of seeing what they are buying or searching as well. Though these voice-only devices are having major successes, Amazon has decided to announc new Alexa enabled machines that comes with small screens, possibly to compete with Apple's Siri and Google Voice that are installed on screened phones and tablets. Amazon's new Amazon Echo Show comes with a 7" rectangular screen, and the Echo Spot comes with a 2.5" circular screen.

Amazon Echo Show (Top) and Echo Spot (Bottom)

Both are WiFi and Bluetooth enabled, and the Echo Show allow the user to see features like photos, music lyrics, home security camera footage, shopping lists, audio book shelves, and more. This also allows marketers to add a visual aspect to these types of devices. Brands must be careful, however, when advertising and promoting here. It is still not natural to see a 30-second product video on these small screens. These devices are often used for quick interactions, and a lengthy video ad will only frustrate the user and create bad brand recognition.

Content marketing is still extremely pertinent, even with the added screens. This does allow paid media advertising and SEO, for example, to be integrated on these types of applications because of the visual aspect. Although, technology experts still have a ways to go to perfect quick, verbal search algorithms, marketing metrics, and other advertising methods on these devices before they can go mainstream. For voice-only devices like Echo, Echo Dot, and Google Home, content marketing and other engaging forms of advertising, appear to be the best, current marketing solution for these always on, always available technology search platforms.

Sources:
http://adage.com/article/digital/hey-alexa-voice-strategy-brands/310893/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterhorst/2017/06/19/6-ways-to-master-marketing-in-a-world-of-siri-alexa/#65fc1b896053
http://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-echo-shies-away-from-alexa-ads-2017-6
https://insights.newscred.com/content-marketing-amazon-alexa/
https://martechtoday.com/forget-b2b-b2c-future-marketing-p2p-205358