The Internet of Voice Is Coming (Part 2) – Why You Need To Act Now

By Published On: February 20th, 2020Categories: conversational ai, voice & assistants

Picking up from where we left off with part one of the Internet of Voice, here is what will shape the success of your company during this new era of voice. 

 

From 10 to 3-4: Recommended providers replace Google’s page 1

In the sector of voice search, new competition arises. While there used to be 10 results on Google’s first page, voice output will likely feature 3 to 4 recommendations or sellers at most. Alexa currently offers 4 suggestions to questions such as “Alexa, where can I buy XYZ?”.

Imagine for instance asking a colleague for a nearby flower shop. Typically, they will name and recommend 2-3 options at most. Voice assistants will respond to such requests in a similar way. 

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First movers will be the winners

Accordingly, it is very important to set up an early base camp in this sector that will be heavily contested in the future. The earlier one can take root with an Alexa Skill or a Google Action, the higher the possibility to be named in these contested recommendations. 

A company that already starts testing a prototype today, and that structures and models its internal knowledge databases towards natural voice output by voicebots, will have an edge on their competition by essential weeks or months.

As soon as the technology is fully developed, its full potential can be realized. Companies that are hesitant today will just get started on the preparations. While first movers will already cash in on the benefits. The competitive advantage is not minimal, but maximal.

Also interesting: 7 Reasons Why You Should Invest In A Chatbot NOW

Prohibition of brand names & meaning of brand in voice search

There is another reason to act quickly. The rules for the specific naming of Google Actions or Alexa Skills are very strict and detailed. Names that are too generic are not permitted. The battle for clearly and distinctly named Google Actions or Alexa Skills is accordingly intense – names that were once assigned can no longer be registered by another entity. Therefore, the best time to register a well-named Alexa Skill or Google Action is right now.

At the same time, brand name and brand fame are the only way to work around the competition of the most recommended provider. When users use the brand name in their request, an according point of sale will be recommended. For example: “Siri, where can I buy shirts?” vs. “Siri, where can I buy business shirts by Hugo Boss?”.

 

This is how you prepare your company for the Internet of Voice

In the first step, companies must grant the appropriate relevance to the subject. That’s why the topic “Voice” should be explicitly embedded in every marketing and sales strategy. 

In the next step, companies should register a Google Action or Alexa Skill. This does not only create commitment but allows for first practical attempts in the development of a relevant voice assistant. With a solid and presentable voice assistant, one can really get in touch with prospective customers.

This way, initial data and empirical values can be collected with regards to the questions a) What do my customers want to know? and b) How do customers formulate their search/query for information? In the conceptualization and implementation of such a voice assistant, the consultation by a company such as Onlim can be of help.

In the third step, the queries and data collected by the voice assistant can be evaluated. A detailed analysis does not only show the priorities and wording of customers, but also which information about the company is most important for them. After that, the preparation and modeling of that information for a natural voice output can be initialized.

 

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