Navigating Voice Search for Your Brand
During the 1970s, the Stanford Marshmallow Experiment confirmed something most could’ve predicted—children tend to prefer instant gratification (and marshmallows) over delayed gratification. The experiment placed kids in a room with one marshmallow and two options: enjoy just one marshmallow now, or have two in 15 minutes. Most chose one marshmallow—now.
As adults, shoppers can purchase and consume as many marshmallows as they desire. To no surprise, they still prefer instant gratification—from one-day shipping to freaky fast food to 5G data. Information gathering is no different. Many people have found the quickest avenue to information is employing their own personal voice assistant. Her name is Alexa. Or Cortana. Or Siri. And she knows, well, everything.
Today, an increasing number of people are using these voice assistants in their day-to-day lives. However, unlike online searches, there are no points for second or third place, there’s only one winner. So, how does your brand become the answer consumers are asking for? To answer this, you must first answer these three questions.
By 2020, it is estimated that 50% of all searches will be made using voice—whether it be made on a smartphone, a smart TV, a wearable or a smart speaker. Each day, 40% of adults use their voice to seek out information, from recipes to directions. Who is using voice search?
- 59% of 18-24-year-olds use voice search
- 65% of 25-49-year-olds use voice search
- 57% of 50+ year-olds use voice search
From boomers to Gen Z, these users are seeking information at a moment's notice. And though they may not have a lot in common, the way they are searching can be very similar.