Testing Alexa
With 3.5 billion people using smartphones in the world, today’s consumers have new capabilities to ask questions, stay up-to-date and make purchases online. In 2020, over 50% of search queries were done using voice on a smartphone, tablet or computer.
The Dawn of a New IoT
The Internet of Things (IoT) encompasses everything that connects people to the internet with a focus on technologies that “talk” to each other. Voice recognition platforms mark the dawn of a new IoT, changing people’s behaviour and the relationship between business and consumers.
In the arms race to become the industry leader of voice, Alexa is Amazon’s cloud-based AI assistant with the ability to mimic real conversations. As of 2019, Alexa has more than 90,000 functions, known as Alexa Skills, which provide business owners with the ability to create an interactive experience with their audience.
To remain competitive, companies are testing Alexa throughout their marketing strategies to attract new customers to their products and services.
Brands Are Experimenting with Voice Recognition
Purina, a world leader within the pet food market, has chosen to use Alexa to improve its customer experience. Purina is currently providing dog owners (or those interested to become dog owners) access to a database of knowledge through Alexa. Using the voice command “Alexa, ask Purina”, you can get answers to questions like, “Tell me which dogs are hypoallergenic,” or, “Find breeds that are good in hot weather.”
Another example of Alexa being incorporated by a brand’s marketing strategy is provided by the popular detergent producer Tide. The company provides over 200 different tips and tricks to remove stains with a simple request: “Alexa, ask Tide how to remove a red wine stain from my carpet.”
Unfortunately, some of the one-star customer reviews of Tide’s attempt to help people suggest that the tips aren’t helpful and are just a commercial for Tide. While there may be areas to improve experiences, this is something to keep in mind should you decide to incorporate Alexa in your brand’s marketing strategy.
A New Channel for Your Brand?
Voice-based technology and AI assistants are only just beginning. While there’s a lot to learn when it comes to creating voice commands for Alexa, the question is whether or not your customers will be at the other end of it.
People are just beginning to explore and understand the convenience that voice recognition services provide. This translates to a new channel with opportunities to provide quick access to answers and requests for people using voice commands online.