Voice assistants deepen ties with brands, study says

Brief:

Voice assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant are becoming an important part of family life, making them more significant for brands, per a study that voice technology agency Voxly Digital shared with sister publication Mobile Marketer. In using voice apps, 95% of U.K. families said it's important that the app be from a brand they know.
In shopping for voice apps, 94% of U.K. families read ratings and reviews to get a better idea of how they work. Eighty-six percent of respondents said being featured in Alexa's Skill Store or in a list of recommended apps is important to them, while 23% of people hear about voice apps while talking to a virtual assistant.
More than half of families consider a voice assistant as "another family member." Two-thirds of families use their voice assistant together as a family, with three out of four saying a voice assistant is an important "entertainer."

Insight:

Voxly Digital's report provides insights for brands that are looking to ramp up their integrations with digital voice assistants, something more marketers are likely looking into as use of smart speakers grows during the coronavirus pandemic. This is especially true among younger consumers, while people are broadly staying at home more. Some brands have been quick to jump on the trend, including snack brand MoonPie, which last month introduced a voice-powered app for Amazon Alexa that acts as a virtual roommate for people stuck indoors.

Brands might consider developing a voice app to connect with consumers who lean on the technology for a wide range of uses, Voxly Digital's study found. While 74% of survey respondents said that they see Alexa and Google Assistant as "personal assistants", 72% see them as "entertainers." Brands seeking to engage consumers with gamified voice apps have an opportunity to connect with the 33% of households that play games and trivia with a virtual assistant every day.

Voice assistants are developing a trusted role in households, being viewed by many as another member of the family. That intimacy with consumers is a key consideration for brands in cultivating voice apps as an interactive channel on smart speakers and mobile devices. Sixty-nine percent of families use their voice assistants to find information, making the technology more imperative for brands in educating consumers about their products and services while standing out among rivals, the study suggests.

Marketers also need to consider the usage patterns for virtual assistants when developing a voice app. Almost two-thirds (61%) of families using voice assistants in the living or family room, while 43% use them in the kitchen. Those more social settings for families can be a key consideration in developing a voice app that people of all ages can use together. Brands that create collaborative experiences for families can boost engagement and make those experiences more memorable, Voxly Digital said.