As consumers continue to adopt voice technology and use voice assistants in their homes, cars, and on their phones, they’re doing it in a way that aligns with the marketing funnel. For marketers, who already know their consumers’ needs at all stages of their journey, this is a massive opportunity.
AWARENESS: VOICE SEARCH CONTINUES TO GROW
It’s a defining moment in how consumers use voice search: 91% of all voice users in the US have asked their assistant at least one question in the past, and are happy to continue exploring. Questions span a range of industries, including Entertainment, Retail, CPG, Healthcare, Restaurant and Food Delivery, Finance, and Travel. We now know that consumers are comfortable asking general awareness questions, as well as more specific ones about products, brands, and even local businesses.
How consumers are using their voice to search across sectors
Since 2021, voice search in Retail has increased in the UK and US, while staying the same in Germany. It is now at 54% in the US, and around 40% in the UK and Germany.
Across the UK and Germany, we see a slight change in voice search behaviour in the Consumer Packaged Goods sector. While it is still highest in the US, at nearly 50%, Germany’s 39% puts it ahead of the 35% seen in the UK.
Regardless of sector, search is an important part of driving awareness. Building upon traditional search with voice search optimisation will continue to be an opportunity for brands to reinforce their foothold in search marketing, or gain ground on more dominant competitors.
CONSIDERATION: DELVING DEEPER INTO
BRANDS AND LOCATION
As consumers move from awareness into consideration, and begin to look for more specific information about products and services, we continue to see the use of voice. In the US and UK, people use their voice assistants to not only learn about brands and services, but also to find them locally.
In the US, UK, and Germany people are searching for information about local business and brands
Consumers are embracing voice beyond the smart speakers in their home, making it a part of their shopping routine.
In 2022, more people are using voice daily when out shopping
This is a 9% increase from 2021 in the US and UK, and a 5% increase in Germany, showing that shoppers are taking their voice assistants with them. Retailers and brands should make sure they optimise their assistants for mobile devices.
PURCHASE: MORE CONSUMERS ARE USING VOICE
When comparing data from 2021 to 2022, there is a significant increase in overall voice purchasing behaviours. In the US and UK, we see a double-digit growth as consumers are starting to buy via voice more frequently.
There has been year-over-year growth in the number of consumers using Voice to make purchases
Mistrust of voice technology has decreased in all three markets since 2021.
Trust remains a top factor when people consider using voice tech, but an overall decrease in mistrust suggests people are becoming more comfortable with it. This could explain why we’re seeing more people using voice to pay for products and services.
After consumers have made their purchases, there are specific tasks they are interested in doing with their voice. The natural next steps of checking order status and tracking the location of packages are important priorities across all audiences in all markets. There is also an appetite to find promotional offers and discounts. These priorities are similar to what was uncovered in the 2021 report.
The top five retail and CPG tasks people want to do with their Voice in 2022
Although there were small differences between groups, parents in the US and UK generally were more likely to turn to voice to help with retail and CPG related tasks. In Germany, we didn’t see a big difference between parents and non-parents.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR BRANDS
The impact of voice in retail goes beyond just making it easier or more fun to shop. Voice technology will be used to gain a deeper understanding of consumer sentiment and emotions as part of the overall customer journey. This is not something that can be easily ignored by businesses who are looking to remain competitive. So, to take advantage of this technology, businesses need to understand how it can be used to their benefit.
When you create a voice experience, it’s important to keep the customer journey in mind. This allows you to focus on specific goals and ensure that the features and functionality of your experience are relevant to your customers’ needs and tasks. As the experience gets more features or the assistant becomes more capable, you can build on it to reach a more holistic impact.
If you want to explore how voice can create a seamless experience in your customer journey, get in touch with us today.
ABOUT THE VOICE CONSUMER INDEX 2022
We conducted the Voice Consumer Index 2022 in partnership with Delineate. Working with an independent research firm ensures we deliver high-quality, transparent data that Vixen Labs and the Open Voice Network (OVON) value so much. In total, 6,000 individuals aged 18+ were surveyed (2,000 in each of the UK, US, and Germany) in May. The research samples were selected and analysed based on published national statistics, so as to accurately represent each country’s population. The margin of error for the total sample in each country is ±2.2%. All survey participants had been recruited via consumer panels and then invited to complete the online survey by mobile or computer.
