What we can learn from the latest trends in voice search

Voice search is currently experiencing exponential growth, and some interesting trends are emerging with regard to how people are using it.

Voice search is already a fast-growing movement in the search industry, and the latest figures indicate that it’s starting to win ground in daily use.

Digital marketing agency Stonetemple has recently published a study on how Americans use voice commands, which may serve as a useful insight into the future of voice search.

Willingness to use voice search

People seem to be more comfortable using voice search when they are at home, or alone in the office. There still seems to be a social stigma surrounding the use of voice search in a public place among others, whether it’s at the restaurant with friends, or at the office with co-workers.

This brings out an interesting observation that people are still not comfortable while using voice search the way they would use any other type of search.

Popularity of search methods

Searching through a mobile browser is still the most popular choice among users, with voice search coming third. Although the direction voice search is taking hints at a different future, it’s still not easy to become users’ first choice when performing a search through their smartphones.

Use of voice commands

There are many reasons to use a voice command, but the most popular uses up to now seem to be making a call, performing an online search, texting, and map navigation. These answers prove that users prefer voice commands for the speed and the ease that they offer, and this may be the key to its more widespread adoption in future.

Why do you use voice commands?

Speed has emerged as the main reason people prefer voice commands, with 71% of people reporting that they use voice because “it’s fast”. Survey respondents also prioritise finding the answer to their questions in the most convenient way, with the second and third most-favoured reasons for using voice being that “the answer is read back to me” and “I don’t have to type”.

What to expect from personal assistants

The rise of personal assistants in past years shows us a trend that may become more popular in the future. Although they are still at quite an early stage in their development, people like the fact that they receive the results they are looking for in a fast and convenient way.

Personalisation seems to be another key factor in the rise of personal assistants, as it may offer an additional reason for users to pick voice commands and personal assistants.

Do personal assistants understand you?

There are still concerns surrounding personal assistants and their effectiveness in understanding queries, but many respondents seem to be satisfied with them, with just over half reporting that their voice assistant understands them “well” or “very well”.

Although there is still room for improvement, personal assistants have already developed more sophisticated technology that makes using voice commands more appealing.

Are voice commands annoying?

Not everyone likes voice commands. Apparently, there is a large percentage that finds them annoying, especially when they hear other people using them. This may be related to the observation that people are still not comfortable with the idea of using voice commands in a public place and it is certainly a point that new technologies cannot ignore.

Overview

The use of voice commands is growing, and we’re already experiencing its evolution through everyday searches. It’s only a matter of time until people become more comfortable with it, with speed, personalisation and convenience being the key reasons to consider using it.

source https://searchenginewatch.com/2017/02/15/what-we-can-learn-from-the-latest-trends-in-voice-search/