Advertisers are lining up for the chance to use the new in-home voice assistance devices as a kind of marketing outreach tool to connect users with products. According to Martech, Amazon has been among the first to suggest that the Echo or Dot devices could generate revenues. Since they have put out over five million such devices, advertisers are seeing this as an open as-yet untapped (and hopefully, very lucrative) marketing strategy.
For instance, whenever a consumer makes a voice-initiated order, Echo can be set to suggest alternate items or related items in a short five-second paid advertising blurb. If people order laundry soap, Echo suggests they may need fabric softener. When a person asks for a brisket, tells them about a special offer on barbeque sauce at a local grocery store.
This kind of promotional platform can move outside of product sales and into advertising services, entertainment, or just about anything else. Marketing personnel and promotional platforms see the chance to generate more revenue for all companies concerned.Another suggested path for generating revenues with this new technology is through sponsorships and endorsements for brands or products.
The next question to ask advertisers and online platforms should be “will the consumer find this annoying after a time?”Audiences get annoyed when too many advertisements interrupt their favorite television shows. What will be threshold of tolerability when consumers are inundated with a litany of products of specials whenever they order a gallon of milk or a hot pizza.
