Voice optimisation. Speech. Language.

It can shape countries, foreign policy, human rights, and above all, can be used to optimise your website. 

But how can this be, a website is accessed digitally, what role does voice play?

Little did we all know, your voice is becoming more and more included in technological innovation.

According to PGI, 38% of information conveyed by speech is via a tone of voice.

So what does it mean?

It means that alongside other features of humanity like your face and fingerprint, your voice is being included to access information also. 

Shape the Market offers services to optimise your website through social media marketing and social media management services. 

If you are interested, do not hesitate to contact us.

But first, let’s address the historical backdrop of how we got to this point. 

A world of Alexa, Sonos, and Google Home has not always dominated the market.

2010 is the year. And a phone call was the initiative; the world of voice was taking baby steps.

The phrase was soon coined ‘say your keywords’ for access to information through voice.

Though the information was limited and accessing it was long-winded, a technological revolution soon followed.

The invention of the Google Voice Search manifested itself, digitally and technologically.

From Google Maps to Google Now, the scope of the Google Voice Search is inescapable.

Revolution triggered the evolution of the Google Voice Search, and evolve it did.

Products specific to voice began appearing.

With the release of the Alexa in 2014, the Google Home in 2016, the Sonos One in 2017, and updated models being released in 2020, it’s clear voice optimisation will soon dominate life.

The world is technologically changing and is taking your voice with it.

According to QuoraCreative, 40% of adults now use mobile voice search at least once daily.

Voice optimisation is on the rise!

What can we do about it?

In the words of Stephen Hawking “Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change”.

Let’s ride the technology train and theorise a solution to this opportunity!

Absolutely nothing. 

So why go to war with potential clients and make information inaccessible?

When we ask a specific question, we all look for a very specific answer.

According to Google Search By Voice: A Case Study, Voice searches are more likely to be about an “on-the-go” topic.

Whether this is a time in which a shop opens, to the location of a bus stop or train station, we are all looking for very selective pieces of information.

However, a website can be a double-edged sword when responding to this.

It can hide information or be explicit – so make it easy and make commonly asked questions easily accessible.

This can be done by pre-empting what would be asked from potential consumers.

Take in mind the product you are selling, what do they need to know and what’s the USP?

Display this information clearly in text format.

The scorching deserts of the Sahara may appear a challenge and so too might the damp tropics.

However, the challenge for your website is adapting to the people who search for it.

According to Google, teens use the voice search much more socially for calling someone or playing a song.

Adults use the voice search much more informatively, for directions and dictating texts.

This means certain groups of people search for different things.

If your product is marketed towards an older or younger audience, take note of their search habits to optimize your service.

There must be a world outside of Google.

We’ve all thought about it.

For a service to exist like Bing, people surely must use it?

According to Statista, Google dominates the market share with 92.26% percent among the leading U.S. search engine providers.

However, most search engines are structured similarly with regards to Search Engine Optimisation.

This means new search engines will have very little impact on how you technologically organise yourself.

Who knew the world of gaming could give inspiration?

The term meta means ‘most effective tactics available’ so why not use this for your website?

In this case, it’s Schema, a microdata that allows search engines to deliver relevant results.

According to SearchEngineWatch, 10 million users already use Schema.

Greater insight into the content on your website will be more easily accessible for both Google and potential consumers.

This will enhance the stream of consumers to come to your website.

By using such a method, due to it being used by a limited few, it will maximise exposure against your competitors.

In the auction house lies numerous objects.

To your left, short-words, watched with bated breath and ruthlessly bid on.

To your right, long-words shoved to the back and the last item on the list.

Which do you put your money on? Short-words, right?

Wrong.

Longtail words actually drive traffic a lot more than typically thought.

According to Google, 50% of advertising revenue is made up of long-tail words. And in aggregate, searchers are using more long-tail words.

So why bid on these longer words for voice optimisation usability?

Simple, when we talk, how often are they short-winded conversations.

By focusing on long-tail words and phrases, you will rank more highly against competitors by being optimised for queries.

We’ve all been there.

A job interview, an appointment, meeting a friend, then to find out where to go is unclear.

A lack of clarity creates confusion and turns off future clients.

So how can we fix this?

Simple, just visit Google My Business, click “Start Now” and start filling in your basic business information.

Ensure to be as informative as possible and use first-rate photographs.

According to BrightLocal, website clicks from GMB grew by 28% between 2017 and 2018.

Following the set-up stage, the service can be used to give yourself an advantage over other businesses. Insights display customer habits like how you are found and what they do on your listing. Accessed on the left-hand side, it displays graphs and other comparative metrics, allowing you to analyse whether more action is needed.

The description does what the tin says, giving you 750 characters to outline “what you offer, what set’s you apart, or anything else helpful for customers to know”.

Written by the business owner, the Services ability adds products and services to your listing.

A post is something we are all used to and it’s no different on GMB: spotlighting special events or offers.

Something we all do before doing anything is look at reviews. This is why on GMB you must galvanise reviews and actively respond to them.

Creating a video series is impactful, and that is why the ability to add a 30-second video about your listing is crucial to personalize your business experience.

Real estate teaches us the gravitas of location.

It can shape value and perception.

However, the principles associated with location can equally be applied to optimising Ad Campaigns for the ‘near me’ search.

AdWords Location is a key way of doing this.

According to PowerTraffick, 90% of internet users see Google display ads worldwide.

This allows you to maximise appeal by having your business’ address, phone number, and directions to your business displayed alongside your ads. From the on-the-go shopper to a businessperson going about their day, exposure will be widened.

Yet, whilst AdWords is effective, Google Maps Local Search Ads is equally as useful.

Again, according to PowerTraffick, Google Ads Convert 50 Percent Better than Organic Traffic.

This tool will enable information to be accessed at the appropriate time and place for potential customers.

Ultimately, there is an inclination in the 21st century to bring all features of humanity to access information.

From your face replacing the fingerprint on mobile technology, it would not surprise me if your face slowly gets purged from technological existence.

This puts inevitable pressure on your voice, and how voice optimisation will be used in the future.

This means as Charles Darwin said, you either “adapt” or “die”.

I doubt this situation is as cynical as Darwin would suggest. Yet, through this article, a wide range of strategies have been suggested to create opportunities for the challenge of innovation.

From utilising new algorithms like Schema to using Google my Business Listing, there are a variety of methods to capitalise on innovation.

So don’t let your voice be an obstacle, transform it into a way to maximise appeal and exposure through optimisation.

Here at Shape the Market, we offer services that can both maximise exposure and increase your consumer base. Through social media marketing and social media management services provided, we can give you access to an optimised business.

One of the biggest problems brands and companies face is attempting to create an emotional connection with their audience.

It can be difficult to create content that resonates and stirs up emotions; you don’t want your content to fall flat.

And, even when you do create an emotional response, you don’t want it to be a wrong or negative emotion either!

But firstly, what is emotional content? And why do you even want to create it?

Emotional content is advertising, blog posts, and any other form of marketing that inspires us to buy, watch or click a link because it’s evoked a strong feeling in us.

This could be watching a video that angers us and sharing it or seeing an ad that makes us cry and feel compelled to buy the products advertised.

But how successful is emotional content?

Well, according to Small Biz Daily, brands that have built up an emotional connection with their consumers are twice as likely to have customers who are willing to pay 20% more for their products.

Meaning, that emotional connections have a direct tie to revenue.

You only need to look to advertisements like The Man on The Moon (John Lewis, 2015) and the ever heart-warming Dog Advert (Amazon Prime, 2016) to see that emotional content works.

So, how do they do it?

Read on to find out.

Firstly, you need to find out what sort of content resonates with your audience.

There’s absolutely no point in trying to create emotional content if you don’t know what emotions will work, and what emotions won’t.

The first step is to create a user profile for your target consumer.

This is a pretty standard marketing trick, which allows you to really hone in on what it is your consumer likes, dislikes, and – most importantly – what will drive them to your website.

An example of this could be: you’re a skincare and toiletries brand marketed to women. You want to target women of all ages and races, but probably of a lower socio-economic class considering how affordable your products are.

You want to inspire a feeling of acceptance, sensitivity, and optimism, and body positivity.

So, you create an ad where you have women describe themselves to a portrait artist to be drawn. The women describe themselves in mostly negative ways, resulting in a drawing that doesn’t look much like them.

But, you also get other women to describe them. These other women describe them in much happier, attractive, and flattering ways – resulting in a drawing that looks a lot more like them.

The ad preaches acceptance, self-love, self-worth, and kindness.

Sound familiar?

This is because it’s exactly what Dove did in 2013. It was a huge success.

Creating content that inspired such positive emotional responses in their target audience led to a massive increase in revenue. They knew specifically how to target their desired consumer.

Finding out what sort of emotions resonate with your audience is the best way to figure out how to create emotional content.

Anger, sadness, or melancholy wouldn’t attract consumers to use a brand like Dove. So, the marketing team steered clear of it.

When it comes to creating emotional content, there is a fine line.

You want to create content that stirs up strong reactions, but you also don’t want to create anything cringe or inauthentic.

It’ll just fall flat. People will be able to see right through it.

So, how do you make sure your content is sincere?

Firstly, you need to be real.

If your content is based upon an entirely made up scenario that isn’t relatable or realistic, then people aren’t going to identify with it.

The reason why Dove’s ad was so successful was that many women had felt unattractive, and were able to relate to the women in the ad.

Following this, sincere emotional content usually focuses on the human.

It’s almost impossible to create an emotional ad about how great a speaker is. But, it is possible to create an emotional ad about how this speaker was able to bring friends together through their mutual love of music.

Notice the difference?

But most importantly, do your research.

Find out what’s hot and what’s trending. What people care about. And see if you can create emotional content around this.

However, when it comes to avoiding insincere ads, you must be careful.

Pepsi’s infamous ad featuring Kendall Jenner, which saw her crossing the riot line to give a police officer a Pepsi (and thus unify the two fighting sides) was a massive failure.

Pepsi ended up having to pull the ad and issue an apology, stating that they realised the ad came across as insensitive and false.

Know your limitations when it comes to creating emotional content.

It’s entirely plausible for your product or brand to bring together friends, reunite families, or create joy (sincere content). It’s unlikely that it’s going to solve world peace (insincere content.)

You may not know this, but certain types of social media platforms evoke certain types of feelings and emotions.

According to a study carried out by Apposphere, we have different feelings towards different platforms.

For example, Snapchat makes people feel happy and funny. On the other hand, apps like Facebook and Twitter make people feel anxious and overwhelmed.

One reason could be because Twitter and Facebook are used to share the news. And, often, people feel nervous and upset when consuming mostly negative news.

So, how do you make sure you’re using the right platforms for your emotional content?

Firstly, you have to know the emotional connotations behind each app.

Facebook:
Informed, entertained, nervous, guilty.

Instagram:
Inspired, adventurous, flirtatious, creative.

YouTube:
Captivated, excited, curious, entertained.

Twitter:
Anxious, overwhelmed, informed, self-conscious.

Snapchat:
Silly, creative, adventurous, playful.

It’s not to say that it’s impossible to create inspiring or positive content on Facebook. It just means that you have to be aware of the typical content people are used to seeing.

Also, when it comes to creating emotional content that is designed for virality, the form of content is important to consider when choosing a platform.

If you’re creating a video advertisement, posting it on YouTube is the best way to rack up some views. But, posting it on a platform like Facebook or Twitter may also be a good idea considering you can share it.

Whilst Instagram may be a visual platform, it isn’t the most user friendly for sharing.

On the other hand, a graphic or image with an emotional connection probably would respond well on Instagram.

Finding out what type of content you want to create, and what platform best suits this, is a great way to ensure that your emotional content sticks.

As stated earlier, as consumers, we connect with emotional content with which we can identify.

We have to be able to see ourselves and relate to what we’re consuming for us to truly feel something.

So, what’s the best way to do this?

Invite your audience into your content.

Otherwise known as calls to action.

By doing this, we’re making sure that our target consumers aren’t just passive participants in the content they consume but are actively engaging with it.

There are many ways to do this and make sure that your consumers are actively connecting with your emotional content. Check below for just a few ways.

Hashtags are a great way to get your audience to actively connect with your content given how simple they are, and how they’re prone to virality.

Attaching a hashtag to your content and then asking your audience to use said hashtag when discussing and sharing their thoughts is a great way to create a cohesive brand identity, keep track of what people are saying about our ad, and get them involved.

Everyone knows how to use a hashtag, even your nan!

Gillette’s ‘The Best Men Can Be’ ad about toxic masculinity was massively viral. It discussed an uncomfortable topic and addressed something very current in the news and society right now.

But, the ad was also a success because of its call to action.

‘The Best Men Can Be’ slogan inspired a lot of feelings and resulted in many men sharing stories of their own experiences of toxic masculinity.

The ad created a dialogue and invited men to get talking. As such, the ad spread in popularity, and more and more people became aware of it.

All because of a catchy slogan.

Image Copyright Property of John Lewis.

Creating emotional content is no easy task.

It can be difficult to find the balance between being authentic and inspiring, without becoming cheesy or cringe.

But, when you do find that balance, you can create really powerful content.

Emotional content is a great way to get consumers to connect with your brand, share your ads and marketing, and gain traffic to your sites.

So, will you be using emotional content in the future?

“Buy Now, Pay Later”. Thanks to lockdown, our need for instant gratification, and the younger generation’s mistrust of banks: they’re becoming more prevalent. 

They used to run off credit and interest, but as they become more popular and the demand for their services increase, they evolve.

Now, you can use “Buy Now, Pay Later” services without it impacting your credit or without any cumbersome sign-ups.

Sounds great, right?

So why do so many “Buy Now, Pay Later” services have critics? 

Some people argue that these delayed payment services aren’t as great as they seem. And that they cause problems for consumers and businesses alike in the long run.

But, what are “Buy Now, Pay Later” services? How do they impact the running of a business?

Read on to find out.

“Buy Now, Pay Later” companies, or BNPLs, are services that offer consumers the option to receive a product before they have purchased it.

Meaning, that consumers can receive a product and pay for it later. Either as an installment plan or paying in whole after a fixed term.

Most notable BNPL services include Klarna, Clear Pay, Affirm, and most recently PayPal.

And they have massively become more popular over the past few years.

According to a Compare The Market survey, 1 in 5 shoppers use a BNPL scheme in the UK in 2019. And the biggest users of BNPL services are those aged 25-34.

So, why do BNPLs appeal to consumers?

“Buy Now, Pay Later” schemes are appealing for those who work in a job that pays monthly and for people who live paycheque to paycheque. It allows them to purchase products and pay at a later date when they’re more financially liquid and thus doesn’t disadvantage them.

As such, “Buy Now, Pay Later” services are extremely popular at Christmas time.

The rise of consumers who use BNPL services during the festive season skyrockets, as often people struggle to afford gifts during this period until after they get paid.

Because of this, likely, BNPL services are here to stay.

Aside from the obvious, that being that BNPL services allow you to receive a product before you pay for it, they are also beneficial for those wanting to test out products first.

If you’re wanting to try on a piece of clothing, test out some electronics, or see if a product is suitable for your needs – you can do so before paying. Meaning that if you have to return the product, you’re not waiting for money to come back into your account because it never left it.

What’s more, a lot of these BNPL services do not run credit checks. Nor do their services impact your own credit.

In fact, many of these services don’t even use late payment fees. They simply state that if a payment is severely late – by 90 days, for example – they will try contacting you to receive their money.

This is a huge benefit for lots of consumers as they don’t want to use “Buy Now Pay Later” services if it impacts their credit.

With the vast majority of consumers being young people and Millennials, it makes sense why they would be wary of services that could damage their credit scores.

So, now you know how BNPLs work for the consumer, and what the benefits are.

What about the retailers?

Firstly, you’re paid upfront and in full. That’s right. As a retailer, you’re not waiting for the money to come in directly from the consumer. Rather, the service provider (Klarna, PayPal, etc.) will shoulder the burden.

Meaning that they will take on the financial responsibility of chasing up after the money.

What’s more, using a BNPL as a retailer will boost your conversion rate. Considering that consumers are appealed to instant gratification – being able to receive the product instantly, or the next day – it compels them to purchase more.

In fact, according to VendHQ, merchants who offer BNPLs find that their conversation rates increase by 20-30%.

As well as this, offering a BNPL will also boost your average transaction value. VendHQ found that for retailers who were using Klarna, on average their transaction value increased by up to 68%.

Ultimately, if you are a retailer offering BNPLs at your checkout, you’re likely to see an increase in sales.

BNPLs are appealing to many demographics for lots of reasons, and when they don’t come at any cost to you, the retailer, why wouldn’t you offer them?

However, it would be an oversight not to mention the criticisms of “Buy Now, Pay Later” services.

In fact, some critics are labeling these services as “little more than payday loans with good PR.”

But, what does this mean?

According to comparethemarket.com’s Head of Money, BNPLs can damage your credit score if you’re using a credit-based service. It can cause people to become further indebted based on their spending, and when you’re unable to pay it back, the additional late fees and charges don’t help.

What’s more, BNPLs have also come under fire for fostering a culture of debt dependency. Particularly amongst young people.

Given that the majority of BNPL marketing comes through social media – the use of influencers, social media ads, and sponsored posts – it’s often targeted to and appeals to younger people.

Especially when one considers how impressionable younger consumers are, and how often they base their shopping habits based on social media trends.

Because of this, critics of BNPLs claim that they teach the younger generation poor money spending habits.

In fact, so much have these services come under fire that some are even going as far as to create alternative services that allow you to save in increments for a specific product, rather than use a BNPL.

Because of this, companies and businesses that are considering offering BNPL should be cautious.

You must certainly think about how you’re going to market your BNPL service, who you’re marketing it to, and what message you’re pushing.

“Buy Now, Pay Later” services are impacting how businesses are being run in numerous ways.

Firstly, they can offer some great promotions for businesses.

Lots of these services like Klarna and Clear Pay have directories of all the businesses they work with. Meaning that it’s an additional way for a business to be seen by consumers.

What’s more, a lot of these services even go a step further. Featuring businesses in a ‘business of the week’ or ‘prominent Black-owned businesses’ section on their websites and blogs is a great way of getting some additional publicity.

However, there are some negatives impacts on businesses using BNPL services.

For starters, some business owners like Markesha Tillman, a retailer company owner speaking to PYMNTS, said that she felt pressure to keep up her business’s appearance and social media presence now that she’s part of the BNPL group.

She claims that she’s now more conscious of how her social media looks, given that Afterpay, the BNPL service she uses, follows her. For some, this can be an added pressure they can’t afford.

What’s more, BNPLs don’t work for free.

According to a report carried out by Big Commerce, “Buy Now, Pay Later” services charge on average 2-6% commission per transaction carried out, as well as a fixed rate fee.

Meaning, that for smaller businesses who are struggling with their sales, they need to weigh up whether using this type of service is worth it.

You may result in losing revenue, despite the increase in sales.

So, how are “Buy Now, Pay Later” services impacting the future of businesses?

Firstly, BNPL services are becoming so common that businesses who don’t offer them are seeing a detriment.

According to an investigation carried out by Harris Interactive, 52% of consumers using BNPL services said they would not shop with a retailer who does not offer this as a payment option.

That’s over half!

Because of this, many retailers are feeling pressure to start offering “Buy Now, Pay Later” as a payment option.

Meaning that the future of businesses could see a huge shift towards this.

However, whilst BNPL services might start to emerge more rapidly, there is a sector of retailers who seem to oppose them.

Many have noted that high-end retailers, such as high fashion brands and more luxurious stores, are wary of offering BNPL services.

It seems that BNPLs have a connotation of working with more high-street brands and businesses. And, as a result, these businesses are worried about their image or reputations being tarnished for using them.

Because of this, there likely will be a divide in the retailers that offer BNPL as a payment option.

Whilst it seems that they certainly will become more popular as time goes on, not everyone is going to be embracing the service any time soon.

It’s no surprise that thanks to Covid-19, the cultural shift towards immediate purchases, and new demand from younger consumers, that “Buy Now, Pay Later” services are on the rise.

They offer an opportunity for businesses to boost their sales and publicity, as well as increase their consumer base.

However, BNPLs don’t come without their costs – literally.

The charges incurred for retailers can sometimes outweigh the boost in sales. And, some retailers may be wary of using them considering the implications BNPLs possess.

In either case, “Buy Now, Pay Later” schemes are certainly something to bear in mind as they increase in popularity.

So, does your business offer BNPL as a payment option. And, if not, will you?