Virtual Assistant: What You Need To Know 2019

We all live in a world that’s fast-paced and digital. It’s no surprise that nowadays everything should be done in an instant. There’s so much advance in the technology nowadays that even the most mundane tasks can be done with just a scroll and a click.

In the old days, we would normally rely on ourselves to get things done manually. We would resort to books, papers, and pens to get our day organized. Today with all the multitude of things that we do, it’s become increasingly difficult to keep up with completing tasks. That’s why with all the advances in technology, personal digital assistants are created for that purpose.

What are the main functions of a personal digital assistant?

Generally, the simple purpose of a personal digital assistant is to get organized electronically, hence, the operational word “assistant.” Having a digital assistant means you do not need to deal with bulky or clunky spreadsheets, text documents, and manual databases. Although a larger percentage is easily stored in a desktop computer or laptop, it’s not easily items that are within reach. Where digital assistants are concerned, we would prefer all of the information pertaining to our daily tasks and life can easily be accessed. This is where handheld gadgets or mobile devices come in.

The functions of the digital assistant to basically respond using voice-commands to help users. This is through answering simple questions, completing daily tasks and basically make life more convenient. Digital assistants have become increasingly mainstream over the years. More than half of the population in America use them. This proves that the value of technology is growing significantly and that it has become a practical source for industries and consumer engagement.

Probably you’ve tried asking Siri or Google about the weather today. Over the years, the characteristics of digital assistants have become more distinct. Today they have become increasingly accurate, and have sophisticated features and capabilities beyond imagination. Not only that, digital assistants have become cost-effective as well.

Digital Assistants’ Impact on Voice Search

Currently, leading tech brands are looking for ways of fulfilling their company promises with respect to voice-activated gadgets. This is to maintain investments in the channel.

What this means is that a lot more customers will use digital assistants so they can interact with brands. This will create an impact on how an average shopper tries to gain information and learn them online.

Consequently, digital marketers will begin adapting effective outreach tactics accordingly to voice search. This means most will focus efforts on:

Natural Language SEO

This would mean investing in SEO that places priority on how a person wants to search when speaking. When leading brands rewire their content, it can relatively increase voice-search shares. It should simply help users when seeking out real information in a generic language. For example, a person would most likely ask, “where is the nearest restaurant,” rather than saying, “find restaurants near me.”

Long-tail keywords

This is another item that tech brands should target. Since searches have evolved from text to voice, the length and specifics of questions would also change. For example, consumers may want to know a particular detail that may be sound awkward to type out.

The addition of these two improvements would mark a significant marketing strategy with a fruitful outcome. However, it is just as important for marketers to include these core capabilities to individual appliances.

What are popular digital assistants and their functions?

As the concept of voice-commands is increasingly evolving, it can be difficult to separate one digital assistant to the next. The upside about this is that they are branded with their own identities.

Below are four of the most popular digital assistants that have governed new processes:

  1. Siri

This digital assistant is the brainchild of Apple Technologies. Siri was first presented as a portable assistant that can be used easily and accessible to anyone with an iPhone. Siri acts like a real-life assistant and continuously learns about every individual user.

Once Siri is activated, it speaks in a natural language and helps users get things done with only a voice-command. Siri’s functions are synced for all Apple gadgets including iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Home Pod and Apple TV under one user. To better optimize Siri, try using more it more often and updating current information

  1. Cortana

Cortana is Microsoft’s design that has similar features to Siri. However, Cortana’s functions are more tailored directly to the world of business. It is Cortana that aids enterprises in making more sense of possibilities. It also helps connect businesses to different Microsoft solutions to support growth in business.

You can save time with Cortana by answering all of your questions. Cortana can also work to update your day-to-day events and activities. With all the schedule you keep, Cortana helps keep you organized and is also synced across all devices.

  1. Google Assistant

Another popular virtual assistant to help you manage tasks, and getting things done wherever you are. It also works with applications that you like including music, movie streaming and more. One feature that stands out with Google assistant is that it limits the information that you share. It prioritizes safety and security by helping you manage past conversations easily.

  1. Alexa

Amazon’s version of digital assistant with voice intelligence that is cloud-based. Alexa functions as an assistant that lets you interact with the kind of technology that we use every day.

There are even integration functions in Alexa that you can use to update your products and connect her across all devices.

Final Thoughts

There is no perfect virtual assistant. However, it is projected that the use of digital assistants may significantly increase in the next few years. With all the advancements in technology and artificial intelligence (AI), there’s no doubt that new strategies will be added into digital assistants. It all boils down to which digital assistant is ideal for you.