April 5, 2024
Voice search has been included in ‘up-and-coming SEO trends’ lists for as long as I can remember, but has kind of become an easy gimmicky inclusion, just there for the sake of it. Because wouldn’t it be cool if it finally did get it’s long-awaited usefulness influx? Well, voice search enthusiasts might finally see the cards falling their way! Read on, and discover how I think Google’s Search Generative Experience is about to blow new life into voice search.
Why voice hasn’t taken off just yet
We’ve been eagerly awaiting for voice search to take off, but there’s always been one big issue: it’s just not useful enough. Yes, smart speakers are able to read you the latest headlines from a curated Google News feed, but it’s not personalized, and you can’t continue the conversation, to gain more in depth information about a subject. Looking at assistants like Apple’s Siri, they usually limit their answering of a user’s questions to reading out the top few search results, or even just reciting a Wikipedia definition of a subject, again, without any opportunity to dive deep or get a balanced view of a subject. Simply put: there’s no added value for the user, and the use of these voice assistants usually results in more hassle and annoyance, than just Googling it would have.
But there seems to be some light on the horizon…
Generative search to the rescue
But I feel like voice search enthusiasts are in for brighter days in the very near future. With the upcoming advent of Google’s Search Generative Experience, Arc’s browse for me functions, and Perplexity’s full-on AI search engine, we’re about to get search engines that makes concise, narrative summaries of the best Google search results. Meaning, you guessed it, that the glory days of voice search are finally upon us! These developments make it not only possible to get information compiled from multiple sources, bringing you more complete, trustworthy results, but this would also most likely unlock the opportunity to have a conversation about the results with these digital assistants.
Apple users might be the first to experience these new voice search capabilities, with rumoured Siri developments that include on-device generative AI capabilities, powered by Google’s Gemini model. We’ll have to see during Apple’s WWDC 2024 if these features will actually be included in the upcoming release of iOS 18, or will be implemented at a later date. But one thing is for certain: the race for on-device AI capabilities is in full swing, and Apple seems to be leading the charge.
The next frontier: voice activated AI agents
For those of us that aren’t necessarily impressed by a fridge ordering you a new bag of carrots when you’re running low, voice activated AI agents are sure to get you excited about the future. Systems like Agent GPT are already testing AI agents, independently thinking up strategies, working out the step-by-step’s, and even executing them without oversight. Now imagine that, for example, Siri would be able to do exactly that. This could result in you having a conversation with your phone, asking you to provide relevant details, and booking you a flight, hotels, and creating an itinerary for you next big trip.
The future is now, let’s enjoy it together
We’re living in the future, and I’m very much enjoying very single second of it. Also excited about AI, and it’s impact on search, other marketing technologies, and life in general? Do feel free to reach out on LinkedIn, would love to link up!
Corporate Marketing Manager
Niels Krikke is the Corporate Marketing Manager at Seeders Zwolle. With a background in strategic marketing and a keen eye for detail, Niels is dedicated to creating effective marketing campaigns that drive results. With a focus on data-driven strategies and a passion for innovation, Niels plays a key role in developing and executing marketing initiatives that help us achieve our business goals.
