With the emergence of Google Home and Amazon Echo, voice-activated devices are becoming the next must-have staple in the home. In fact, according to a recent Forbes article, over 8.2 million of these such devices are in American homes. And, this number is expected to increase exponentially by over 300% in 2018 alone! So, what can this new trend mean for your business’ website? The graphic designers at Snowball Creative Group cited three reasons why VUIs (Voice User Interfaces) will transform your customers’ online experience.
Ease of Use. If you have a long text message to send, are you more likely to type it all or use the voice-to-text feature on your phone? Most people would opt for the latter – and for good reason. The human brain is better able to process visual and verbal information 60,000 times faster than written language. When it comes to navigating a text heavy website, it would be much more convenient for the web visitor to be able to interact with the screen and quickly find the information they need without having to read through pages of written text. As companies work to eliminate any online obstacles that may inadvertently prevent customers from completing their purchases, VUIs will likely become the norm.
Natural Extension of Your Life. Conversation is a natural part of life. If you have a question, you’re more likely to verbally ask someone, right? By having VUI capability on your website, you are extending this natural interaction in the online space. Users will be able to seamlessly browse your site just as easily as they hold a conversation with a neighbor. This can also be an incredible opportunity for your brand to resonate with your target audience and enable them to experience the “humanness” of your brand.
Enhances the User Experience. How are you currently making your website user-friendly for web visitors with disabilities? Building in these accommodating features in your website is key to making sure that all of your web visitors are able to navigate your website. Whether you allow chat features or voice-activated commands to be used on your website, these are easy to implement components that can enhance the user experience. With VUIs, blind web visitors would be able to explore your website and access the same information as a web visitor without a disability. As the user experience is improved, the benefits will extend to all of your customers and increase the value of your brand.
VUIs are still relatively new and have not infiltrated web design – just yet. But, if you want to stay on the cutting edge and find innovative ways to offer a 21st century experience to your customers, then starting to think about how you can incorporate a VUI into your website will be key. There are a host of unique features you can build into your website today to enhance the ease of use of your website. For a complimentary innovation review of your current website, contact the leading web design specialists at Snowball Creative Group.
