Even as HomePod struggles, smart speakers are surging

In April, Bloomberg reported that Apple was struggling to sell its HomePod smart speaker. ‘Inventory is piling up,’ the outlet reported, and lower-than-expected sales have forced the company to reduce orders to at least one manufacturer. The news prompted some search engine optimization and digital marketing agencies to question whether their nascent voice search efforts were necessary.

HomePod’s popularity issues are an anomaly. Amazon Echo and Google Home, which account for 94 per cent of the smart speaker market, have never been more popular, and GeoMarketing reports that 65 per cent of owners can’t imagine giving up these devices. Smart speakers, digital assistants, and other voice-activated devices are here to stay, with big implications for brands engaged in SEO and paid search marketing.

As of January 2018, users performed roughly one billion voice searches per month. By 2020, voice searches will account for roughly 50 per cent of all searches, and approximately 30 per cent of searches will be screenless. Smart speakers will drive this change: by 2022, 55 per cent of American households are expected to own a smart speaker, compared to just 13 per cent in 2017.

As more voice searches are performed, search engine optimization agencies will be challenged to ensure their clients remain at the top of customers’ minds. Optimizing for local search will be key, as voice searches are often performed at the moment consumers are interested in a product or service. Solid SEO basics will also help Google and other search engines identify the most reputable and relevant answers to queries.

As a Premier Google Partner All-Star search engine optimization agency with access to valuable insights on Google’s preferred practices, GrowthEngine Media works hard to stay on top of emerging tech trends. As voice search becomes more prominent, our team will continue to adopt best practices that ensure your business is found by the customers that matter most.

 

Image credit: www.quotecatalog.com