Now is the time to create an Alexa skill for your brand. Why? Because 19% of American households already have a smart speaker and adoption rates are through the roof. Wait, 19%? That isn't a lot. Why would that encourage you to get into the smart speaker world?
Let's get some background first. You may have heard the research around the Technology Adoption Lifecycle. It is a bell shaped curve that accurately describes how any technology is adopted. Even if you haven't heard of the research, you do already understand the concept. Technology is first adopted by those who think it's cool. Those people are the innovators on the cutting edge and there aren't very many of them, only about 2.5% of the population. The next segment to adopt new technology is called the early adopters. These people see the potential of a new technology and jump right in and start experimenting. This group is about 13.5% of the population. Next are the majority adoption phases. 68% of people adopt during these phases. And the last group to adopt a new technology is the laggards. They resist adopting until required to.
Ok, that was a long review of the Technology Adoption Lifecycle. It was supposed to encourage you to jump into the smart speaker world. Again, why? You want your brand already available when the majority of people jump into the new technology because by the time they adopt, they assume it is fully functioning. Let's use the example of Alexa. A family purchases their first Alexa product, get's it home, and is eager to try it out. They are among your faithful following. They will sit down and ask Alexa for your content. It needs to be there! They will expect it to be there!
Smart speakers are being purchased and adopted faster than any of the forecasters expected. As Michael Gerogiou of Imaginovation says, "Voice isn't the future, it's now." So, yes, smart speakers really are going to be a core part of our lives in the next year or so and now is the time for your brand to get an Alexa skill.
