A multi-device world
According to ComScore, the average consumer owns almost 4 connected devices. In such a fragmented, multi-device world, it is critical that marketers understand where and how their target consumers are using different devices and search channels to create a plan to effectively engage and inspire consumers. According to Google, more than 60% of search is performed on a mobile device and 65% of smartphone visitors continue over to a desktop or a PC. Often, Marketers still view search as being conducted on desktop and mobile independent of one another. Trends suggest otherwise. ComScore has found that consumers view the same piece of content up to 5 times – often on different devices at the same time. Users migrate between desktop and mobile seamlessly and leverage search history that is archived across devices to help create a seamless experience. Research also indicates that these interactions on mobile devices lead to eventual conversions, today 2% of first time visitors complete a purchase.
Mobile devices started the revolution in search – all the way back to the original iPhone – but a new generation of “headless” devices, devices powered by AI engines like Alexa, Google Home and Siri are poised to push how people search and find information even further. The increasing reliance on voice search has already changed the landscape of search engines – 20% of searches are already being conducted via voice assistants. ComScore predicts that this trend will only grow, with more than 50% of search becoming voice-based by the year 2020 – that’s only 2 years away!
Search is about answers
In this new world of voice-powered smart phones, speakers, home assistants and automobiles, consumers are increasingly relying more on search to provide answers, not lists of results. While a user might type “hotels San Francisco downtown,” that same user is more likely to ask “how many five star hotels are there near downtown San Francisco?” Users are far more comfortable asking long, more complex, and more specific questions using voice than when typing. The improvements in voice-based assistants is driving this even further. Systems like Google are now beginning to provide conversational queries – questions that are related to earlier answers. For example, our same user might follow up the “five star hotels” question with something like “which ones have a pool?” Obviously, with this conversational approach to search, the technology necessary to stay ahead is changing.
