There are numerous ways to use voice marketing to create a connection with your desired audience, many of which you can use together.

Today, 65% of adults ages 15 to 49 use voice-activated devices on a daily basis. The time to use this technology to connect with your audience is now.

But what is the best way to reach out?

It really depends on what you want to accomplish, but by using multiple methods of connecting with interested consumers via voice, you can make the most of this emerging technology.

Here are four ways you can use voice marketing to reach your target audience.

1. Improve your search engine ranking

Search engines drive a lot of the online marketing industry by deciding where websites are ranked for specific search terms. Each search engine, such as Google and Bing, creates an algorithm that ranks sites based on the relevant words and phrases in their content. They also consider the quality of the content, how many other sites link to the content, and a variety of other factors.

The thing to remember about voice search is that users speak differently than they type. As a result, when optimizing your website for voice, including more conversational language is a good way to make it easier for search engines to find you.

Voice searchers also ask a lot of questions, so by putting an FAQ section on your website, you can not only target those who have something to ask, but also provide the answers they’re looking for.

Keep in mind that while search engine optimization can help you connect with your audience through voice, it’s a lot of work, and you’re leaving much of your success to chance if you only use this method.

2. Advertise on podcasts

A more direct way to connect with an audience through a voice-activated device is by advertising on popular podcasts. 32% of the American population listens to at least one podcast per month, and they’re a wealthier audience as well — podcast listeners are 45% more likely to earn more than $250,000 per year.

A new feature offered by streaming service Pandora allows you to target listeners who align with the target audience you’re trying to reach. It will enable you to present ads exclusively to those who are listening on smart speakers and whose playlists match your desired audience.

While advertising in these ways can be useful, it remains difficult to track their efficiency, and you’re still not truly connecting with your audience in a meaningful way. There are alternatives, however, that create an interaction between your brand and the consumer.

3. Develop a native app

Smart speaker users are beginning to demand more of their devices, which is where native apps come into play. Using Alexa Skills or Google Actions, you can develop apps that add functionality to a voice-activated device.

By developing a voice app, you can interact directly with your target audience on their devices, providing them special offers along the way. There are currently over 100,000 Alexa Skills on the market, showing that companies are starting to see the benefit of the technology.

The problem with developing an app is that it takes some technical know-how that not many marketers yet have, and you still have to convince users to activate your Skill or Action on their voice-activated devices. As a result, you’ll have to advertise the fact you’ve released the tool and provide some incentive for the desired audience to begin using it.

4. Look for new ways to connect

The good news is that as voice technology evolves, we’ll begin seeing new ways to use it.

One of the newest methods of connecting with an audience involves combining the benefits of native apps with offline marketing through the Respond Fast Voice Activated Call to Action.

Respond Fast works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, allowing anyone who sees or hears your offline marketing content — including direct mail, podcast advertisements, radio spots, television ads, and more — to immediately access your offer through their phone voice assistant or smart speaker.

You don’t have to develop a skill or action yourself when using this technology because, when Respond Fast is activated, the user simply launches the program to redeem your offer.

Contact Respond Fast today for more information on how you can connect with your audience and start your first voice response campaign for free.