The market for smart audio technology and devices is booming.

In just three years since its introduction, nearly 16 percent of all American households have ownership of a smart speaker. According to National Public Media, the adoption rate of smart speakers is outpacing the growth of even smartphones and tablets.

The rising influence of smart audio technology has created a unique opportunity for brand marketers to engage with new and existing customers. Additionally, there’s also the challenge for marketers to rethink the way they view strategy.

“If you think about a brand that has spent millions… on digital marketing – banner adverts, apps and things like that – suddenly they are having to wrestle with a device that has no screen,” SharpEnd founder Cameron Worth told Marketing Week last fall.

Fortunately for marketers, NPR and Edison Research published new findings that can help them navigate this uncharted territory. The Smart Audio Report breaks down usage and attitudes around smart speakers. NPR and Edison Research surveyed close to 2,000 people throughout the United States over the phone and online to reveal the following trends.

Smart speakers are creating habit-changing behaviors.

The introduction of smart speakers into US households have caused Americans to shift their attention away from different platforms. NPR and Edison found that 30 percent and more of smart speaker owners are spending less time on the following devices:

• Traditional AM/FM radio (39 percent)

• Smartphone (34 percent)

• Television (30 percent)

Also as a result, smart speaker users say they’ve become more engaged in digital audio content. A little more than 71 percent of device owners have increased their listening habits since adding smart speakers into their lives. Podcasts are the most popular pieces of audio for smart speaker users to consume, with 28 percent of the aforementioned audience segment saying they’re tuning into more such shows.

Smart speakers create a communal environment for consuming audio.

A little more than half of all smart speaker owners use them in the presence of family and friends. Only 39 percent of those surveyed stated occasional use of devices like the Amazon Echo or Google Home in social situations.

Music is the most requested task from smart speaker owners in the presence of others. Roughly 60 percent of survey respondents stated this to be reality. This was than double the second-most requested task, asking a question, which clocked a 30-percent response rate.

Smart speaker users are using their devices to make purchases.

Thanks to artificial intelligence in smart audio devices, consumers are now making buying decisions without the need for screens.Smart speaker owners reported to NPR and Edison Research taking the following actions during the buying process:

• Added an item so that they could review for purchase later (31 percent)

• Researched an item they might want to purchase (29 percent)

• Re-ordered an item they’ve purchased before (22 percent)

• Ordered a new product they haven’t previously purchased (22 percent)

The most popular items that device users tended to buy were either household supplies and electronics. Close to 60 percent of those surveyed said they bought household items while just over half reported they purchased electronics.

As far as when shopping would occur, researchers discovered that smart speaker owners tended to do so later in the day. Buying decisions were discovered to happen most frequently during the hours of 3 to 9 pm.

Has your brand thought of utilizing smart audio solutions to reach your audience? We can assist you with the process. Contact Awlogy today.