How SMBs can get started in voice

In this article, we will talk about how SMBs can get started in voice in under an hour through Alexa Skill Blueprints.

This is one of the easiest and quickest ways to start in voice without having to write a single line of code.

We recommend creating a branded Skill through Amazon Alexa Blueprints. Alexa Blueprints provides a library of templates to easily build different types of Skills. By using the Quiz or Facts Blueprints, you can create a Skill about your business or the industry your business is a part of. Alexa Blueprints offer great tutorials on how to use Blueprints and publish your Skill.

Now that we have determined how to create and publish your Skill, let’s figure out how to get people to use it. Relying on Amazon to promote your Skill to new users is not a reliable method of growth at the moment, so you will have to be the one to tell your customers that you have an awesome Alexa Skill they can try at home. The majority of people who will use your facts or quiz Skill will probably never use it again. In fact, the industry standard retention rate for voice applications is around three percent. That does not matter in this case as this is just the first step to getting into voice. We will continue to create an ever-evolving voice experience users will love to use and want to come back to.

Once your Skill is live for a few weeks, look at your analytics page to see your usage and retention rate.

In the next article, I will discuss the next steps into expanding your presence on other voice assistants and creating an experience users will want to come back to regularly.