Talk to Sell: Why Voice Ads Are the Future of Marketing

In today’s digital world, we are seeing a big shift in how people interact with technology. Voice assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri are becoming a normal part of our everyday lives. People use them to play music, check the weather, control smart home devices, or even shop online — all without touching a screen.

This change has opened up a new opportunity for marketers: Voice Advertising. Voice ads are audio-based ads that reach users through devices that understand and respond to voice commands. These ads are interactive, engaging, and feel more like a conversation than a commercial. In this article, we explore what voice ads are, why they matter, and how brands can use them to connect with customers in powerful new ways.

What Are Voice Ads?

Voice ads are digital advertisements delivered through audio platforms and voice-enabled devices. Unlike traditional radio ads, voice ads can be interactive. For example, an ad on a smart speaker might say:

“Would you like to learn more about our new product? Just say ‘yes’.”

When the user responds, the device continues the conversation, providing more information or offering a discount code.

These ads are not just about listening — they’re about engaging users in real-time, using their voice.

Why Voice Ads Are Growing Fast

1. Voice Assistants Are Everywhere

According to a recent report from Statista (2023), more than 4.2 billion digital voice assistants were in use worldwide in 2023. This number is expected to double to 8.4 billion by 2024. That means there will be more voice assistants than people.

People are getting more comfortable using their voices to search for information, shop, or control their environment. As a result, voice is becoming a new digital marketing channel that brands can’t ignore (Statista, 2023).

2. People Want Hands-Free Help

Voice ads work because they match how people use technology today. Whether cooking, driving, or working out, people often don’t have a free hand or the time to read or click. That’s when voice becomes useful.

A Google survey found that 52% of smart speaker users want to hear about promotions and deals from brands, and 48% want personalized advice or tips (Google, 2023). Voice ads meet users where they are — with the right message at the right moment.

3. Better Engagement

Voice ads offer a more personal, human-like interaction. Users are invited to talk — not just listen. This creates a deeper connection and leads to better results. Studies show that interactive voice ads can achieve engagement rates up to 12%, much higher than standard display ads (Instreamatic, 2023).

How Voice Ads Work

Here’s a simple step-by-step look at how voice ads work:

1. Delivery
   The ad is played on a voice-enabled device like Amazon Echo, Google Nest, or a mobile voice assistant.
   
2. Prompt
   The ad gives a call-to-action like:
   “Would you like to hear more about this product? Say ‘yes’ to continue.”
   
3. Interaction
   The user responds by voice. The ad continues with more information or guides them to take action, such as receiving a discount code via email or visiting a website.
   
4. Result
   The brand tracks the user response and follows up if needed.
   

Voice Ads Platforms and Tools

Voice ads are becoming easier to create and manage thanks to smart tools and platforms. Some of the leading tools include:

Tool	What It Does	Website
Instreamatic	Creates voice-activated ads and tracks user responses	instreamatic.com
Adthos	Builds real-time, dynamic audio ads using AI	adthos.com
Spotify Voice Ads	Delivers voice ads on Spotify Free with CTA prompts	spotify.com
Amazon Alexa Ads	Allows brands to advertise through Alexa-enabled devices	amazon.com

These platforms offer everything from ad creation to detailed analytics on how users interact with your ads.

Benefits of Voice Ads

✅ Higher Engagement Rates

Interactive voice ads don’t just play a message — they start a conversation. This makes users more likely to remember the message and respond. Engagement rates for voice ads can reach 12%, compared to 1% or less for banner ads (Instreamatic, 2023).

✅ Better Ad Recall

Audio sticks in people’s memory. Research by Neuro-Insight (2022) found that audio ads trigger 24% higher memory encoding than visual ads. That means people are more likely to remember what they hear — especially if they interact with it.

✅ Personalized Experience

AI-powered voice ads can change their messages depending on the listener. For example, someone in a cold region might hear an ad for winter gear, while someone in a hot area hears about summer deals.

✅ Hands-Free, Eyes-Free Reach

Voice ads are perfect for people on the go. Whether driving or cooking, users can hear and respond without using their hands or looking at a screen.

Real-World Examples

🛍️ Retail

Target used voice ads on Alexa to promote back-to-school shopping. Customers could hear deals and even build a shopping list by speaking.

☕ Food & Beverage

Starbucks let users reorder their favorite drinks using voice ads. This saved time and increased repeat purchases.

🎧 Music & Podcasts

Spotify introduced voice ads where listeners could say “Yes” to hear more from a brand or artist.

🧴 Beauty & Health

Unilever tested voice ads to send free samples of skincare products when users responded positively to audio promotions.

Challenges of Voice Advertising

⚠️ Privacy Concerns

Many users worry about whether voice devices are always listening. Brands must be clear about how data is collected and follow privacy laws like GDPR and CCPA.

📉 No Visuals

Voice ads don’t show pictures or videos. This makes it harder to showcase physical products, which means words and tone of voice become extremely important.

❓ Measuring ROI

Measuring the effectiveness of voice ads is still a growing field. Some platforms offer data on user responses, but not all voice interactions lead to direct conversions.

Tips for Creating Great Voice Ads

1. Keep It Short
   Voice ads should be around 15 to 30 seconds. People won’t listen to long ads.
   
2. Make It Conversational
   Talk like a real person, not a commercial. Use everyday language.
   
3. Use Strong CTAs
   Say things like:
   “Want to try it? Just say ‘Yes’!”
   or
   “Need more info? Say ‘Tell me more.’”
   
4. Test Different Versions
   Try different voices, messages, and prompts to see what works best.
   
5. Respect Privacy
   Let users know how their data is used and don’t make them repeat personal info out loud.
   

Voice Ads and Voice SEO

Voice advertising also connects with voice search trends. People speak differently than they type. For example:

• Typed: “Best laptops 2024”
  
• Spoken: “What are the best laptops to buy this year?”
  

Marketers should adjust their websites and content to match this natural, spoken language. Add FAQs, use long-tail keywords, and structure content in a way that answers questions clearly. Learn more at Moz’s Voice SEO Guide.

Future of Voice Advertising

📈 More Spending
Ad spend on voice platforms is expected to reach $2.2 billion by 2025 (eMarketer, 2024).

🌍 Global Reach
As smart speakers spread across the world, voice ads will expand into new markets and languages.

🤖 Smarter AI
Voice ads will become even more personalized, adapting to user mood, time of day, and behavior.

🎮 Gamified Voice Ads
Future voice ads may include games, quizzes, or even audio challenges to make them more fun.

References

• eMarketer. (2024). Digital audio advertising forecast 2025. Retrieved from https://www.emarketer.com/
  
• Google. (2023). How people use their smart speakers. Think with Google. https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/
  
• Instreamatic. (2023). Voice advertising performance report. Retrieved from https://www.instreamatic.com/
  
• Neuro-Insight. (2022). The power of audio: Why sound connects better than visuals. Retrieved from https://www.neuro-insight.com/
  
• Statista. (2023). Number of digital voice assistants in use worldwide from 2019 to 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/973815/worldwide-digital-voice-assistant-in-use/