How audio branding works on Wikipedia
Digital assistants provide convenient access to content and commerce. Alexa, Siri, and Google reduce the burden on consumers by allowing them to use natural language for their search queries. From directions to trivia, the experience is as natural as having a conversation. According to ComScore, 50% of searches will be voice search by 2020. For leaders of market-leading companies who oversee branding, digital assistants represent an opportunity to ensure their brand name is appropriately and correctly cited in voice search results. For now, voice search results cannot be manipulated. What may be unknown is Wikipedia is often cited by digital assistants.
The Lead
The lead paragraph of a Wikipedia article offers the reader a synopsis of a topic, person, event or company. When a voice search returns its results, the digital assistant will cite the relevant Wikipedia article and read from this lead paragraph. Content in the lead paragraph thus should be tailored specifically to be up to date with facts.
Popular Product Prominence
As mentioned above, the company profile is the obvious top priority. Notable products across product lines are worth assessing for audio branding on Wikipedia. This is especially applicable for consumer products. For example, a prominent distilled spirits company’s product is well known in pop culture, but when queried, the product’s Wikipedia article lacked information about the product’s storied history, description, and significance. Companies that have products with standalone notability will benefit from making an inventory of its products that have Wikipedia articles and testing if voice search results align with the most current product description and information.
Audio Branding on Wikipedia Strategic Planning
The following are to When planning a Wikipedia strategy for audio branding, make sure to consider these essential steps:
Assess brand management priorities
Inventory products that have Wikipedia articles
Test digital assistants by asking questions that would relevantly cite the company or product
Curate media clippings to support updating facts on the company or product Wikipedia article
Utilizing these steps along with the knowledge of how to target the lead paragraph of a given Wikipedia article will allow for an effective audio branding strategy. Creating content that can be reliably parsed by digital assistants will extend your brand's reach beyond what is capable with traditional SEO.
