Provides an outline of how to build an Alexa Skill or an Actions on Google App. Discusses the challenges related to language processing, tracking voice in Google Analytics and the types of apps that you could choose to implement.
4. #SMX @StoneTemple
Voice for SEOs
Google Action Alexa Skill Site
Intent Intent Page
Intent Invocation Intent Invocation Pageview
Query Utterance
Interactions &
Page Navigation
Action Discovery Skill Discovery
Organic Search
Traffic
Entities Slots Entities
5. #SMX @StoneTemple
HTTP Hosting
Oauth 2.0
Version Management
Vector Animations *
Web Apps *
+Technical Capabilities
Both platforms match each other in Technical Prowess
7. #SMX @StoneTemple
What if I can’t use either
Natural Language
Processing
Layer
User
Interaction
Layers
Backend & Functional Support
Send
Raw
User
Input to
Backend
10. #SMX @StoneTemple
Discovery, “Organic Search Traffic” for Voice
Alexa, Ask Perficient
Digital, What is SEO?
Alexa, What is SEO?
This is the practice of
optimizing your
website, and its
visibility online…
According to Perficient
Digital, this is the
practice of optimizing
your website, and its
visibility online…
11. #SMX @StoneTemple
What is the average
cost for
monthly rent?
Long Tail Queries help boost traffic!
How much is the average
rent for a studio apartment
in Tuscon, Arizona?
Vs.
Fewer competitors can answer complex queries and users
are looking for a direct answer.
12. #SMX @StoneTemple
Voice App Store Optimization (vASO)
Direct Factors
You Setup
Title
Description
Sample Invocations
Direct Factors
You Influence
Ratings/Reviews
Downloads/Caches
Uninstalls
Usage
Other Areas of
Influence
Icon
Banner
Display Support
Category
Rankings
• App Name
• Description
• Sample Invocations
• within Directory Listing
• within App
• Icon & Banner Images
• Category
13. #SMX @StoneTemple
Step 1: Establish the questions that would be of
interest to prospects and customers
Step 2: Write out all the synonyms for the core terms
Step 3: Write out in detail all the sentence structures
for each of the questions that users might use
Voice Content Optimization (VCO)
Preparing for User Inputs
14. #SMX @StoneTemple
… and many more variants
Status
Codes
Server Codes Error code
Server Errors Redirects
Synonyms Example: HTTP Status Code
Error
Redirect code Page not found
errors
! 404
15. #SMX @StoneTemple
Synonyms Pro-Tip
Homophones & Homonyms
What is SEO?
Accio is a spell from J.K Rowling’s
Harry Potter series, it can be used
to bring an object to the spell-
caster.
Homophones
What impressions
can you do?
An impression is an event that
occurs when a user views a web
page or ad. Each view is
considered one impression.
Homonyms
16. #SMX @StoneTemple
Sentence Structures Example: What is a NoIndex tag?
What is a NoIndex Tag?
Define a NoIndex Tag?
What is NoIndex?
What does a NoIndex Tag do?
How does a NoIndex Tag work?
Please tell me what a NoIndex Tag is?
Tell me about NoIndex Tags
What is the meaning of NoIndex?
What is a NoIndex Tag good for?
… and on, and on, and on!
17. #SMX @StoneTemple
Sentence Structures Pro-Tip
The Uncanny Valley & User Unpredictability
Short story, Everything. Long
story, what comes with a
furnished apartment may vary
so be sure to check with your
landlord
Hey Google, What comes with a
furnished apartment?
Anticipated User Query
Hey Google, What is a furnished
apartment?
Actual User Query
18. #SMX @StoneTemple
Choosing a Use Case
Voice-First Integration Voice Integration of
Existing Services
• Lots of Copy
• Conversation tends to be Non-
Linear
• Needs Efficient Data & Response
Management
• Higher uncertainty and room for
errors
• Conversation defined by service
use case
• Conversation tends to be Linear
or collection of Linear options
• Requires OAuth 2.0 to link to
users current accounts or across
platforms
19. #SMX @StoneTemple
Selecting your Platforms
• More powerful native analytics
• Native Amazon Login Support
• AWS Lambda Backend
• Native Google Login Support
• Easy 3rd-Party Integration setup
• Google Cloud Platform Backend
Dialogflow & Google Assistant is better for new voice developers
+
20. #SMX @StoneTemple
Set Up Hosting & Fulfillment
Skills can be hosted anywhere that can serve an API
https://localhost:8000/
21. #SMX @StoneTemple
Designing a Linear Conversation
Point A to Point B
Point A:
Pizza Order Started
Point A’:
Pepperoni &
Pineapple Added
Point A’’:
Pineapple Removed
Point A’’’:
Soda Added
Point A’’’’:
Payment Confirmed
Point B:
Order Placed
22. #SMX @StoneTemple
Designing a Non-Linear Conversation
From Anywhere to Anywhere
Request for Recipe
Instructions
Request for
Meal Suggestions
Add to
Grocery List
Check on
Order Status
Order Food
Default
Entry Point
24. #SMX @StoneTemple
Analytics: What is Tracked Natively
• Unique Users
• # of Sessions
• # of Queries
• Intent Usage
• Session Flow / Interaction Path
Alexa provides more
analytics insights natively.
25. #SMX @StoneTemple
There is no “easy way” to
compare usage between
platforms
Problems with Native Analytics
• Limited primarily to usage data
• Excludes data from fulfillment
code
• No ‘conversions’ or ‘goals’
integration
• Marketers need to learn a new
analytics platform
31. #SMX @StoneTemple
Google Actions: Conversational Interfaces
User Inputs
Simple Q/A Apps
Simple Instructional Apps
Pre-Defined Conversation Elements
Encyclopedia Apps
IFFT-Style Apps
Calculated Responses
API Reference Apps
Increased Scalability
Flexible/Modular User Tracking
Conversational Save States
Voice for SEOs => comparing voice elements to traditional SEO and website details
This is a framework to help think about voice using traditional elements
Useful help managing analytics
Technical Capabilities
Both platforms are capable of the same functionality though google is easier to learn using
First ‘*’: Google supports vector animations through it’s support of voice integrated web apps
Uses ‘interactive canvas’ tools & traditional web app tools
Second ‘*’: Alexa supports near web app functionality with recently added support for vector animations
Requires the use of Alexa Presentation language
Console Interface Capabilities
Dialogflow supports code free conversations across a broad number of 3rd party integrations
Responses can be written and sent with in the Dialogflow console
Alexa Supports code free conversations using the blueprints console, separate from the native alexa developer console.
Alexa does not have easy response integration for 3rd party services
If you can’t use Dialogflow, you can still receive raw text input and attribute intents yourself.
For google assistant, you can do this directly through the Actions SDK & actions on google. You will get less robust intent attribution tools however.
Alexa requires the use of the Alexa sdk to work.
Third-Party Integrations
Supported natively with dialogflow
Needs integration development for alexa
Voice App Store Optimization (vASO)
From your ASO deck using voice items
What is tracked natively?
Alexa provides more thorough native analytics within their development console
Example analytics integration
Active Page is “/{platform}-{skill-function}/{intent}”
Page Title is “{intent-name} | {skill-name} | {platform}”
Source currently says ‘desktop’ because that’s how attribution words right now but the interactions are flagged as voice so they can be segmented