If you think voice-activated speakers like Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Home won’t impact the future of your business, you couldn’t be more wrong. Voice computing usage is growing at an astronomical rate. Business builders failing to realize the impact voice technology will have on everything from SEO (search engine optimization) to social media marketing are in for a nasty surprise. How consumers communicate with their digital devices is changing. The sooner you adjust your marketing strategy to include voice-first technology, the sooner you’ll start moving ahead of your competitors.

If you need further convincing of voice technologies impact on the future of your business, following are 10 top tips you should be aware of. The proverbial phrase ‘snooze you lose’ definitely applies to voice-enabled computing. It’s time to wake up and feel the winds of change.

1) According to data from Statista Research, there are now over 35 million people using voice-enabled speakers. That’s a significant number of consumers your business could be connecting with if you incorporated voice computing into your company’s growth strategy.

2) Also according to Statista Research, voice-enabled smart speakers are getting more accurate. From Microsoft’s Cortana to Apple’s Siri, the rate at which voice-enabled devices can offer precise responses to queries is growing. Whether you develop your marketing strategy with Google’s Assistant or Amazon’s Alexa in mind, the key is to understand just how accurate voice-computing technology is and how often your target customers are using things like voice search.

3) Thanks to data supplied by Smartly.ai, brand builders now have an intriguing overview of the rapid rise of voice-activated technology. From IBM Watson and SoundHound to Djingo and Mycroft, several companies are offering voice-activated platforms. Savvy businesses now have everything from voice-activated bot-building tools to voice analytics at their disposal. Understanding the depth of the voice-technology sector is critical if you want to create a detailed voice-first strategy for your business.

4) Data offered by UDig indicates over a third of the world’s population has access to or carries a microphone-enabled device . When you consider global customers are now using everything from a voice-activated smartphone to a voice-enabled smart assistant (e.g., Amazon’s Alexa or Google’s Home), it becomes clear just how vital integrating voice-first technology into your marketing strategy is for long-term business growth.

5) According to Alpine.ai’s Voice Report, voice-computing companies are beginning to specialize in specific areas of the consumer market. Google is focusing on data mining, Amazon is going all-in on commerce, Microsoft’s priority is gaming, and Apple is doubling down on AirPods and Apple TV. Understanding how each company is focusing their voice-computing efforts is essential if you want to build a diverse and thorough voice-first strategy.

6) Data provided by AdShark Marketing indicates people are using voice-enabled technology for everything from asking directions and making phone calls to dictating text messages and querying search engines about local activities. Business builders who understand how consumers use voice-enabled technology are better positioned to use this information to their benefit. When you know the types of questions consumers are asking of their voice-enabled devices, you can then use this information to revise your content marketing, social media marketing, and search engine optimization efforts with voice SEO in mind.

7) Research offered by Adobe and Invoca indicates that 73% of voice assistant users have used their voice-enabled device to make a purchase . Let that number sink in for a moment. Almost three-quarters of voice-activated digital assistant owners are buying products and services via their devices. If you’re not developing a customer acquisition and sales strategy with voice computing in mind, you’re likely missing out on significant sales opportunities.

8) Research from VoiceBot.ai indicates 60% of voice-enabled digital assistant owners are using their smart assistants at least four times a day, with 29% of owners using their assistants at least seven times a day. When you realize the use of voice-computing technology isn’t just a random activity but an integral part of daily activities, you understand how vital it is to develop a business growth strategy that takes voice technology into account.

9) The number of ways you can use voice-activated technology is growing at an exponential rate, read here and here. From translation and shopping to information research and calendar management, consumers are using voice-activated technology to turbocharge their productivity. Business builders tapping into the potential of voice technology can build loyal brand relationships with consumers who understand how useful voice-activated technology is to their daily lives.

10) Where people use voice-activated technology is changing. Data provided by Amazon Web Services indicates voice-computing offerings like Alexa are being made available via connected cars, home appliances, cameras, and virtual reality headsets. Understanding just how deeply integrated voice-activated technology will be in the future is critical for brand builders who want to create an immersive marketing strategy that is thorough and takes multiple factors into account.

These 10 compelling tips about voice computing are just the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to the future of voice-activated technology and its impact on business development and growth. Brand builders who understand how important voice computing is to the future of their businesses are better positioned to use their new-found knowledge to outperform and out-market their competitors. Take the time to gain a thorough understanding of the impact of voice computing on your company, and you’ll be way ahead of others in your business sector who are still hanging on to the growth marketing initiatives of the past.