As technology evolves, so do our businesses. The digital world is constantly changing and one thing that has become increasingly popular throughout the last decade is voice recognition. From Siri to Google Home and Amazon Alexa, searching has never been easier! It is the biggest growth in online communication and especially helps with how fast we reach our results. As businesses, we all know that speed is a major factor for Google ranking so, will voice search be the future for your website?
What is Voice Recognition?
Voice recognition is an amazing invention that helps people communicate easier online. From something that started as a small assist on Apple products, this software has now progressed into one of the most recognisable technologies of the internet. Whether you wish to write an essay or need help in finding where the nearest pizza restaurants are, voice recognition has got you covered with the fastest method of navigation through the internet! However, with everything technology, there can always be some faults in the system. Because of this, we recommend that you consider the following pros and cons before purchasing your very own voice recognition system for your business.
PROS
Disability Awareness
The most important factor on digital devices today is providing the accessibility for all its users. Voice recognition can benefit people who have an impairment and are unable to use their hands to operate a computer properly. By using this technology, users are able to talk to their devices. Whatever they say will then be processed and appear in written form. This is especially helpful for composing and replying to emails or simply searching for something on Google.
Goodbye Spell Check
With its vast vocabulary, not only is this technology able to recognise what you are trying to say, but it can also provide the correct spelling! This is an advantage for anyone who struggles when it comes to writing professional emails, essays or business work. It can also save a lot of time for the user as spell check is never needed!
Speed It Up
Similar to spelling assist, for people who tend to type slowly or aren’t aware of proper keyboard hand placement, voice recognition software can also assist with increasing the production speed of your website content. This can save a lot of time especially if there are deadlines or you are a busy worker.
Take Notes
Voice recognition allows users to annotate their documents as well as take notes for later use. This is especially necessary for workers who are otherwise occupied in too much work, so a quick note to come back to later is always helpful. This means that multitasking becomes easier and more organised.
CONS
Training
Whilst voice recognition increases speed when it comes to business work and Google searches, it can also take some time to set up. Not only does it have to recognise your voice but the way you pronounce certain words as well. Most users who have this software are often over-enunciating their speech to prevent the risk of important mistakes! This can also create user frustration as proof reading would be needed quite regularly if difficult words are included in their text.
Limited Vocabulary
Although this software identifies a wide range of words, certain names and colloquial vocabulary can often be unheard of. Because of this, the software may substitute these for replacement words that have a potential of meaning something completely different! Users would therefore have to analyse carefully before publishing website content or emails, an aspect of business that you may not have time for!
De....lays
Whether it is required for work purposes or general online searches; voice recognition is proven to increase overall speed for its digital users. However, registering speech can often take some time. Delayed reactions and glitching could become a big distraction, resulting in user frustration. And what’s more stressful than a device that types slower than you?!
With a load of benefits and downfalls, will this advanced technology be the ongoing voice of the future?
