Merkle (www.merkle.com), a leading technology-enabled, data-driven performance marketing agency, today announced the launch of its Voice Active Listening (VAL) product. VAL is a first-of-its kind voice-search discovery tool that leverages machine learning to help brands scale and prioritize content opportunities for voice discovery. The product will premiere at this year’s 2018 ANA Masters of Marketing conference taking place in Orlando, Florida, from October 24 – 27.

Voice search and digital assistants continue to grow at exponential rates. According to Gartner, by 2020, people will have more conversations with bots than with their spouses. Consumers are increasingly utilizing digital assistants to complete tasks. A staggering 81 percent of smart speaker owners report using voice-command searches for real-time information. Marketers have yet to tap into this growing market. Digital assistants yield one response per query. Merkle has developed its proprietary VAL product to help brands win “position zero,” providing that one response to ensure discovery and engagement with consumers.

“When it comes to voice search, brands just don’t know where they stand and lack real awareness,” says Matthew Mierzejewski, senior vice president, search capability lead at Merkle. “That is why we developed our Voice Active Listening product. Because of our unique ability to combine machine learning and technology with defined SEO strategy, we are well positioned to help brands take advantage of voice search discovery.”

For brands, winning Google’s “quick answers,” or position zero, can translate into meaningful brand discovery through voice assistants and devices. VAL helps identify content gaps and discovery opportunities for brands at scale. Using its voice query engine, Merkle submits voice query inputs and analyzes voice agent responses to learn which brands appear first in a search. The data is then rated and prioritized against influencer websites and keywords, and Merkle’s team of data scientists and SEO experts works with brands to determine and prioritize content opportunities for voice discovery.

For more information or if interested in setting up a demo of the VAL product, please contact [email protected] or visit Merkle’s booth (18) at ANA Masters of Marketing October 24-27.