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"Alexa... what are the best branded skills?" - Podean - Global Amazon and Marketplace Marketing Agency

Written by Podean | Apr 26, 2019 12:21:31 AM

Of the 100,000 or so skills, here are the best.

Alexa comes jam-packed with tons of functions and special features that you can use every day, but there are thousands of third-party “skills” that make Alexa even better. These skills are developed regularly by hundreds of different companies and are added to Alexa’s functionality by Amazon – essentially, she’s learning these skills to make your life easier!

With nearly 100,000 skills available with Alexa, and more being added daily; it can be difficult to figure out exactly what these skills are and what you can do with them. So we’ve gone ahead and listed some of the coolest and most useful Alexa branded skills!Before we get started, let’s take a minute to recognize just how cool Alexa and her abilities really are! You can purchase an Echo Dot for under $50, and with that, you can open up your whole world to having a virtual assistant that can do countless things to aid you in your life of convenience.

Yes, we’ve all been frustrated at times by Alexa not understanding us, or doing something completely different than what we asked for, but the reality is that we can walk inside our home and with just the utterance of a few words we can have music going, the lights on, dinner cooking in the crockpot and the weekly forecast being read to us. If that’s not amazing, I don’t know what is!

So without any further ado, here are some of the best branded skills available through Alexa.

Tide’s branded skill

Let’s say that you’ve spilled some wine on your carpet, or maybe some coffee on your shirt, just ask Alexa how to clean it out properly! With Tide’s Stain Remover skill, Alexa can know over 200 types of stains that she will help you remove. With step-by-step instructions on how to clean your spills and stains, this hands-free skill allows you to have a peace of mind and two free hands that you will undoubtedly need while cleaning up your mess.

Patron’s branded skill

Feeling like a drink is in order? Now you don’t have to waste your time searching for cocktail recipes on your phone – Just ask Alexa, and the Ask Patron skill will provide you with all the best cocktail recipes, bartending tips, and fun facts about the liquor. The Ask Patron skill will even consider what ingredients you have on hand and help you create a delicious drink with what’s available!

Uber’s branded skill

Need a ride? You can easily set up Uber’s branded skill with your Echo so you can call a ride whenever you need one! All you have to do to summon an Uber with Alexa is just say, “Alexa, ask Uber to get me a car.” and your ride will be on its way. Now that’s a time saver!
 

MyPetDoc’s branded skill

Take care of your furry best friends with the MyPetDoc skill, and never worry again about whether or not you’re doing the right thing for their health. Amazon describes the MyPetDoc skill as “the world’s first veterinarian-driven AI, provides the answers you need. You’ll have a straight-forward conversation with MyPetDoc first. Then, if you’d like more advice and guidance, you can speak with a US licensed veterinarian live. Veterinarians are available 24 hrs/day.”

Domino’s branded skill

Who doesn’t like pizza!? Now you can order your favorite Domino’s items with Alexa through the Domino’s branded skill. You can even track your order, or ask for the delivery to be at a specific time that day. This skill is a gift from above!
 

What makes a useful skill?

These are only a few of our favorite branded skills; there are tens of thousands of other helpful and unique skills that can help make your life easier. But what makes a branded skill a good one? First, it has to be useful and serve a common need that will entice regular use – each of the above skills listed has done just that – and with that, the company’s that developed them present themselves in a positives light and get a whole lot of priceless business and marketing by becoming an integral part of your daily life. Second, the best branded skills are simple to use. They can serve a complicated need, but they must be able to be initiated with a few words, such as “Alexa, call me an Uber.” Simple and quick is what you want, after all, that’s what Alexa is all about!

The world is changing, and businesses have to stay relevant by keeping up with it; one of the best ways to do that is by linking up with Amazon and presenting a skill that the consumers need. Each of the skills that are listed above are among the most popular and useful out there, and the company’s that created them are reaping the benefits by remaining at the top of the consumer’s minds as the leaders in their field.

If you need help developing your voice strategy, conversation architecture, skill or skill discovery campaign, get in touch – mark@podean.com

 
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