Impact of Voice Search on Consumer Behaviour and Digital Marketing Effectiveness: Evidence from Colombo District of Sri Lanka

Abstract

Voice technologies such as Alexa, Siri, and Google Assistant are rapidly transforming how consumers interact with digital content, shifting from text-based queries to voice-driven searches. While this global trend has significant implications for consumer behaviour and marketing effectiveness, limited research has examined its adoption and impact in Sri Lanka. This study addresses this gap by analyzing how voice search influences digital marketing strategies and brand engagement among consumers in the Colombo District. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (Davis, 1989) and Consumer Behavior Theory (Schiffman & Kanuk, 2007), the study explicitly investigates the effects of perceived usefulness, convenience, and behavioral intention on voice search adoption, and how this shapes brand recall and engagement. A quantitative approach was employed using a structured online questionnaire distributed to 281 digitally active consumers through stratified random sampling. Variables were measured using validated Likert-scale items, and data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression using SPSS. Findings reveal that 72% of respondents use voice search at least once per week, primarily for localized queries, product searches, and service details. Results further indicate that firms optimizing their digital presence with long-tail keywords, structured data, and multilingual, voice-friendly content achieve stronger brand recall and higher consumer engagement. However, a readiness gap persists, as many Sri Lankan firms lack effective voice-optimized strategies. The study concludes that voice search is not a passing trend but a critical driver of digital marketing transformation in Sri Lanka. By linking consumer adoption patterns with marketing outcomes, this research contributes theoretically by extending TAM into the context of voice-based technologies and practically by offering insights for Sri Lankan firms to adapt to a voice-activated consumer culture.