Ever since the advent of the Walkman, listening to music has gotten more and more personal, but also less connected to the social aspect that was once inextricable from the experience. Various companies are combining new technologies in imaginative ways that reintroduce the social aspect to music listening in the wireless, digital age. Reconnecting that shared element of enjoying music is of primary concern to musicians and marketers. Word of mouth is the most powerful way for new trends to spread and develop. Putting access to social media up front for listeners presents an undeniable opportunity for delivering content to a bigger audience.
Marketing on an accelerated adoption curve
Once a costly novelty item, wireless bluetooth headphones are fast becoming a ubiquitous convenience, on par with the broad adoption of wireless mice and keyboards. There is no shortage of variety available for whatever style or performance level you want. The difference that smart headphones make is to go beyond the concept of the listening device as simple speakers for your ears. One example, the Muzik One wireless over the ear headphones, pair with Apple’s iOS smartphones and tablets via the Muzik Connect app bringing the device’s programmable hotkeys to life. For people who want a more streamlined experience, the Apple AirPods deliver in-ear bluetooth wireless in a very compact package. They have touch-sensitive inputs on the side that accept various tap gestures. A double-tap calls up Siri to allow you to text, make calls and control the phone using only the AirPods. Startup companies are getting in on the game as well with the standalone Vinci device that does not need a phone at all. This self-contained unit allows all controls from an active touchscreen on the side of the headphones.
What was the name of that song?
Among the many features of smart headphones that users can take advantage of, while listening to a streaming service like Spotify, Muzik One users can press a button to hear the name of the current song and save or add it to a playlist. This feature makes what with streaming is usually a passive, disposable experience into something memorable, allowing a listener to follow up for more content from the artist or provider. With a few taps more, your content gets the benefit of social amplification. The user can post any song they are listening to on Twitter or Facebook. But leaving the door open for competitors, Muzik’s entry into the market is still firmly within early-adopter territory with a price tag of $299 as compared to the Airpods at $159. Many high quality speaker-only bluetooth headphones are available for one-third of the Muzik One’s price. The variety of new entries into the smart new headphone demonstrate a new way to pull songs out of the background and back into conversations.
Getting people talking to their friends about content is one of the best ways to build an enthused fan-base. With the age of the mix-tape-swap long gone and songs having retreated into randomized personal playlists, the music industry can benefit from integration into social networking apps. And of course, this concept of the connected, smart-peripheral is fertile ground for other business content as well.