Actions on Google lets you build apps for the Google Assistant. Your apps can help you engage users through Google Home, Android phones, iPhones, and in the future, through every experience where the Google Assistant is available (e.g. Auto, IoT etc’).
One of the nice benefits is that users don’t need to install anything to interact with your apps. When they ask for your app by name, the assistant will connect them with you immediately.
Another benefit is the ability to make money. You can let Google Assistant users on phones purchase goods and services using new or existing payment methods on file either with Google or with your service. But that will be a topic for a future post.
Let’s start with a simple example… Remember that in last April I wrote about “Build you first smart bot for Google Home“?
Well, after few improvements to the quality of the jokes, of course, this assistant app is now live!
You can talk with it by asking “talk with Animal cool jokes“.
Here is what it looks like:
You can open it on your assistant or try it on the web in case you don’t have the Google Assistant. If you have a good joke that you would like to add, please let me know (comments or tweet).
Btw, if you wish to see how to create such an app, here is a code-lab of this app. Also, you might want to go over on how to improve your conversation design.
Be strong and smile!
Ido Green 