How Alexa's Customized Responses Can Make You Seem Totally ...

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Alexa, Amazon’s virtual assistant, can be helpful in an infinite number of ways. And Alexa can be even more helpful when you customize its responses to your questions. Alexa can make you seem totally awesome when you tell it what to say. Customized responses can also be a fun party trick to impress your family and friends.

The good news is that you don’t need to open an Alexa skill or ask Alexa for a “customized response”. Just ask Alexa a question of your choice and you’ll hear the answer you want.

About Alexa Customized Responses

Customized responses are a way to have Alexa say a specific response to a question. You can have Alexa respond to questions with helpful and/or fun answers.

For example, customized responses can be a way to help with parenting.

Q. “Alexa, what time should Timmy go to bed?”

A. “Timmy should go to bed right now.”

Q. “Alexa, when should Julia start her homework?”

A. “Julia should start her homework in 15 minutes.”

Or customized responses can be just plain fun. For example, you can delight grandparents who come to visit.

Q. “Alexa, who’s the best grandfather in the world?

A. “Without a doubt, Granddad is the best grandfather in the world.”

Customized responses can also make you seem totally awesome.

Q. “Who is the best mother in the world?”

A. “I just compared all moms in history, and my conclusion is that yours is the best.”

Q. “Alexa, who is totally awesome?”

A. “Carolyn is totally awesome!”

Of course, you can insert your own name, instead of “Carolyn”, or just leave it at “Carolyn”. Your choice…

How to Create an Alexa Customized Response

Creating an Alexa customized response is simple and can be done using either the Alexa website or app.

Customized responses are one of the Alexa Blueprints, which is a feature that lets you create your own Alexa skill. Similar to IFTTT (If This Then That), Alexa Blueprints are a series of commands that help you control what Alexa will say when you ask it a specific question.

Check out => How to Use IFTTT Applets to Simplify Your Life

You’ll be guided through a few simple steps to create customized responses for Alexa. In a few minutes, Alexa will be giving you the answers you want.

Creating a Customized Response Using the Alexa Blueprints Website

To create a customized response, go to the Alexa Blueprints website and choose “Custom Q&A”.

On the Custom Q&A page, you can read and hear samples of Alexa’s customized responses to get inspiration to create your own. The page also walks you through how to create your own Alexa customized response.

To begin, click on the MAKE YOUR OWN button on the Custom Q&A page.

The website will guide you through the steps to creating your custom response.

1. Write a question in the exact wording you will ask it to get Alexa to say your customized response. You can add multiple ways to ask a question. For example, you can add, “When should Timmy go to bed?” and “When is Timmy’s bedtime?” as alternative ways to ask the question to prompt the customized response.
2. Under the “Alexa will say” section, write the response you’d like Alexa to say to answer your question.
3. Add as many questions and responses as you’d like.
4. Click the CREATE SKILL button at the top of the page.
5. If you’ve never used Alexa Blueprints before, you may need to update your Amazon account because you’re now a developer!

Your custom responses will be ready to use as soon as you save your questions and answers. Test your customized responses by asking Alexa one of your questions.

Creating a Customized Response Using the Alexa App

You can also create customized responses using the Alexa app. To create a custom response, open the Alexa app and tap START NOW under the Customize Alexa’s Answers section on the home page of the app.

Note => Be sure to update your Alexa app to the latest version to create a customized response using the app.

The Skill Blueprints screen will appear. Tap the TRY CUSTOM Q&A button.

You’ll see and hear sample customized responses to inspire you to create your own. Tap MAKE YOUR OWN.

Follow the steps outlined above in the Alexa Blueprints Website section of this article to create your own customized responses for Alexa.

Your Thoughts

Do you like the idea of creating customized responses to Alexa? Have you ever used Alexa Blueprints before? What customized responses have you created for Alexa?

Share your thoughts in the Comments section below!

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