Millions of people are playing music, shopping and controlling their smart-home gadgets using voice-enabled 'smart speakers' like Amazon's Echo and Google Home. But will they soon be chatting to their favourite influencers via these devices?

Justin Rezvani, CEO of influencer-marketing agency theAmplify, hopes so. "Alexa and voice-responsive platforms are still very early-stage, but the potential is there," he wrote in a comment piece published by Huffington Post.

"Thinking in terms of how Alexa and other mediums may integrate with influencer marketing in the future, the real 'X factor' is going to be two-fold: how influencers themselves can play a role in the dynamic, and what analytics and insights from voice technology can do to improve the performance of a given campaign."

Rezvani admitted that there may be pitfalls ahead in terms of influencer marketing on these devices without being seen as intrusive by listeners. His suggestion: that voice interactions should feel like a positive experience for fans, rather than marketing.

"One of the ways the medium of voice may push things another step forward is by allowing consumers to vocally communicate with their favorite influencers. Think of it like a Snapchat takeover via Alexa," he wrote.

"That’s powerful and it’s also really intimate. After all, what’s more personal than being able to have a one-on-one conversation with your favorite social content creator, even if it’s just for a moment or two?"

Few influencers have so far developed skills for Alexa, let alone other smart speakers and voice assistants. However, with advertising agencies and brands enthusiastic about this technology's potential, there is clearly scope for influencers to pitch them voice-focused ideas for campaigns.