The Rise of Voice Search and How to Optimize it

In: Search Optimization

Internet engagement just went up a notch with voice search and smart speaking assistants such as Siri and Alexa. These voice-enabled devices talk to the customer rather than answering a written query. With the change in search functions, user behaviour is also being modified, which, in turn, influences SEO and the overall approach to digital marketing. The trend is slowly gaining traction, and businesses are adopting and adapting new strategies to stay in the race.
Voice Search Optimization is a powerful function that prioritizes voice queries over other written enquiries. The intention is to gather more and better information besides engaging the user personally.

A recent study conducted by Statista indicated that there are more than 4 billion voice assistants globally, and the number will soon grow to around 8 billion. This means people will use voices to search for information online and won’t resort to tediously typing a query.

Business owners would now like to hear the voices of their customers. How do we then leverage this opportunity for your site?

The Voice Search Convenience


Voice Search is extremely convenient, no doubt. Users get hands-free information as they multitask, especially in situations where typing seems impractical. Queries could be about finding the closest retail store, coffee shop, or any other everyday life enquiry that could be conducted seamlessly through voice search. Responses are bound to get more accurate and flexible, given the fast improvements taking place in the realm of NLP or Natural Language Processing.

Optimizing Voice Search


A tad above the traditional text search optimization, Voice Search optimization focuses on optimizing sites with an aim to rank them for the verbal queries made by users, the main difference being that voice search conversations can be longer than typed keyword searches. It comes with several benefits, such as improved user experience, better discernibility, contribution to best SEO practices and high-quality results that accompany them. Traffic will increase duly, and rankings will be better than typed queries on the SERPs. The strategy also invites higher conversion rates because voice searches tend to incline towards high-intent searches, which are likely to turn into loyal customers.

What goes into optimizing content?


First, look for long-tail keywords because users’ natural speech comprises longer sentences and conversations. Keep phrases as detailed as possible to increase the chances of accurate responses.

Conversational language must be used simply because people speak in length but cannot write these long queries. The more casual the answers, the more relatable they are. This would mean including “Where is…” and “How to…” queries.

Featured Snippets, the “Position Zero” search results, are significant when optimizing voice search because voice assistants identify and read them out when a query has to be answered. The content must include general questions listed through tables.

More than average searches come through mobile devices and with the entire population working out of their handheld devices, responsiveness is an imperative activity. The design of the site, alongside voice search, should adapt to various operating systems, screen sizes and navigations.

The closest information available for the potential customer is the most useful. Local voice search optimization is essential to ensure the user finds your business information consistently and accurately across various platforms.

The Future


Voice search is not a passing trend. It is here to stay. Interacting with the internet will be as easy as conversing with another individual, which is why it will become more prevalent.

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