A Voice Search revolution is happening in the world of online search. Up until now, Internet users would simply type their desired search term into the search bar of a search engine. The search terms are also known as keywords.
Today, things have changed and people are now using voice search to search for various products and services online. It is a trend that does not appear to be slowing down any time soon. In fact, it is estimated that up to 50 percent of all Internet searches will be performed as voice search by 2020 and that up to 30 percent of all website sessions will be conducted without a screen.
You are probably wondering how all this is actually possible. Well, it turns out that voice search lets users browse the Internet without the need to scroll through websites and webpages on both mobile devices and desktops. So, what exactly is voice search, how does it affect SEO, and how can you optimize your website or blog for voice search? This article outlines everything you need to know about the voice search revolution and how to adapt to the changes currently taking place before it is too late.
What is Voice Search?
Simply put, voice search refers to voice recognition technology that lets you perform Internet searches by speaking into a device. The device can be a computer, tablet, desktop, or even a home assistant device such as Amazons Alexa or google home.
It might be easy to understand exactly what voice search is, but what’s less apparent is how people prefer to use it and what it is actually used for. Keep reading to learn more about optimizing your website for voice search.
Voice search is used for:
- Asking for directions
- Playing music/videos
- Dictating text messages
- Dialing contacts
- Checking the time
- Getting help with homework
- Finding movie times
- Scheduling appointments for a service
- Ordering a product
How is Voice Search Transforming SEO?
Voice search presents a new era in search engine optimization (SEO) and the following are the top 3 ways voice search is transforming SEO:
Mobile Search is on the Rise
Voice search represents a much simpler process than typing a request, which is why the number of people using it has been on the rise consistently over the last several years. The effect is coupled with the growing number of people that own smartphones hence an increase in mobile search. Today, people are more likely to use their mobile devices rather than their desktops or even laptops when searching for information online. Voice search has also become a popular way to ask for directions to a local business location.
Conversational Queries have Started Appearing
The appearance of conversational queries is hardly surprising considering the fact that voice search is definitely much easier than text input. The search tends to become more natural if spoken out loud. It is both essential and compatible with the pursuit for efficient multi-tasking. Many people are always looking for quick ways to know and fix things and voice search is the perfect partner for doing so.
Increased Opportunities for Local SEO
Voice searches on mobile devices are three times more likely to be local than text searches since mobile users often search for information with location enabled. It therefore means that a huge opportunity exists for businesses as well as website owners with regards to searching for local voice searches. Local businesses can perform SEO mobile optimizations to remain competitive.
How Do You Optimize Your Webpage for Voice Search?
To optimize your websites and webpages for voice search, you need to do the following:
Adjust the Content for Natural language
Voice search queries tend to be more conversational than typed queries, which is why it is important to find ways of adapting to it. For instance, users of mobile devices will no longer ask for Divorce lawyer Las Vegas; but rather find a Divorce Lawyer in Las Vegas; Queries tend to be much longer but more informal than usual. Try creating content that matches this conversational and informal tone.
Target Long-Tail Keywords
Short-tail keywords have already diminished in importance and voice search is likely to reduce their prominence further. Voice search is not used in the same way as ordinarily typing into a search engine. To ensure more relevant answers, people ask more direct queries. It is exactly why you need long-tail keywords in your content to increase its chances of ranking in the voice search engine results pages.
Optimize for Local Search Queries
People that use voice search are more likely to target local businesses as previously stated. It could be due to the fact that voice search is much easier to manage if users are either behind the wheel or walking. Incorporating your location into the content is likely to help voice searches put your business in front of curious customers nearby.
Include Featured Content or Have an FAQ page
If users ask questions to voice search apps, voice search answers audibly whenever possible. Featured snippets are primed for voice search to use in text-to-speech answers. Voice search apps such as Google Home will actually cite you as a trusted source and provide a link to your website when it realizes that your website has a section that answers the questions that the searcher is inquiring about, hence why having an FAQ page is essential.
Use It Yourself
One of the simplest yet most effective way to understand the impact of voice search on your digital marketing strategy is actually using it yourself. You simply cannot find a better way to see the kind of results delivered for your website. If you evaluate the questions likely to bring users towards your website, you will find out where it ranks compared to the top and eventually settle on a specific voice search strategy.
Final Thoughts
You can capitalize on voice search to increase the traffic to your online or even physical store in many different ways. If you have a law firm that specializes in family law and divorce cases, provide directions to your location and you might be just surprised to mind more people coming through the door. Whatever you end up doing, ensure that the SEO strategy you choose incorporates voice search and by doing that they boost their rankings on the SERPs.