Voice search is becoming increasingly popular, as it is a more convenient and accessible way to search for information. Almost 59% of US-based consumers have used voice search according to a poll completed by Voicebot with projections showing this number growing rapidly over the next five years. Even now, more than 50% of the US population polled reported using voice search every day and Boomers appear to be leading the race, as the aging population is turning to smart speakers to empower them to get instant answers and information.
With the rising sales of smart devices and the growing use of mobile voice-enabled search, are you optimizing your marketing strategies to reach these audiences?
How Does Voice Search Work:
Voice search works through an automatic speech recognition system (ASR) that 'listens' to voice signals then transforms them into text. Next, the technology uses that text to perform a search query. Programs installed in smart speakers (Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant) or mobile devices (Google Assistant or Siri for iPhone users) use a trigger word or phrase ('Alexa' or 'Hey Google') to activate and initiate the search.
For example, you might say "Alexa, what is the weather forecast this week?" or "Hey Google, what are the hours of the nearest pizza place?". From there, your device will either 'speak' the result back to you, complete the action you requested (such as giving directions to Joe's Pizza) or deliver your search results in the browser.
How to Optimize Your Website for Voice Search:
If you are already familiar with optimizing your content for search engines, tweaking it for voice search is easy. Here are a few tips:
- Target long-tail keywords. A keyword is usually one to two words (i.e. business marketing). Long tail keywords are phrases of three to five words (i.e. small business marketing for lawncare) making them more specific and easier to rank for in search engines because there is less competition. When people use voice search, they're often looking for something specific. To target these long-tail keywords, use a tool like Google AdWords Keyword Planner to find phrases that are relevant to your business and that people are searching for.
- Use conversational language. Avoid jargon and technical terms in favor of simple, natural language that people would actually say. Think about the frequently asked questions your customers might ask and provide clear and concise answers to those questions in your content.
- Prioritize local SEO. If you have a physical location, make sure to optimize your website for local search engine optimization (SEO). Many voice searches are local in nature, so it's important to use location-based keywords in your content and ensure your pages include your business name, address, and phone number. Most importantly, make sure you have a strong Google My Business page.
- Try to capture Google featured snippets. Google featured snippets are the short answers that appear at the top of the search results page when you ask a question. While the best pages will vie for the #1 result in google search results (SERP or search engine rankings position), snippets now are above even that. During voice search, snippets are the first answers to be served up.
- Structure your data. Schema markup is a way of adding structured data to your website, and google considers this data when they select their snippet results. Schema is used to help Google better understand your content and show it in more relevant ways in search results.
- Optimize for mobile. Voice search isn't only used on smart speakers. More and more people are using voice search on their mobile devices. Make sure your website is optimized for mobile by using a responsive design and that your content is easy to read and navigate on a smaller screen.
- Keep your site fast. People don't want to wait for websites to load, especially when they're using voice search and google considers this when ranking search results. Make sure your website is optimized for speed by using a caching plugin and minifying your code. Google's Page Speed Insights tool is a great place to start.
The potential of voice search in the next 5 years is enormous. As voice technology continues to improve, it will become even more integrated into our daily lives as we adopt it to voice control our homes, our cars, and more. Voice search will also become increasingly important for businesses, as it allows them to reach a wider audience and provide a more personalized experience for their customers. If you are not already optimizing for voice search, now is the time to start.