In 2021, not only do we all spend multiple hours a day staring at devices, but we also talk to them.
Voice search and voice-to-text are becoming the new way that people search online and get access to information.
Voice search was the ‘next big trend’ a few years ago. Today’s it’s just the new norm.
For businesses looking to do better marketing, knowing how to optimize for voice search and voice technology is crucial.
Here are some of the latest statistics for voice search in 2021:
- In 2021, 50% of all searches will be voice-activated.
- 55% of households in the US are predicted to own a smart speaker in 2022.
- 20% of mobile queries are currently done with voice search.
- 58% of people have used voice search to find a local business.
- 72% of people claim that voice searches are part of their daily routines.
To make sure you adapt to this voice search trend, you must adjust your content marketing. SEO and website optimization depends on writing content that meets the needs of the customer. If you offer them information that helps solve their problems, they are more likely to trust you.
But perhaps more importantly, you must create content that matches the search queries of those customers you want to attract.
Optimizing Content for Voice Search
Just as mobile device search transformed the way we optimized website content, voice search now has a similar impact.
Optimizing content for a voice search query means we must change how we write and present content online. You must align with each search result and be aware of how the SERP will present information.
When someone searches using a voice command, it is very different from how they type words into a search bar. If a business wants its content to remain effective online, it must adapt its approach.
With this in mind, here are five ways to make your content optimized for voice search:
1. Choose Location-Based Keywords
Unlike when they’re typing, most people will use location-specific searches to find a product or service.
For example, instead of saying “find a marketing agency,” they would say “marketing agency orange county.”
Very often, the phrase ‘near me’ is used in voice searches online. If somebody knows the brand name they are looking for, they may also use that as part of the voice search. Local search is all about shaping your search engine optimization strategy around locations.
To improve your chances of coming up in local online searches, optimize your website for local SEO. This means setting up a Google My Business listing and making sure it’s up-to-date. Ensure you list your opening hours and any specific services clearly on your website.
Voice search is typically more conversational; for example, a person might say something like, “best Vietnamese restaurant in Long Beach.”
Make sure your website, social media, and digital marketing have your location (or locations) listed.
2. Use Long-Tail Keywords
In contrast to how we write, voice searchers often speak in short, clunky groups of words when speaking to a voice assistant like Siri.
This difference means you need to start thinking about how someone would ask for your products or services in conversation rather than typed into a search bar.
One great way to capitalize on this change is to target long-tail keywords. These are phrases that are more specific and detailed than more generic terms.
For example, a person searching for athletic shoes is more likely to search for ‘pink running shoes’ when using voice search. Even though both terms are for the same search, having a page on your website all about pink running shoes will help your site show up on Google.
Whatever products or services you offer to your customers, make sure you are very specific and detailed about them on your website. This tactic also means understanding user intent and semantic search and natural language. Long-tail keywords can make a massive difference for your SEO rankings if you know the specific terms your customer or clients use to search for something.
3. Add Specific Details for Products
We’ve all experienced the frustration of trying to get information from a voice assistant, and they completely misunderstand a single word or phrase.
All searchers know this situation, and that’s why they are as specific as possible to try to get the most accurate answer. Sites like Reddit are an excellent example of details and minutiae that people can search for. If your product or service has Reddit groups that discuss the category, then spend some time in those subreddits understanding what people search for.
Armed with this information, ensure your website content describes your products or services in precise detail.
For example, if your business sells pet toys, don’t just have a page listing’ cat toys’. Created sections and subheadings with phrases like ‘squeaky toys for cats’ or ‘toys for calming a cat.’ These extra details can be the difference between Google serving up your website versus a competitor.
Remember that the details might seem like overkill to you, but they match the precise long-tail search terms that people use.
4. Make Your Content Easy to Read Out Loud
As the world becomes more dependent on voice search technology, we are getting less tolerant of difficult-to-read content. White papers and in-depth studies sound impressive, but the truth is that almost nobody takes the time to read them.
Google has now even made sourcing answers easier by offering snippets at the top of the search results. This change means that most people won’t ever see it unless your content is easy to read and understand.
And with voice search results, this situation is even more crucial to consider.
Visual charts, infographics, and tables can be an excellent way to convey information visually. However, they’re not easy to read verbally. Many people rely on a virtual assistant to read the content back to them while driving or doing other activities.
When you’re organizing and presenting information on your website, think about how easy it will be for a voice assistant to find and read aloud, as this is likely to make a big difference.
5. List Important Information Correctly
When people are searching for something, they are looking for a quick answer to a question. The search term that they use will determine what voice search results are delivered.
A big part of which results get chosen comes down to schema markup and structured data on your site that shows the search engine which information is most important.
When it comes to voice search optimization, you must be clear and concise and quickly get to the point. But you should also aim to target the keyword that is commonly used in a voice query.
Of course, you should elaborate with detail further down the page, but make sure you summarize the essential information at the top of the web page. This SEO strategy increases your chances of appearing in voice search SEO results.
Use Voice Search Strategy to Your Advantage
With voice search results just starting to take off, now is the perfect time to get in the habit of optimizing your website content to make you more visible.
Once you know how to optimize for voice search, you align yourself with Apple’s Siri and Google voice search. They become your allies and assist your traditional search as well.
Remember that the search intent for voice SEO is different, but it always comes down to the same factor of helping people get the answers they seek.