What does the voice search stand for?

Before we deep dive into more details on the topic, let’s first clarify what the voice search stands for. Voice search functionality is a specific way of working through the automatic speech recognition system that transforms voice signals into text allowing users to perform verbal text searches anywhere on the internet of search queries.

The specific text that the user produces with their voice is transferred to a search engine and a search engine uses algorithms to match the user’s requests with specific relevant search results therein.

If we compare the standard voice optimization to text optimize for voice search, performed by typing a specific request or question into the search engine’s bar, (keyword) optimization for voice search requires a slightly different text.

Due to the rapid growth of voice search, it’s mandatory that websites are properly optimized. Is your website ready for the increased use of voice search? In this article, we will provide more detail on why this is so important.

The growth of voice search

Voice search is a fast and convenient way to have users search for information while on the go. This being said it is not a surprise that voice search is growing rapidly with its technology evolving.

Businesses need to optimize their website based on the latest standards. Voice search optimization is closely related to website content as well as search engine optimization.

Voice-activated devices and other smart systems have changed the way people search for information which also impacted digital marketing strategy as well as SEO standards.

We all are familiar with efficient voice search friendly and intelligent voice search devices such as Google Home or Amazon Alexa which can make our everyday routines easier so the growth of voice search does not come as a surprise.

Devices smart speakers like these smart speakers will lay the featured snippets as the answer to most of most voice searches. It’s not a surprise that ComScore predicts that half of all searches will be voice-based by 2025.

Why optimize your website for voice search?

As we already mentioned above, the first reason is that voice search is growing rapidly and most likely will become the dominant search form in the near future.

Secondly, due to everyone’s busy everyday lives, it became easier to perform searches by using the voice, not spending time reaching for the device and typing the request/query into the search engine bar.

Also, voice search is more convenient while on the go especially while driving when you can perform specific voice searches and queries and find information hands-free.

What are the benefits of optimizing for voice search?

• Voice searching is more personal than text-based searching – when using voice search the result you will receive will be more quick and specific (personal) just for you. Businesses that make an effort to optimize their website for voice search have an increased opportunity to appear in search engine result pages (SERPS).
• Rapid growth – it’s predicted that 50% of all searches will be voice-based in the next couple of years. If you are looking to get ahead with trends and competition you should start implementing changes on your website sooner than later to see benefits.
• Voice search requires a different optimization approach than text-based SEO – there are a few differences between the traditional SEO tactics and voice search optimization and the main difference is in terms of keyword stuffing and link building as this traditional approach won’t work for voice search. To optimize your website for voice search, it’s recommended to focus on creating the FAQ pages, making the content easily accessible for mobile users as well as making sure you focus on longtail keywords.

Rest assured, if you follow the tips and tricks we will be elaborating on below, the traffic to your website can increase significantly by up to 30%! Eggs Media professionals can help you with optimizing a slow website and creating content for voice search.

Tips on how to optimize your website for voice search technology?

Here are a few tips on how you can optimize your website content for voice search:

• Create FAQ pages – voice search is extremely helpful when you are looking to find information quickly. If you are looking to rank high in search engines and help users find answers to their questions quickly, FAQ pages are extremely helpful. FAQ pages often provide answers to the most common questions and are a great way to lead users in the right direction.
• Make your content easily accessible for mobile users – as most people nowadays are accessing and navigating websites through mobile devices it’s important to make your website responsive (mobile-friendly) so that the task of searching and navigating through your websites is easy and efficient for your website visitors using smaller screens.
• Use long tail keywords – voice search users will ask an actual question, not only using one keyword but will speak in full sentences. This means that while optimizing for voice search you need to focus on long-tail keywords. These keywords are more specific and will help your website rank higher in search engines.
• Test and monitor your results – SEO is extremely complex and requires time and effort, no matter if it’s traditional SEO or voice search optimization. Make sure you monitor your results and test different approaches to see what brings the most success to your business.

How to track the results of voice search optimization efforts?

• Always monitor your website traffic – Google Analytics is a wonderful tool to track your website traffic and will not only show you the number of visitors but will also provide you with more details about the visitor such as demographics, location, etc.
• Ask for feedback from your customers – if you approach your customers with questions on how they are using voice search to find your business you may get valuable feedback. This is a great way to understand how people are finding your business or your competitors.
• Take time to evaluate – make sure you invest time to evaluate how well your site is ranking for voice search requests. Google Voice Search Results can help here.
• Make changes – based on the tips above make sure you perform changes to your website from time to time. If your website content needs to be changed/adjusted, invest in a good SEO content writer and keep going and testing until you see results in your rankings.

What to avoid when optimizing for voice search?

The voice search optimization strategy is not the same as the traditional SEO text-based optimization for voice search optimization aims. There are a few things to avoid when optimizing for voice search.

• Avoid content keyword stuffing
• Make sure you create well-written content
• Use language people are likely to use when speaking
• The content structure must be well organized and easy to navigate/read

Voice search vs traditional search?

Here is how voice searching is different than traditional search:

1. Voice search results are quick and to the point 

Compared with the traditional search approach, voice search results are quicker and to the point. People will use voice search assistants often while on the go expecting rapid answers. People want to avoid browsing through a plethora of local search results and this is why they prefer voice search.

Is your website optimized for voice search? Make sure you invest time and effort in updating your website content to go in line with the most recent voice recognition and search query trends. Make sure your content is easy to read and relevant, use bullet points, and avoid content stuffing. The Eggs Media team can help!

2. Voice search keywords are longer and conversational 

There is a difference in how people search with voice vs how they search with text. When typing a text search into the search engine users often use only a few keywords per voice search query.

However, when searching local keywords with their voice/speaking into the device, users usually use three or more words each to express their query.

This is similar to voice results for real-life queries when you use your voice to call other search engines for information and use longer sentences.

Let’s say you are looking to find the best coffee shop, you will most likely type “best coffee shop” into a search engine search bar first. However, if you are using voice search, you would most likely add a few more words and say “Where is the best coffee shop in the area”.

Using the long tail keywords for your website content is great to rank higher in local search engines which leads to your local business growth. Investing in a great SEO content writer will rest assured help your site rank high in search results.

3. Local listing searches are a priority for voice search engines

People will use voice search to find local nearby businesses and the main reason is that they often are searching while on the go and need to find a nearby business.

To take advantage and optimize your content for voice search make sure you follow these tips:

• Optimize your website content for voice search optimization strategy; keep in mind the relevance of the FAQ page
• Adjust your content to align with how people search with their voice
• Ensure your website content is well-written and structured properly; avoid short tail keywords when performing voice optimization
• For local businesses, it’s important to optimize specifically for local searches

Voice search optimization strategies to help optimize your web content for voice search

There are certain strategies you can follow when optimizing your web page content for your target audience and voice search queries such as using natural language, understanding how people make voice search queries using their voice, and making sure your content is easy to read and includes relevant keywords.

• Natural language: When using the voice search make sure to use natural conversational language, similar to the language you would use when speaking with someone in person. To best optimize for voice search optimization, keep in mind how people perform specific queries in natural language.
• Easy to read: In terms of website content, writers need to focus on creating content that is easy to follow and read. When using voice search, people are looking for fast and concise answers. They don’t want to spend too much time digging through content. Your content should be around 30 seconds long, or about 150 words.
• Audience: To optimize your website content for voice search, it’s important to understand how people are using voice assistant technology as well as the type of inquiries they are expressing.
• Simplified answers: Simplicity is key. Some voice assistants (Alexa, Siri) are designed to provide answers with a simple “yes” or “no”. For example, if you ask “How to bake a cake?” you may not receive a complete answer. However, if you ask “Should I bake a cake?” the assistant may provide a yes or no answer.
• Mobile-friendly: Voice search is often used by people who are on the go and rely on their smartphones. This is why is extremely important to ensure your content is easily accessible through voice queries for people navigating via smartphone or tablet. This way your website will show up in search results.
• Local SEO: Local SEO is important for local businesses. When using keywords in your content, make sure you optimize for voice queries. You may want to add the city or neighborhood you are located in. For example, instead of “the best pizza” better use “the best pizza in Toronto”. This will help your business appear higher in search engines when someone uses voice search to find business in your area.

Monitor your results

Following all the tips and tricks from above, the final step is to monitor your results. Use tools such as Google Analytics to monitor your traffic and conversions to see if there have been any changes.

Voice searchers will use a particular voice search device to perform voice search queries which means your digital marketing strategy requires more effort in terms of website optimization.

Conversational keywords and a specific conversational tone must be adjusted to produce quick answers from voice search assistants such as Google and virtual assistants.

If you apply all the tips we mentioned, there should be an improvement in page speed and how high your website ranks in search engines.

Conclusion

Voice search is growing rapidly so make sure your website is properly optimized to follow the most recent trends in the use of voice search today.

With amazing voice assistants such as Google Assistant, Alexa or Siri customers are relying on, keep in mind that traditional SEO is evolving to include voice search optimization (voice search SEO).

On your website use a voice search optimization strategy and long tail keywords (conversational keywords) to make the voice search queries relevant and easier for voice searchers to find information by using mobile devices.

If you need assistance with your voice search strategy you can always contact our experts at Eggs Media.