Technological advances are continually changing the way we interact with online content. Desktop computers were once the standard, but today, the majority of website traffic comes from mobile devices.
Search queries are also changing. A growing number of people are relying on voice searches to find information, which makes voice search optimization essential for businesses.
Why should you optimize your business for voice search?
Voice search has already had a major impact on the digital marketing landscape. If you can rank for voice search queries, you’ll be able to reach a steadily growing audience.
What is Voice Search?
Voice searches use speech recognition technologies to execute search queries. Rather than typing what you want to search for, you can use your voice.
When you utilize voice search, the words you speak are transformed to text. Search engines take the transformed text as input, perform a search, and provide results.
Voice search technology may be used across a wide range of platforms and devices. Apple customers can make speech inquiries by speaking with Siri, a virtual assistant. Android users can use Google Voice Search through the Google Assistant app.
While users frequently use voice commands on mobile devices, virtual assistant technology is also an important element of smart speakers and other smart gadgets. Amazon Alexa and Microsoft’s Cortana are regularly used for voice searches and voice commands.
In recent years, the need for voice recognition technology has increased dramatically. Between 2022 and 2027, the market for Siri, Alexa, and other virtual assistants is predicted to grow by 24.4 percent.
People have become increasingly reliant on voice searches as speech recognition technology has become more commonly utilized. It’s a quick and easy way to receive information when you need it.
People frequently utilize voice search when they are unable to type with their hands. For example, when driving, someone may utilize their smartphone’s virtual assistant to locate the nearest gas station. If someone is cleaning up around the house and wants to know what’s showing at the movie theater, they may simply conduct a search query using their digital speaker.
When individuals begin utilizing voice search technology, they frequently utilize it across several devices. People are likely to become more reliant on this rapid and easy technology over time.
Voice Search vs Search Engine Queries?
People interact with search engines in quite different ways than they do with virtual assistants. When creating a voice search SEO strategy, it is critical to take these variances in user behavior into consideration.
Here are some of the more noticeable distinctions.
Different, longer language
Typing out a query takes time, which is why people typically use as few words as possible. Voice searches don’t have those kinds of limitations, and because of that, queries frequently include longer phrases.
Typically formatted as a question
When people talk to a virtual assistant, they have a tendency to use the same language they would use if they were talking to a person. Search queries are more conversational and are often phrased in the form of a question. Some of the best keywords for voice search SEO sound like something a person would say to a friend.
Users are looking for immediate and local search results
It’s common for people to use the voice search features on mobile devices when they’re on the go. Not only do users want that information right away, but they’re frequently looking for local information.
Learning more about local SEO can help you address potential issues and develop a more effective voice search marketing strategy.
Users get a single top result
When people access search engines via web browsers, they can look at the top search results before clicking on a link. However, this isn’t the case with voice search results. In most cases, voice assistants will read the top result and nothing else, which makes voice search results fairly competitive.
How to Optimize for Voice Search
Whether you use behavioral targeting or generate engaging new content, the correct tactics can help you expand your reach. If you want to take use of the power of voice search, follow these guidelines.
Prioritize local SEO
Many individuals use voice searches to locate companies in their region. If you concentrate on local SEO, you’re more likely to rank for voice searches.
When feasible, utilize location-specific keywords or those that incorporate the phrase “near me.” Submit your website to local directories and encourage customers to provide reviews online.
Understand your customers
People use voice search technology in different ways. If you learn more about your target audience, you’ll be able to create a voice search marking strategy that’s tailored to their behaviors and preferences.
Take advantage of tools that will help you get insights on your customers. Use analytics to monitor consumer behavior and identify the terms that are bringing people to your site.
Use long-tail keywords
While long-tail keywords tend to get less search traffic, they have a better conversion rate than short-tail keywords. Conversational, long-tail keywords are ideal for voice search SEO.
When you design your landing pages, find effective ways to incorporate the keywords that you’re targeting. Focus on search intent and use the keywords in a natural way. Make sure the page includes a clear call to action.
Optimize for different devices
Since people use voice search on different types of devices, it’s best to optimize your content for multiple devices. Consider voice-first devices, like smart speakers, and screen-first devices, like smartphones and tablets, when creating your content strategy.
Read Also: Voice Commerce Tools
While you should learn about mobile SEO, you should also think about how your content will sound when it’s read aloud. Use short sentences and stick with a conversational tone.
Aim for the featured snippet
People usually only receive one result when they conduct a voice search, which means most voice search answers are featured snippets. Study the featured snippet format and create content that’s likely to be featured. Many featured snippets are informational and are phrased in the form of a question. Ask a relevant question and provide an answer to that question within two or three short sentences.
Schema markup is your friend
Schema markup is a type of microdata that helps search engines to understand content. When you make it easier for search engines to read and categorize your content, you’re more likely to have top-ranking content for relevant search terms.
You can take advantage of schema markup by visiting the Google Structured Data Markup Helper. Once you’re here, you can paste links and add structured data to pages on your site. Schema markup can lead to more featured snippets and can even boost your conversion rate.
Answer relevant FAQs
Since it’s common for people to ask questions when they use voice search, FAQs can be a valuable tool for voice search optimization. Get customer feedback and FAQs, then create pages that provide answers to those frequently-asked questions.
When you build your FAQ, you should stick with short, conversational answers that are search engine-friendly. Update your FAQ regularly so that you’re able to answer the questions that are most relevant to your customers.
Claim your online business profiles
Claiming your Google Business Profile is an easy and effective way to improve your Google voice search results. When you claim this page and other online business profiles, you’ll be able to add relevant information and control what search engines display.
You can create a profile or claim an existing profile through the Google Business Profile Manager. Once you have control over your profile, add important information, like your phone number and business hours. The information you add to your profile may show up in voice search results.
Check your website speed
Whether you’re focused on voice search marketing or basic SEO, the speed of your site will have a noticeable impact on where your site ranks. Since voice search requires you to appear at the top of search engine rankings, you’ll want your page load times to be as fast as possible.
To improve your performance on mobile, make sure you enable image compression and browser caching. Monitor your search console so that you can quickly respond to mobile errors. While many web hosts provide free DNS hosting, a premium DNS service could improve server response time.
Consider your brand reputation
Brand reputation is important for all businesses, but it’s particularly crucial for local SEO. Business profiles, online reviews, and brand mentions can all have an impact on where you rank.
Reputation management tools can be invaluable as you work to build your online presence. If you’re able to maintain an active presence on review sites and social media, you’ll be able to protect and influence your reputation online. Not only will this improve your search engine rankings, but it can help you to maintain consumer trust.
Connecting to customers through voice search
Voice search technology has already been embraced by a wide audience. If you’re able to rank for voice search, you’ll be able to connect with potential consumers and strengthen your brand. Mailchimp can provide you with the resources you need to effectively market your small business. When you use the platform, you’ll have access to tools and features that you can use in a number of ways.
Whether you want to create custom ads or engage your current customers, you’ll get support and guidance from Mailchimp. With the help of Mailchimp, you’ll be able to make voice search technology work for you.
How to Optimise Your E-commerce Business for Voice Search
1. Optimise for How People Really Speak
If you have an eCommerce website, you most likely spend a significant amount of effort on SEO to improve your chances of being found on search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, and Bing. Voice searches operate slightly differently. Instead of typing “buy dry ice” into a search bar, people are more likely to ask “Where can I get some dry ice near here?”
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is progressively being integrated into many voice commerce systems, and they’re growing better at Natural Language Processing (NLP) every year, allowing them to better understand what individuals mean when they speak fluidly and naturally. However, you must do your part by optimizing your website for voice-related keywords and phrases.
This involves, for example, presenting your material as a response to a query and include geolocation information to reply to customers searching for products “near me”. Also, instead of focusing solely on Google for keyword research, optimize for Bing, as Apple’s Siri, Microsoft’s Cortana, and Amazon’s Alexa all utilize Bing for searches.
Keep in mind that, while consumers can surf search engines visually by scrolling down through numerous possibilities, voice searches operate differently, particularly when done on a smart speaker rather than a mobile device. The search engine often returns only the first and most relevant search results. This is why SEO is so important for voice commerce – only those who are on the very top of the Search Engine Results Page (SERP), and/or featured in Google snippets, will benefit.
2. Use Schema Markups
Have you ever observed how you’re more likely to click on certain Google results over others? It’s usually always the ones with a lot of clear information right on the SERP, and you don’t even need to click on the link to find out what you’re looking for.
To show this information on Google, manually tag the important items, like reviews and prices, in the element of your page’s HTML. Google offers its own Structured Data Markup Helper to generate the code for you.
Why is this significant in voice commerce? Because it allows Google to crawl your website more quickly without having to visit it, and speedier pages are more likely to appear as results for users. More significantly, it assists Google in determining the most relevant information to share with consumers via voice.
3. Simplify the Shopping Process
“Keep it simple” is nearly always the best motto to follow, but it’s much more vital with voice commerce. Another consequence of the lack of a visual element in voice assistant speakers is that customers will be unable to interact with your brand and store in the ways they (and you) are accustomed to.
They can’t easily browse through different goods to see what they like most, therefore voice speakers are usually used to reorder items that have already been saved in a customer’s buying history. They can’t fill out long, complicated forms, and they don’t want to hear Alexa or their Google Home Assistant spew forth reams of information that they didn’t want.
Keeping it simple entails providing only the bare minimum of information required at any given point in the purchasing trip, remembering and autofilling all client data from prior sessions, and keeping consumers registered in to their accounts. This allows your regular customers to reorder an item they purchased on another device or check out using the cart they kept on their desktop computer the previous week, as well as new consumers to purchase familiar products they do not need to see, such as AA batteries.
4. Improve Brand Awareness
If you sell your products on Amazon’s eCommerce marketplace, you will have an advantage in attracting customers who own Amazon smart speakers, such as the Echo or Echo Buds. Naturally, Amazon’s virtual assistant prefers its own eCommerce service for sales, but there are still lots of ways to promote your own online store on Siri, Cortana, and Google Assistant.
In fact, if visitors browse to your eCommerce store directly rather than through search engines, they are more likely to make a purchase. “Siri, go to (your site here)” . How do you get them to do that? Increase brand recognition. Make sure customers understand that your store is a one-stop shop for anything they need. And teach them to use the commands for those Skills you’ve already made.
