Voice Search

Time is fleeting and we are always in a hurry, running around to finish multiple tasks at the same time. Our smartphone is our constant companion and go-to device to get all the information we need. Typing in the search query is slowly becoming passe as we grow to rely more and more on voice search.

Google introduced voice search to the world in 2011, but at that time it was more of an innovation than a feature that people used. According to Comscore, 50% of all searches are voice searches in 2020 and 1 in 2 smartphone users now use voice technology daily. OC&C Strategy Consultants reported that as of 2017 13% of all households in the United States owned a smart speaker and that number was predicted to rise to 55% by 2022.

People use voice search when their hands are busy with other tasks or when they are looking for a faster response. For example, when we are cooking, our hands are dirty and we need to check the recipe. Or when we want to search for some information or call someone while we are driving. Voice Search is a quick and easier solution in both scenarios.

We use voice technology when we are hanging out with our friends, on the go, at work, at home, and even when we are in the bathroom!

According to research conducted by BrightLocal in 2019, about 75% of smart-speaker owners search for local businesses at least once a week. The types of searches include:

According to the article “Voice-Activated Speakers: People’s Lives Are Changing,” 52% of people keep their voice-activated speakers in their living rooms, 25% keep them in their bedrooms, while 22% keep them in their kitchens.

AI or Artificial Technology drives voice search. When people conduct a voice search through their mobile or smart speaker or even their computer, the query runs through a digital assistant. Some of the most popular digital assistants include Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, Microsoft’s Cortana, and Google Assistant. Digital assistants can perform certain tasks with the help of our inputs and access to GPS location. They can give us access to information from the internet on topics like weather, stock prices, traffic conditions, schedules, news, etc., and convey the information in a clear, concise, and convenient manner to us. Digital assistants can even schedule calendar events, manage emails, to-do lists, files, and so on.

Optimizing for voice search is no longer just a trend, it has become a necessity. Hence, the need for SEO strategies that will keep us above the competition.

According to Google, voice searches are “30 times more likely to be action queries than text searches.” This means that we want to find places and buy things through digital assistants. Understanding this user intent is crucial to optimizing our website for voice search.

3. Conversational Language

Voice search queries are longer and contain conversational words and questioning words. How, what, where, when, and why are more often used. By creating conversational content on your websites, you have a better chance of reaching targeted customers and generating the right traffic to your site. For instance, when we are looking for the “best kitchen remodeling designs” on the desktop, we are more prone to typing just that much. But when we are using voice search, people tend to ask “What are the best kitchen remodeling designs?”

4. Structured Data

Professional SEOs use structured data or schema markup language to give websites an edge over competitors. Schema is metadata or data about the information on your website. Included in the site code, this information is used by the search engines to organize and classify content better. According to SEOExpertBrad, in 2019, 58% of users have used voice search to find a local business and are more likely to be given a result that has appropriate structured data. For instance, if a user is looking for contact information, address, or operational hours of a local business, the microdata that is added to your website’s code will help the search engines classify this information better and serve it to the voice searcher.

5. Test

Last but perhaps the most important SEO strategy is to test all that we want to implement. Testing will help determine the best applicable plan suited to your needs and remove any errors from the process, ensuring greater success in the implementation and execution of the selected strategies.

VIEWS Digital Marketing can help customize voice search SEO strategies suited to the needs of your business. Our knowledgeable and experienced team will work with you, keeping in mind your budget and objectives. For more information about how we can help you, give us a call at 610-650-0227 or contact us online.