Voice search is the process of using your voice to ask a question or make a request to a device, such as a smartphone, smart speaker, or computer, that can understand and respond to your voice. Voice search is becoming more popular and prevalent, as more people use voice assistants, such as Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant, and Cortana, to search for information, products, services, or entertainment.
According to a report by Juniper Research, voice-based ad revenue could reach $19 billion by 2022, and voice commerce sales could reach $40 billion by 2022. According to a survey by PwC, 71% of respondents prefer to use their voice assistant to search for something, rather than typing their queries. According to a study by Google, 27% of the global online population is using voice search on mobile.
Voice search is changing the way people search and interact with the web, and it has implications and opportunities for content marketers and website owners. Voice search can help you reach and engage with your audience in a more natural and conversational way, and provide them with a better and faster user experience. Voice search can also help you rank higher and drive more traffic and conversions to your website, as voice search results often come from the featured snippets, or the position zero, on the search engine results pages (SERPs).
But how do you optimize your content and website for voice queries? How do you make your content and website more relevant and accessible for voice searchers? How do you measure and improve your voice search performance and results?
In this blog, we will guide you through some of the key steps and tips to optimize your content and website for voice queries, and achieve your content marketing goals.
Understand Your Voice Search Audience and Intent
The first step is to understand your voice search audience and intent. You need to know who are your voice searchers, what are their characteristics and preferences, and why and how they use voice search. You also need to know what are their voice search queries, what are their intent and expectations, and how you can match and satisfy them.
Some of the common characteristics and preferences of voice searchers are:
- They are Mobile and On-The-Go: Voice searchers often use voice search on their mobile devices, such as smartphones or tablets, and they often use voice search when they are in a hurry or multitasking, such as driving, walking, cooking, or working.
- They are Local and Near-Me: Voice searchers often use voice search to find local information, products, or services, and they often use the phrase “near me” or other location modifiers, such as city, zip code, or landmark, to narrow down their search results.
- They are Conversational and Natural: Voice searchers often use voice search in a conversational and natural way, and they often use long-tail keywords, questions, or phrases, rather than short-tail keywords or terms, to express their queries.
Some of the common intent and expectations of voice searchers are:
- They are Informational and Educational: Voice searchers often use voice search to find answers to their questions, or to learn something new or interesting, and they often expect quick and accurate answers, or concise and clear summaries, rather than long and detailed explanations.
- They are Navigational and Directional: Voice searchers often use voice search to find directions or locations, or to navigate to a website or app, and they often expect visual and auditory guidance, or direct and easy access, rather than complex and confusing steps or options.
- They are Transactional and Actionable: Voice searchers often use voice search to make a purchase, a booking, a reservation, or a call, or to perform a task or an action, and they often expect seamless and secure transactions, or simple and convenient actions, rather than cumbersome and risky processes or procedures.
Therefore, you need to understand your voice search audience and intent, and create and optimize your content and website accordingly, and avoid creating and optimizing your content and website for text searchers or keyboard searchers, and neglecting your voice search audience and intent.
Create and Optimize Your Content for Voice Queries
The next step is to create and optimize your content for voice queries. You need to create and optimize your content to fit the format and style of voice queries, and to appeal and attract your voice searchers. You also need to create and optimize your content to match and satisfy the intent and expectations of your voice searchers.
Some of the common ways to create and optimize your content for voice queries are:
- Use Long-Tail Keywords and Questions: You should use long-tail keywords and questions that reflect the conversational and natural way that voice searchers use to express their queries, and that capture the specific and detailed intent and expectations of voice searchers. You should also use natural language processing (NLP) tools, such as Google’s Natural Language API, to analyze and understand the meaning and sentiment of your voice search queries, and to optimize your content accordingly.
- Use Schema Markup and Structured Data: You should use schema markup and structured data to provide more information and context to your content, and to help search engines understand and index your content better. Schema markup and structured data can also help you increase your chances of getting featured snippets, or the position zero, on the SERPs, which are often the source of voice search results. You should use schema.org, the most widely used and supported schema markup vocabulary, to add schema markup and structured data to your content, and use Google’s Structured Data Testing Tool, to test and validate your schema markup and structured data.
- Use FAQ Pages and Blog Posts: You should use FAQ pages and blog posts to answer the common and frequent questions that your voice searchers may have, and to provide them with valuable and relevant information, products, or services. FAQ pages and blog posts can also help you rank higher and drive more traffic and conversions to your website, as they can provide quick and accurate answers, or concise and clear summaries, that voice searchers often expect. You should use tools, such as Answer the Public, to find and generate the most popular and relevant questions that your voice searchers may ask, and use tools, such as Google’s People Also Ask, to find and generate the most related and similar questions that your voice searchers may ask.
Optimize Your Website for Voice Queries
The next step is to optimize your website for voice queries. You need to optimize your website to fit the format and style of voice queries, and to appeal and attract your voice searchers. You also need to optimize your website to match and satisfy the intent and expectations of your voice searchers.
Some of the common ways to optimize your website for voice queries are:
- Optimize Your Website’s Speed and Performance: You should optimize your website’s speed and performance, and make sure that your website loads fast and smoothly, and that your website does not have any errors or issues, such as broken links, missing images, or slow servers. Voice searchers often use voice search on their mobile devices, and they often use voice search when they are in a hurry or multitasking, and they expect a fast and flawless user experience. You should use tools, such as Google’s PageSpeed Insights, to measure and improve your website’s speed and performance, and use tools, such as Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test, to measure and improve your website’s mobile-friendliness.
- Optimize Your Website’s Design and Layout: You should optimize your website’s design and layout, and make sure that your website is easy to navigate and use, and that your website is responsive and adaptive, and that your website is accessible and inclusive. Voice searchers often use voice search on their mobile devices, and they often use voice search to find directions or locations, or to navigate to a website or app, and they expect a simple and convenient user experience. You should use tools, such as Google’s Web Design Principles, to design and optimize your website’s design and layout, and use tools, such as Google’s Web Accessibility Guidelines, to design and optimize your website’s accessibility and inclusivity.
- Optimize Your Website’s Local SEO: You should optimize your website’s local SEO, and make sure that your website has accurate and consistent information and listings on local directories and platforms, such as Google My Business, Yelp, Bing Places, and others, and that your website has positive and authentic reviews and ratings from your customers and users. Voice searchers often use voice search to find local information, products, or services, and they often use the phrase “near me” or other location modifiers, to narrow down their search results, and they expect a relevant and reliable user experience. You should use tools, such as Google’s Local SEO Checklist, to optimize your website’s local SEO, and use tools, such as Google’s Review Management Platform, to manage and optimize your website’s reviews and ratings.
Measure and Improve Your Voice Search Results
The last step is to measure and improve your voice search results. You need to track and analyze your voice search performance and results, and compare them with your goals and expectations. You also need to identify and address the gaps and opportunities, and optimize and improve your voice search strategy and tactics.
Some of the common metrics and indicators that you should measure and improve are:
- Impressions: The number of times that your content or website appears on the voice search results, compared to the total number of voice search queries that match your content or website.
- Clicks: The number of times that your content or website is clicked on the voice search results, compared to the total number of impressions that your content or website has on the voice search results.
- CTR: The percentage of clicks that your content or website receives on the voice search results, compared to the total number of impressions that your content or website has on the voice search results.
- Bounce Rate: The percentage of users who leave your website after viewing only one page, compared to the total number of users who visit your website from the voice search results.
- Conversion Rate: The percentage of users who complete a desired action on your website, such as making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, filling out a form, or others, compared to the total number of users who visit your website from the voice search results.
- ROI: The ratio of the profit or benefit that you gain from your voice search efforts, compared to the cost or expense that you spend on your voice search efforts.
You should use tools, such as Google’s Search Console, to measure and improve your voice search results, and use tools, such as Google’s Voice Search Optimization Guide, to optimize and improve your voice search strategy and tactics.
Conclusion
Voice search is a growing and evolving trend, that can help you reach and engage with your audience in a more natural and conversational way, and provide them with a better and faster user experience. Voice search can also help you rank higher and drive more traffic and conversions to your website, as voice search results often come from the featured snippets, or the position zero, on the SERPs.
But how do you optimize your content and website for voice queries? How do you make your content and website more relevant and accessible for voice searchers? How do you measure and improve your voice search performance and results?
In this blog, we have guided you through some of the key steps and tips to optimize your content and website for voice queries, and achieve your content marketing goals.
If you need more help or advice on voice search, feel free to contact us. We are happy to assist you and answer any questions you may have.
Voice search is the future, and the future is now. Optimize for voice, and you'll resonate with the world.
Voice search optimization is the process of adapting your online content to be more accessible and relevant to voice-activated search queries made through voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant.
Voice search is on the rise, and it’s changing how people search for information online. Optimizing for voice search helps your content rank well and remain competitive in the digital landscape.
Voice search is typically more conversational and uses natural language. It often involves longer queries and question-based searches, as users tend to speak to voice assistants in a more human-like way.
Strategies include creating content that answers common questions (FAQs), optimizing for local search, ensuring mobile-friendliness, improving site speed, and using structured data (schema markup) to provide clear information.
To optimize for local voice search, ensure your business information is accurate and up-to-date on platforms like Google My Business. Use local keywords and create content relevant to your location.
Key factors include providing clear and concise answers to questions, securing featured snippets, having a mobile-friendly website, and focusing on user intent and context.
While there is overlap, voice search optimization often focuses more on natural language, long-tail keywords, and answering specific questions. Traditional SEO emphasizes keyword targeting and concise, informative content.
Voice search keywords are often in the form of questions or longer phrases. Tools like Google’s “People Also Ask” and keyword research tools can help you identify voice search queries relevant to your industry.
Yes, voice search optimization can benefit e-commerce businesses by improving the discoverability of products through voice assistants and enhancing the user experience, potentially leading to increased sales.
Voice search optimization is an ongoing effort. As technology and search algorithms evolve, it’s important to continually adapt your content and strategies to remain competitive in voice search.