SEO is more important than ever and will only become more important as voice search grows in popularity. However, have you considered an SEO Campaign for Voice Search?
With voice search, searchers are no longer limited to the traditional text-based search query. Instead, they can now use their voice to ask questions and get results—this shift in how people search presents a unique challenge for SEO professionals.
It might sound daunting, but there are a few simple things you can do to optimize your website for voice search.
In this article, you'll better understand how voice search works and what you need to do to optimize your website and prepare it for this growing trend.
Voice search is a technology that allows users to search the internet by speaking rather than typing. This search type is often used with smart devices such as Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Apple Siri.
With the rise in popularity of these devices, the number of people using voice search is rising. ComScore predicts that by 2020, 50% of all searches will be voice searches.
Voice search technology relies on artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) to interpret the searcher’s intent. It's done by mapping the searcher’s words to a pre-determined set of results.
For example, if someone asked Siri to “find me a pizza place,” the AI would interpret this request and provide a list of nearby pizza places.
The exact process happens with voice search engines such as Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Microsoft Cortana.
The implications of voice search for SEO are far-reaching. Here are five key points to consider:
With voice search, long-tail keywords are becoming more important. People tend to speak in complete sentences using voice search rather than typing in keywords.
With voice search, people are often looking for nearby businesses or services. If you want to be found through voice search, you must ensure your website is optimized for local SEO.
Voice search results are often personalized based on the user’s location, search history, and other factors. It means that it’s even more important to ensure a local website optimization targeted to the searcher’s individual needs.
People who use voice search often want a quick answer to their questions. So, your website needs to be optimized for speed and provide the relevant information as quickly as possible.
As people speak in complete sentences when using voice search, it’s important to use conversational language on your website, which includes using natural language and avoiding keyword stuffing.
Voice search is an integral part of SEO and should be included in your overall SEO strategy. It can revolutionize how people search for information and could even replace traditional text-based searches altogether.
If you're not already Optimizing your website for voice search, now is the time to start.
When you're optimizing for voice search, there are several different factors you need to take into consideration to ensure your campaign's success.
Look at five ways to prepare for voice search:
In understanding how to best optimize your website for voice search, it's essential first to know how voice search works. When you conduct a voice search, the virtual assistant accesses the internet and looks for the best answer to your question from various sources. The results are then compiled and read aloud to you.
When creating content for your website, think about how someone would ask a question out loud. For example, if you're looking for a new pair of shoes, you might say, "What are the best men's running shoes?" instead of just typing in "men's running shoes."
It may seem like a minor and unnecessary change, but it's important to make if you want your website to appear in voice search results.
According to a recent SEMrush Voice Search Study, 70 per cent of all answers returned by voice searches occupy a SERP feature (60 per cent of which return a featured snippet).
The odds are that most smart devices with voice search capabilities will respond similarly to specific questions, and the response is primarily a rich answer for the query.
If you want to target voice search, include long-tail keyword phrases in your content. These are generally three or more words that string together a specific question or intent.
Content creators take advantage of this by including these phrases in blog posts, how-to guides, and other types of web pages.
When you create content around a specific question, try to keep the answer short and to the point. Typically, a voice search result will be no longer than 29 words.
It can be challenging, especially if you're trying to rank for a complex question, but it's important to remember that people who use voice search are generally looking for a quick answer.
There were big announcements at Google I/O 2019 directly related to mobile tools related to mobile. Google emphasizes mobile experience and vows to make it better day by day.
That’s why paying attention to your website’s mobile version is essential if you want to rank successfully for voice search results. Create a mobile-friendly and responsive website to ensure the best possible user experience.
Check your site's speed, as users are less likely to wait for a slow page to load if they use voice search. You can use Google's Mobile-Friendly Test tool to see how your website measures up.
As you can see, you have to consider a few different things when preparing for your voice search campaign. It's essential to think about how voice search works, target long-tail keyword phrases, and create mobile-friendly and responsive content.
Following these practical tips, you can ensure your website is well-positioned to appear in voice search results. Get prepped for a new era of SEO, and make sure your website is prepared for voice search.
