There is no denying the fact that voice search is the future. It has become one of the most popular ways of search on Google. A huge number of people prefer this hands-free way of searching the web.
To meet the future, it is important for digital marketers and designers to optimize a website for voice search. The users must have a smooth and natural experience in voice search. The responses have to be actionable, conversational, and easy to understand.
Voice search has become so popular because it is easy for a user to speak to an assist instead of typing. Also, the results for voice search queries come quicker. Voice searches can be used anytime anywhere. You can use it even on the go. This is why it is so popular.
With the increase in the use of digital assistants, optimizing your website for voice search has become important for your SEO success.
What is Google Voice search? The Hummingbird update
In 2013, Google launched a major algorithmic update also known as Google Hummingbird. The primary focus of this algorithm is to consider the user intent and the contextual meaning of the queries.
Voice search allows the users to search the web using Google through spoken voice commands instead of typing. It can be used both in desktop and mobile searches. The ‘wake’ phrase to tell Google to start analyzing is called ‘OK, Google’.
Digital marketers had to refine the strategy. Instead of stuffing keywords in the blogs and articles, the content writing format was changed to address the pain points of the target audience. Voice technology improved user-experience with semantics.
Voice technology relies on Natural Language Processing to recognize voice texture, user behavior, and interests.
Integrating Google Voice Search within Google Now
Google Voice Search has been a part of Google’s assistant, aka Google Now. The combination of Google’s powerful search algorithm along with the sophisticated natural language processing technology makes it so seamless. Also, it is much more accurate than Siri, Cortana, or Alexa.
Google has done a great job to make things easier for advertisers and webmasters to identify both online and offline conversions. The way people search for information these days have changed.
Just like any other Google’s products, the tendency to use Google voice search has increased among people. The use of voice search and related commands has increased 7x times since its inception in 2010.
What are people using voice search for?
The answer to this question depends on the age of the person. For instance, adults mostly use voice search to look for directions, deliver text messages, to call someone, check the time, and play a song.
While teenagers use voice search for help with multiple questions, play a song, find movies, call someone and directions too. A lot of users have only recently started using the voice search feature on a regular basis from the last six months.
How to optimize your website for voice search?
1) Use long-tail keywords
Brands need to use actionable long-tail keywords and put them up in the schema markup or schema metadata of the website. Basically, it is the code. This will help the website to offer search engines with more information. This is important for specific searches.
When people use a voice query, the answer is mostly not the first result on Google. The long-tail keywords will help the websites be the answer that the users hear while doing a voice search. Long-tail keywords are more targeted.
2) Convert the queries into questions
While creating content, instead of using a simple keyword as “burger” make it something that a voice search user would say. For instance, you can make it like “where can I find a burger near me?”. This will make it more likely that your website will be the answer.
It is always important to consider user intent in mind while structuring the website content. Add crucial information like street address and opening hours. Google is a sophisticated search engine, but the easier you make it for the web crawlers, the more are the chances of your website showing up.
3) Optimize the content for multiple search engines
Yes, a lot of you might think that optimizing for Google will be enough. But this is not true. First of all, you have to consider the market share and secondly, the present state of SEO in general.
For instance, a wide range of people prefer to use iOS devices instead of Android. Now, Siri uses Bing as the primary search engine. Thus, if you are solely optimizing your website by following Google’s guidelines, chances are, you will miss out on a lot of your audience.
4) Update your GMB listing
The more recent information you can provide, the more relevant it will be for your prospective customers. Do not miss out on the “near me’ searches. Include images while updating Google My Business listing and add crucial information.
The images are displayed as a part of Google Maps searches. If you are advertising the locally-focused businesses using AdWords, you can use the AdWords location extensions. This will help you make sure that the ads are displayed to the highly-motivated on-the-go shoppers.
You can also use the Google Maps local search ads. This is a powerful technique to reach the right people at the right time and right place. The inconspicuous ads appear above organic results in Google Maps and it can help in driving more traffic to the store or location.
5) Optimize for the future snippets
The Google snippet box appears under the search bar. They can draw quick-hitting information from a relevant website. The brands need to capitalize on the snippet boxes by optimizing the specific queries. According to the STAT search analytics, 70% of the Google snippets don’t come from the first organic result. Thus it is possible to become a snippet without dominating SEO rankings.
6) Localize the experience
Use digital marketing metrics to ensure that you are targeting the right area. For optimizing the local search, the companies need to include the region in their content and metadata. Create location-specific pages along with more than a footer address.
Use the visuals that are specific to the local area and use alt-text tags. Tag images and videos with geographic areas. If the videos and audios discuss a specific location, then offer a transcript to boost the website accessibility.
A lot of brands have started enabling voice search in digital marketing. One thing is for sure. Voice search will continue to be more intelligent, accurate, and responsive to the evolving consumer electronics market.
