Is your website ready for the rise of Voice Search?
With the rise of smart voice-activated devices like smartphones, speakers, and virtual assistants such as Siri and Google Assistant, voice search is becoming increasingly popular. For marketers and organizations, this presents a new challenge: voice search optimization.
What is Voice Search?
What exactly is Voice Search? What does it entail? Voice Search involves using your voice to conduct a search query in search engines. It was developed to provide users, for instance, those using Google, with a better experience.
A significant difference from text search, which focuses on short and powerful search terms, is that Voice Search relies on longer search phrases (long-tail queries) and sentences. Additionally, visible search results are not an option with voice search. Your voice assistant reads the most relevant search result aloud. Whether a paid or non-paid result is played is uncertain.
Why is Voice Search Important?
Voice search is gaining popularity due to the speed and convenience with which users can access information. Users can simply ask a question and receive an immediate answer, which is particularly handy when they are on the go or need a quick response. Consequently, there is a growing demand for content optimized for voice search.
Tips for implementing Voice Search for your organization
Local optimization
Many voice-activated searches focus on local information, such as: "What are the opening hours of the nearest supermarket?" Ensure your business is optimized for local searches by updating your Google My Business listing and incorporating local keywords into your content.
Mobile first
A mobile-friendly website is key. Many voice-activated searches are conducted via smartphones. If your website loads quickly and functions effectively on various mobile devices, Google is more likely to deem it relevant.
Loading speed
Page speed is a crucial factor for your search results, especially for voice search. Make sure your website is optimized for loading speed to qualify for voice search.
Readable content
As mentioned earlier, optimizing based on conversational keywords is essential for voice search. These include search questions, sentences, and long-tail keywords. Keep answers to users' questions concise and clear. This not only makes it more user-friendly but also easier to comprehend and recognize as relevant for voice search.
Structured data markup
Use structured data markup such as schema.org to help search engines better understand the content of your website and present relevant information to voice search users.
Conclusion
Voice search is an emerging trend where users perform search queries using their voice. By following the tips above, you can optimize your website to provide voice search users with the desired answers to their questions.
Interested? Would you like more information or have another question? Send an email to marc.gutlich@humandigital.nl or fill out the form below.