Voice Search SEO
Voice Search SEO – Search Engine Optimization
Search engines have come a long way since their inception. They have adapted to the way human beings interact on a day-to-day basis. Advancements in AI and Machine Learning have paved the way for what Google calls “Natural Language Processing”.
When you view this development in synergy with other user trends, the hype surrounding voice search makes sense. Researchers have predicted that 30% to 50% of all searches will be voice-driven by 2021.
This monumental shift in the way we interact with search engines has been a long time coming. Moreover, with IoT on the rise, the relevance of voice search has never been higher.
Why is Voice Search the Next Big Thing?
The answer to this question can be summed up in two words – speed and convenience. In terms of efficiency alone, voice search blows traditional search out of the water. Typing a query takes 3.7 times longer than speaking it out.
Moreover, it is way more convenient to use voice search on the go. Google Assistant’s astounding accuracy rate of 95% ensures that your queries only deliver relevant results.
Think about this way. When you search something by typing it out, you expose yourself to multiple results. Even though the featured snippet directs where to focus your attention, you are still subjected to multiple results.
However, with voice search, the search engine understands your intent and speaks back the most relevant result. It understands the “semantics” of your query. Even though the same is also true for text-based search, the effect is way more pronounced with audio feedback.
How to optimize for Voice Search SEO?
Given the dominion that voice search is expected to exert over search engines, it is important to prepare for it. However, search engine optimization for voice-based queries is significantly different from text-based SEO.
Here’s how you can gain an edge over your competitors with voice search seo:
1. Focus on Long-Tail Keywords
Voice-based queries possess a conversational tone. If you were to ask your voice assistant about the restaurants in your vicinity, you wouldn’t use robotic keywords. You’d say something like, “Ok Google! Where can I eat a good sandwich?”.
Now, this presents a unique challenge as well as an opportunity for SEO experts. You can’t optimize for user intent by simply conducting volume-centric keyword research. You need to make use of long-tail keywords to accommodate what the user wants.
Tools like Answer the Public can be quite useful here. An easy way to integrate long-tail keywords into your content is to use them as H2 headers.
2. Pay attention to Featured Snippets
About 40% of all voice search queries deliver results acquired from featured snippets. This means that you need to be among the top 3 search results. In the case of smart speakers, the competition is even fiercer.
Only the top-most result matters in this case. Also, since Google answers most voice queries with 29-word results, you should not discount the importance of FAQ pages. This can also help you in answering multiple questions at once.
3. Optimize for Page Speed
Voice-search is undoubtedly a medium that values efficiency the most. Thus, it makes sense for you to optimize your page speed to the best possible extent. Make sure that you use optimized images, enable compression, and improve server response time.
4. Think Local
If you’ve caught up with the latest SEO trends, you’d know that “near me” searches pop up a lot. Well, research data also supplements this inference.
A study suggests that 50% of consumers find local businesses by using voice search. This metric alone is enough to elucidate the importance of thinking locally with voice-based SEO. Make sure that that your profile on Google My Business looks its absolute best.
Voice Search SEO – The Take-Away
Search engines are becoming more-and-more user-intent focused with each passing day. Voice search is naturally the best medium to accommodate this change. So, make sure that you optimize for voice search seo in due time.
No doubt that voice search is the next big thing in the world of the internet and is definitely going to take a lead in the future. So time should be spent on optimizing for voice search seo.
Ladical Digital Marketing, located in Kitchener-Waterloo, has a number of SEO Products available, in order to improved your websites search engine results page or SERP.
