Not long ago, talking to your gadgets and expecting them to understand and respond seemed like science fiction. But nowadays, it’s become a day-to-day affair. Virtual assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa have made it possible, and this change has a big impact on how websites get found online through search engines like Google. In this article, you’ll get to know about voice search, how it affects SEO, and how you can get ready for this voice-powered future.
The Growth of Voice Search
Why People Love It?
Voice search is super popular because it’s easy to use. Instead of typing your questions, you just talk to your device, and it talks back. This is especially handy when you are doing any other activity.
Virtual Assistants Are Everywhere
You’ve probably noticed that gadgets with voice control are all over the place now. Smart speakers and phones with voice assistants are common in homes. A lot of people are using voice search nowadays and this number is still going up. For example, if you have an SEO company Houston and you are not leveraging voice search, then you are falling behind.
How does Voice Search Differ from Regular Search?
Voice search is different from typing into a search box, and this affects how websites need to be set up to show up in search results.
Using Natural Language
When people type, they often use short words or just keywords. For example, Imagine a person searching for an Italian restaurant nearby may type “Italian restaurant near me.” But with voice search, people speak naturally and ask full questions, like “What Italian restaurants are open near me right now?”
Local Searches Are Common
People often use voice search to find local stuff, like nearby stores or events. You must ensure your website is set up for local searches for your local offerings.
Featured Snippets Are Key
Voice assistants like giving short and direct answers. That’s why content in featured snippets (those boxes you sometimes see at the top of search results) is more likely to be read out in voice search results. So, being in that featured snippet spot can really help.
Changing Your SEO Strategy for Voice Search
Now that you understand voice search and its difference. Here’s how to make your website work better with voice search.
1. Use Natural Words
To match what people ask in voice search, use everyday words and longer phrases in your website content. Think about how people would talk when asking questions and use those phrases.
2. Help Local Customers Find You
Ensure that your business information is correct on Google My Business. Use local keywords in your content to show up when people look for nearby stuff.
3. Make FAQ Pages
Voice searches are often questions. Make FAQ pages on your website that answer frequently asked questions about your offerings. Make them like a conversation to be more voice-search-friendly.
4. Add Structured Info
Use organized data on your site so that search engines can understand your content in a finer way. This can boost your chances of being chosen for voice search results.
5. Speed Up Your Site
Voice assistants like websites that load quickly. To make your site faster, shrink your image sizes, reduce how long it takes to get a response from your server and use browser caching.
6. Be Mobile-Friendly
Most voice searches happen on mobile devices. So, ensure that your website is optimized for mobile phones. Google cares about mobile sites, and it affects how you rank in voice searches, too.
Measuring How Well You’re Doing
Like with any plan, you need to check if it’s working. Here’s how you can do it:
1. Voice Search Visitors
You should gauge the total number of people who find your site through voice search. Look for trends and changes to see if your strategy is helping.
2. Featured Snippets
Check if your website is in featured snippets for relevant searches. This can show you’re doing well in voice search.
3. People using your content
You should look at how people are responding to your FAQ pages or the voice search content. It helps in understanding the aspects which are fine and the ones which can be improved.
4. Look at the local reach
For your local business, look at how many times your business appears in the local voice searches. You can look at the Google My Business statistics and reviews to know your local achievements in terms of the reach your business is getting.
Wrapping Up
Voice search is here to stay, and it will find a lot more traction in the coming future. So, you must adapt your SEO strategies for voice search if you want to outrun your competition. Don’t forget to check out your analytics to tweak your SEO strategies accordingly. Start preparing for the voice-activated future now.
