Voice Search Optimization: Is Your Brand Ready?

Claiming it’s quicker, easier, and more convenient, mobile device users are taking advantage of the benefits of voice search. In 2023, over 125 million people used voice search. By the end of 2024, it is predicted that over 8 billion voice assistants will be in use. The bottom line: your website should be optimized to accommodate the influx of these users. 

Search engine optimization and voice search optimization work hand in hand. There are key differences, so it’s important to understand the relationship between the two. Here are some best practices:

Reach more people by using keywords in your content

When a voice search is made on a mobile device such as an inquiry about local weather, the way a person asks the question is different in voice than in text. When typing, a common phrase would be, “weather near me.” A voice query is likely to ask, “what’s the weather like today,” or a similar conversational phrase. It may be easy to dismiss the subtle differences, but when it comes to SEO, research tells us that keywords play a huge role in ranking, so don’t overlook this detail. 

Known as “long-tail keywords,” these phrases hone in on what customers are searching for and result in better rankings. The key is to remember that you are pinpointing your audience while helping your audience pinpoint their requests. While this may result in less traffic, that traffic will result in higher sales. 

Install voice assistance on your website

More accurate results mean happier customers. Besides offering around the clock support, the added benefit of machine learning means your customer’s experience will be tailored to their needs.  

Speak to Web is one of many voice assistance technologies available for your website. Including voice assistance expands your website’s accessibility to users. It also enables multiple languages and provides advanced analytics. This advantage can expand your reach to international users. 

Make sure your website is accessible to voice assistance

Your content plays a huge role in voice assistance accessibility. By steering clear of complex language and including alt text for images, your site will be discovered more easily through voice search. Include headings and subheadings to help voice assistants understand your content and present better search results. 

Another consideration is structured data and schema markup. While backend developers generally handle this aspect of website development, ensuring its inclusion will provide greater context which means more traffic for your site. Simply put, when a search engine understands the content, the results are better.   

Optimize for mobile devices 

We know that mobile devices are used more than any other device, so making sure your site is mobile friendly is crucial. The latest data from Demand Sage indicates that 27% of people are using voice search on their mobile device, and the number of users has increased dramatically from 2017 to 2023. 

Pay attention to how quickly your content loads by testing the speed, which should result in no more than two seconds to prevent losing visitors. Page loading time also increases your Google ranking, so don’t overlook this crucial step. 

Don’t forget FAQs

Since voice assistants use AI to determine its users request, including a frequently asked question schema on your site will increase your search ranking. Not sure where to begin? Follow these guidelines from Google to ensure best results. Consider these tips to improve your brand visibility and increase your SEO. 

An FAQ page answers questions for your users while giving them a better experience and increases your chances of improved rankings. Research the most frequently asked questions and display them on your FAQ page, making sure that voice search keywords are included. 

With its rise in popularity and potential for increased brand visibility, it’s time to make voice search optimization another powerful tool in your marketing kit.