You wake up and instantly start searching for the weather, news, your schedule, and more using just your voice. Voice search has become more or less second nature in our daily lives.
But have you stopped to think about how businesses and brands can optimize for voice search? If not, you’re missing out on connecting with a huge audience of voice search users.
Voice search is changing how we find information on the web.
So if you are ready to make your business discoverable to the ever-increasing numbers of voice search users, dive into this guide and learn how voice search optimization can drive more traffic and visibility for your brand.
The future is voice, so let’s get started optimizing your website to connect with voice search users.
But Why Take Voice Search Seriously
- According to Think with Google, about 27% of the global online population is now using voice search, meaning more than a quarter of people around the world use voice search on their mobile devices.
- Many people find voice search easier, more convenient, and faster than traditional online searching. 89% of users think it’s more convenient, and 87% think it’s faster in a study conducted by PWC. This means that when people want to search for something, they often prefer to use their voice instead of typing on a keyboard.
- 71% of consumers would rather use voice search than physically type their queries, as one study by PWC finds.
- By the end of 2024, a whopping 8.4 billion people will be expected to use voice assistants.
Want to Leverage these Voice Search Statistics? Let’s Create Some Strategies Now!
Use Natural Language:
Think about how people speak and the queries they’re likely to ask aloud when optimizing your content for voice search.
In other words, write in a conversational, informal style, much as you would speak. Try to create short and straightforward sentences and paragraphs. Use everyday language avoiding jargon.
The point is here to speak to the reader as a friend.
Next, focus on questions and answers. People often use voice search to ask questions and get quick answers. Include FAQs related to your topic, or reframe sections as questions and answers. For example, instead of a heading like “How to Get Started,” use “How Do I Get Started with Voice Search Optimization?” Then answer it in the following paragraphs.
Also, use keywords generously but naturally. Repeat important search terms, synonyms, and related phrases throughout your content, but do it in a way that flows with natural language. Don’t overstuff keywords where they don’t belong.
You should also optimize for long-tail keywords, like questions. Include less common but still relevant search phrases people might speak into a voice assistant. Questions are a great way to do this.
Finally, make your content skimmable. Use short paragraphs, bulleted lists, numbered lists, and clear headings. Leave plenty of whitespace. This makes information easy to digest for voice assistants and the people on the other end of them.
Choose Voice-Friendly Keywords:
When optimizing for voice search, keyword choice is key. You’ll want to select terms that people speak when using voice assistants. Forget stiff, formal words—go for conversational language instead.
Think about how you’d phrase a question or request out loud.
You’d probably say something like “How do I change my WiFi password?” rather than “Steps to modify wireless network security code.” So use casual words and contractions like “WiFi” instead of “wireless network.”
Also, include synonyms and related phrases. Don’t just target “change WiFi password”—also go for “reset WiFi passphrase” or “update network key.” The more options you give voice search, the more likely your content is to come up.
Keep your keyword phrases short—aim for two to four words. Voice search has a hard time with long, complex questions. So “Best family movies on Netflix” will work better than “What are some highly-rated films appropriate for both children and adults that are available for streaming on Netflix?”
Break up your target keywords into natural-sounding questions and phrases. How would you ask the voice assistant? Then optimize your content to rank for those variations.
Create FAQ Pages:
FAQ pages are a fantastic method to prepare your material for voice search. Structure your FAQ pages to offer succinct responses to frequently asked inquiries about your company or sector. Focus on utilizing natural language, and respond to inquiries in the same manner as your target audience would.
Use structured data markup:
Search engines can better grasp the context and content of your web pages when structured data markup is used. You can provide explicit information about your company, products, services, and other pertinent aspects by utilizing schema markup. This facilitates the correct interpretation and presentation of your information in voice search results by speech-activated devices.
Keep Your Sentences Concise:
When optimizing your content for voice search, keep your sentences concise and straightforward. Voice assistants can only process so much information at once, so shorter sentences work best.
Aim for sentences that are 15 to 20 words or less. This will make your content easily scannable for voice assistants and more conversational sounding for people listening to the audio playback. For example:
Instead of this:
The complexity of creating voice-optimized content that will resonate with users and rank well in voice search results requires diligent effort to achieve an ideal balance of being both concise and compelling, a task that can prove quite challenging indeed.
Try this:
Optimizing for voice search is challenging. Keep sentences short and compelling to resonate with listeners and rank well.
Use common conversational words and contractions like:
You’ll
Don’t
Can’t
Let’s
Speaking in a casual, relatable tone helps your content sound natural and flows well when read aloud or listened to through a voice assistant.
Break up long lists into bulleted points. Voice assistants will pause briefly after each point, allowing the information to sink in for the listener. For example:
To optimize for voice search:
- Keep sentences concise (around 15 to 20 words)
- Use a conversational tone with common contractions
- Break up long lists into bulleted points
- Focus on keywords by re-stating the main topic
- Use transition words to connect ideas
Optimize Local Search:
Voice search is often used for local searches, such as finding nearby businesses or getting directions. To optimize for local voice search, ensure that your website is optimized for local SEO. Claim and optimize your Google My Business listing, include relevant location-based keywords and provide accurate contact information on your website.
Featured Snippets:
Featured snippets are the concise, direct answers that appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs). Optimizing your content to appear as a featured snippet increases your chances of being read aloud by voice-activated devices. To optimize for featured snippets, provide clear, concise answers to frequently asked questions on your website.
Improve Page Speed and Mobile Optimization:
Voice search users expect quick and seamless experiences. Optimize your website for mobile devices and improve page loading speed to enhance user experience. Ensure that your website is mobile-responsive and has a fast-loading design to cater to the needs of voice search users
The Conclusion:
Voice search is only going to continue growing, so the sooner you make these changes the better. Focus on creating content that conversationally answers common questions. Use structured data and make your content scannable. Most of all, keep your audience in mind and provide value with each piece of content. If you follow these tips, you’ll be well on your way to ranking higher in voice search and staying ahead of the curve.