If you have not added voice search optimization under your seo list. Then this is the right time to do so. Majority of the people are using voice search and this number is increasing.
In the COVID-19, more people are turning to voice search.
According to Gartner, 32% of consumers are moving to hands-free technology that would limit touching or contamination.
One of the fastest-growing types of search is voice search. According to Perficient, 55 percent of smartphone users utilize voice search to ask inquiries.
Voice search evolves from voice recognition to understanding the voice, Google is trying to transform voice search into a complete mobile assistant which helps us with our day to day activities.
If you have not added voice search optimization under your seo list. Then this is the right time to do so.
The Evolution of Voice Search
- Search is getting smarter
If you want to search anything, most of us search the way we speak. This is becoming conversational.
Eg: when you want to search you type something like Men's shoes under 3000 but when you speak you're more likely to ask the complete question like Show the best men's shoes under 3000. So when you speak you elaborate.
This holds true even for voice search optimization
As programs like Google Now, Siri, and Cortana are becoming more popular, and their programming becomes more refined, it’s essential that search engines learn to interpret natural phrases.
AI is assisting voice search in its ability to understand and respond to:
- Spelling Corrections / Search Queries
What’s Been Previously Said / Searched For
If you ask, “Where is the Eiffel Tower?” and follow that up with, “I want to see pictures of it” and “Who built it?” Google can interpret what “it” is based on your initial search.
If Google is unable to respond to a query right away, you can use context to help it narrow down the answer.
Some questions voice search may not understand for those types you can narrow the questions and you can ask to find the relevant results.
- Context Based on Location
If you’re in Bangalore and you ask voice search, “How far is Bangalore from Mumbai?” Google will understand that “the Bangalore” refers to your current location.
- App-Based Context
You can ask Google to "Show me the menu" if you're conversing about a specific restaurant in an app.
Based on the context, Google will figure out which restaurant's menu you want to see and bring up that restaurant's menu.
- Context & Conversation
Context and conversational search are now essential as voice search is continuously evolving. Marketers need to thoughtfully incorporate a voice search strategy into their websites and work on excellent content, written in a conversational tone. We also need to recognise that people who write a query and those who use voice search to ask inquiries are frequently two different categories of people.
The “type” might be OK with doing research, while the “talker” typically wants quick answers and instant results. Both categories of people must be appealed to.
For example: Context of What You See On-Screen
Looking up a Wikipedia entry on some famous person?
Asking voice search to “Show me pictures of a famous person” results in a photo because he’s the “famous man” you currently have on screen.
- Context About You
Asking Google “What’s my house address?” will bring up your house address, without the need to clarify who “my” refers to.
Strategies for Voice Search Optimization Success
1. Recognize the different types of customers and how they behave.
Marketers must dig deeper into knowing the consumer and their behaviour, just as voice search algorithms employ data, location, and numerous data points to comprehend search context. Consumer insights and real-time data can help identify how various people use voice search and on what type of speech-enabled device.
2. Focus on Conversational Keywords
While I don't think short tail keywords will ever go away, they do become much less useful when we consider the natural phrases used in voice searches. Marketers must now, more than ever, pay attention to conversational long-tail keywords. It's critical to figure out the questions you'll need to answer.
3. Create Engaging Persona-Based Content
When it comes to optimising for voice search, brevity, context, and relevance are crucial.
In this SEO strategy you must now pay extra attention to:
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Developing detailed responses to frequently asked questions.
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Answering simple questions in a straightforward and succinct manner.
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Create rich, engaging content that addresses your readers' most pressing concerns and alleviates their problems.
A smart method that many websites have successfully implemented is to:
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Make a title for your content or a webpage that asks a popular topic.
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Immediately below the headline, provide a succinct response or definition to the query.
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Use the rest of the page to provide more information about the subject.
The important aspect of this method is that the rich, strong webpage appeals to Google's ranking algorithm in the end.
At the same time, the top of the page's short-and-sweet material is optimised for voice search and may potentially become a highlighted snippet.
4. Use Schema Markup to Add Context
If you haven't previously, familiarise yourself with schema markup. Use schema to mark up your content to tell search engines what your site is about. This HTML add-on helps search engines understand your content's context, allowing you to rank higher in general searches and be more relevant in voice search questions. Google is able to parse language thanks to schemas, and they can be a great way to add more information to your website so you're ready to answer questions.
5. Create pages that respond to frequently asked questions (FAQs).
Voice searches typically begin with "Who," "What," "Where," "When," "Why," and "How" when posing a question. They're looking for solutions to a pressing problem. Make a FAQ page and start each question with these adverbs to answer these questions. Then, to appeal to voice search, respond in a conversational manner. Make sure your website is technically solid and incorporates schemas from a performance standpoint. Ensure that navigation and informational structure are easily accessible, and that page load times are quick.
6. Consider mobile and local options.
We're moving toward a mobile-first world, where both devices and people are on the move. As a result, it's critical to remember that mobile and local go hand in hand, particularly when it comes to voice search.
Consumers can use their mobile devices to conduct local searches while on the go. Users can then ask hyper-local questions using voice search. Make sure your website's directions to physical places and XML sitemaps are accessible to both visitors and search engines. Create various experiences for desktop and mobile users — for example, on mobile, optimise for "near me" type queries.
Finally, ensure that your mobile approach is sound, and that you're concentrating on increasing page performance and loading times.
