Voice search has been around for a while now, but it’s only recently that it’s started to gain traction. Thanks to the popularity of voice-activated digital assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, voice search has become more prevalent than ever before. According to recent studies, almost half of all searches will be voice searches by 2023. This trend has significant implications for SEO, as the way people search for information online is changing rapidly.
So, what is voice search, and how is it different from traditional text-based search? Voice search allows users to perform searches by speaking into a device rather than typing keywords into a search engine. Instead of typing “best Italian restaurant near me,” a user can simply say “Hey Siri, what’s the best Italian restaurant near me?” Voice search is convenient, hands-free, and often provides quick answers to users’ queries.
However, voice search also poses some unique challenges for SEO. Here are some of the ways in which voice search is changing the face of SEO:
1. Long-tail keywords become more important
Voice search queries tend to be longer and more conversational than text-based search queries. For example, someone might type “Italian restaurant” into a search engine, but they’re more likely to say “Hey Siri, where can I find the best Italian restaurant in my area?” This means that long-tail keywords are becoming more important for SEO. Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific phrases that people might use when they’re searching for something. By incorporating long-tail keywords into your content, you can increase your chances of ranking for voice search queries.
2. Local SEO becomes even more critical
People often use voice search to find local businesses and services. For example, someone might say “Hey Google, where’s the nearest Italian restaurant?” or “Hey Siri, what’s the best plumber in my area?” This means that local SEO is more critical than ever before. By optimizing your website and content for local search queries, you can increase your chances of ranking for voice search queries and attracting local customers.
3. Featured snippets become more valuable
Featured snippets are short snippets of content that appear at the top of search engine results pages (SERPs) in response to a user’s query. Featured snippets often provide quick answers to users’ questions, making them an ideal format for voice search queries. By optimizing your content for featured snippets, you can increase your chances of ranking for voice search queries and providing users with quick answers to their questions.
4. Conversational content becomes essential
As mentioned earlier, voice search queries are often more conversational than text-based search queries. This means that you need to create content that’s optimized for natural language and provides quick answers to users’ questions. When creating content for voice search, focus on providing concise, clear answers to users’ queries. Use bullet points, subheadings, and other formatting techniques to make your content scannable and easy to read.
5. Site speed becomes even more critical
People who use voice search expect quick answers to their queries. If your website takes too long to load, users are likely to abandon it and look elsewhere for information. To ensure that your website is optimized for voice search, make sure that it loads quickly and is mobile-friendly. Use tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights to identify any issues with your site’s speed and take steps to fix them.
In conclusion, voice search is changing the way people search for information online, and businesses need to adapt if they want to remain competitive. By focusing on long-tail keywords, local SEO featured snippets, conversational content, site speed, smart speaker queries, and AI and machine learning algorithms, businesses can improve their chances of ranking for voice search queries and providing users with quick, relevant answers to their queries. It is recommended to speak with digital marketing firms or knowledgeable SEO specialists to stay up-to-date. By staying up-to-date with the latest trends and technologies in SEO, businesses can position themselves for success in the years ahead.