Voice search is changing the way people search the web. With the increase in smart devices and virtual assistants over the past five years, people are increasingly opting for voice commands over traditional text searches. Interestingly, a recent study shows that over 55% of households are expected to own a smart speaker by 2025, and voice search is becoming a major component of daily life. For businesses and website owners, this shift highlights the importance of leveraging this new technology for ongoing success. As voice search continues to grow, optimising your website for voice queries is an easy way to gain a competitive advantage in market.
Understanding voice search
Voice search is quite different from text search. While text search involves typing out keywords and phrases, voice search relies on spoken word, which makes voice search longer and more conversational. For example, instead of typing “best coffee shop,” a user searching for coffee might ask, “What’s the best coffee shop near me that’s open now?” This distinction is crucial for understanding how to optimise your content effectively.
Common platforms for voice search include Google Assistant, Siri, and Alexa. These voice-activated assistants are integrated into various devices like smartphones, smart speakers, and even home appliances, making it easier than ever for users to search through voice.
Why optimise for voice search?
Voice search optimisation offers several benefits. First off, it improves the user experience by delivering more accurate and relevant search results. This means users can find what they’re looking for more quickly, which often leads to higher engagement and better conversion rates.
Voice search SEO optimisation can improve your rankings, particularly for local search queries. Voice search often relies on local data to provide users with immediate answers, so businesses that are well-optimised for voice search can gain a competitive edge.
Key strategies for voice search optimisation
So, how can you optimise your businesses’ website for voice search? Let’s take a look.
- Use natural language
Incorporating organic language into your content involves using conversational keywords and phrases that people are likely to speak. For example, someone searching for a Thai restaurant may search for “where is the best Thai restaurant near me” rather than simply searching for “best Thai restaurant.”
- Focus on long-tail keywords
Long-tail keywords are essential for voice search SEO because they reflect the more detailed queries users are likely to speak. For example, instead of targeting “shoes,” aim for phrases like “best running shoes for flat feet.” These specific queries help you target users with more defined needs and improve your chances of appearing in voice search results.
- Optimise for local search
Local voice search optimisation is crucial for voice search. Many voice searches are location-based, with users seeking immediate information about businesses near them. Ensure your business information is accurate and up to date on local listings, including Google My Business. This helps voice assistants provide users with relevant, location-specific results.
- Create an FAQ page
Another great way to address voice searches and boost the SEO of your site is to implement an FAQ page. Because voice searches often involve questions that users need quick answers to, providing clear, concise answers on an FAQ page can increase your chances of being featured in voice search results.
- Improve page load speed
Slow-loading pages can frustrate users and result in higher bounce rates. To keep visitors happy and improve your search rankings, make sure your website loads quickly. Even if you have great voice search SEO content, a slow site can hurt your traffic and overall performance. So, speeding up your website is crucial for both user experience and SEO.
- Utilise structured data
Structuring your data helps search engines understand the context of your content. Implementing schema markup can make your content more accessible to search engines and improve your chances of appearing in voice search results. Structured data provides additional information about your content, making it easier for voice assistants to deliver accurate responses. An easy way to do this is to ensure your page URLs have shortened and include relevant keywords.
Technical SEO considerations for voice search
Mobile friendliness
With many voice searches happening on mobile devices, having a mobile-friendly website is crucial. Ensure your site is responsive and provides a smooth experience across various screen sizes.
Secure (HTTPS) connections
Make sure your website uses HTTPS to provide a secure browsing experience. This can also positively affect your search rankings.
Up to date site architecture
A well-organised site architecture and intuitive UX help both users and search engines find content easily. Optimise your site’s structure to make it easy for voice search engines to crawl and index your content.
3 tips for voice search content creation
- Write in a conversational tone
Content that mimics natural speech patterns is more likely to rank well in voice search results. This means writing in a conversational tone helps to align with the phrases users search for.
- Answer questions directly and concisely
Voice search users often look for direct answers. With this in mind, provide clear, concise answers to common questions to improve your chances of being featured in voice search results.
- Publish informative content
High-quality content remains king. Ensure your content is informative, relevant, and valuable to your audience. This will help you stand out in voice search results and improve overall user satisfaction.
3 tips for monitoring and adjusting your strategy
- Use analytics tools
Use analytics tools to monitor your voice search performance. Tools like Google Analytics and Search Console can provide insights into how users are finding your content and which voice queries are driving traffic.
- Check user behaviour and search queries
Regularly analyse user behaviour and search queries to understand how your audience is interacting with your content. Adjust your strategies based on these insights to continuously improve your voice search optimisation.
- Regularly update content
Voice search SEO is not a one-time task but an ongoing process. Regularly update and refine your content to keep it relevant and aligned with changing search trends and user needs.
How Think Creative can help
When it comes to preparing your website for voice search, it’s important to ensure all the right steps are implemented to guarantee success for your website. With high-quality and relevant content, strong data structure, and reporting and analytics tools, businesses can target users searching for long-tail keyword phrases and improve their overall ranking on Google. As an SEO agency, Think Creative can help.
Ready to invest in SEO optimisation for your business? Restructure the content of your website to ensure optimal SEO success today by contacting us at 02 8068 2293 or [email protected]
