The increasing reliability and accuracy of voice search technology have played a huge role in its adoption. When Apple first launched Siri in 2011, there was optimism that this could be the next big thing in technology. The ability to ask your device a question and receive your answer promptly without typing a word had huge potential. Fast forward to 2017 and every flagship device has some form of voice search assistant installed.
How Are Consumers Using Voice Search?
For many users, voice search is a faster and more convenient way to search when their hands aren’t free or their vision is occupied. Common search queries include asking for local information, setting reminders, making phone calls and searching for general information. As voice search assistants become more sophisticated, it will become normal practice for people to use voice search as their preferred method of searching.
In the Google mobile app alone, 20% of searches are now done by voice. That number is expected to increase to 50% by 2020. Therefore, it is important for business owners to consider how they can optimise their websites for voice search.
Optimising for Voice Search
Voice searching is very different compared to searches done via typing. This has created new and exciting challenges for SEO experts regarding how to optimise their client websites for voice search. Here is some advice for helping you optimise your website for voice search.
Focus on Conversational Copy
You may notice that people do not necessarily write the way they speak. Voice searches are more conversational in tone and tend to be longer than typed searches. When people search using voice, they can ask follow up questions similar to how a conversation would go. It is best practice to write content in a more conversational tone to reflect how users are going to search.
Create a Frequently Asked Questions Page
Keeping a record of your most frequently asked questions is a great strategy to rank for voice search results. Our advice is to compile the most common questions you receive from either emails or phone calls and place them on a dedicated FAQ page on your website. If people are calling or emailing you to ask these questions frequently, you can be assured that they are also searching for this information.
Claim Your Google My Business Listing
With Voice Search, Local SEO has become more important than ever. One of the best methods for optimising for local search is to claim your Google My Business listing. Your Google My Business listing is an easy way of letting Google Search users find information about your business. You can add your address, phone number, website link and other contact information. Find out more in our “Local SEO explained” blog post.
What Does the Future Hold for Voice Search?
The potential of voice search is limitless. Voice searching is both the future and present of search. As companies such as Apple, Google and Samsung invest in voice search technology, we will see more sophisticated developments for years to come. Stay ahead of your competitors and optimise your website for voice search today.