How to Include Voice Search in Your SEO Strategy

In recent years, voice search has been rising and is widely expected to grow this year. The landscape of search is in constant flux, and you need to stay up to date with the latest trends and developments.

Voice searches are growing in prevalence and making their way into the mainstream, meaning that we need to account for this trend in our marketing. Voice-activated devices (Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, Apple’s Siri, Samsung Bixby, and Microsoft Cortana) all give consumers the ability to perform a search without moving a finger. Consumers love convenience, so expect voice search popularity to rise as the tech giants continue to improve voice search technology.

Here are a few statistics about voice search.

20% of searches in the Google App are now done by voice.
eMarketer estimated in 2019 that 39.4% of U.S. internet users perform a search query with a voice assistant at least once a month.
Statista forecasts that by 2024 the number of digital voice assistants being used will surpass the world’s population (currently 7.9 billion)
A 2019 study commissioned by Adobe, found that a whopping 91 percent of brands are already making significant voice search investments.
The same Adobe Study found that 75% of survey participants reported using their smart speaker at least daily.

Here are a few things your brand can do to prepare your website for the future of search.

Optimizing Your Content for Voice Search SEO

young woman using voice assistant on smartphone

Use Long-Tail Keywords

Long-tail keywords that are searched for less, so it’s easier for brands to win these search queries. If you aren’t familiar with the long tail theory head over to YouTube to watch Chris Anderson explain the long tail.

Voice search queries are naturally more long-winded than traditional searches. We often use longer words and actually use sentences when performing voice queries Therefore, it makes more sense to incorporate long-tail keyword phrases for your page to show up on relevant search results.

Have Local Reviews

Local reviews can help improve your search rankings. Being a part of trusted review and aggregate sites on the internet is important, as this is where customers can find what people have to say about your products or service.

Gain reviews by encouraging your existing customers to leave feedback or recommendations about your service. Not only will you gain reviews from this, but you can also get inbound links that are vital to ranking on search engines today.

Create a FAQs Page

FAQ pages are a match made in heaven for conversational search queries. Create a FAQ page that includes questions that customers frequently search for and is written how a real person speaks. Then, provide succinct, straightforward, and valuable answers to your customers. A FAQs page will make it a lot easier for your customers to get information about what you have to offer using their smart device/mobile device.

Make Your Site Readable

Readability applies to all types of digital marketing strategies as it’s a vital criterion of search engines today. Make your content easy to read by focusing on the information your customers are looking for and using the best ways to present that information. Avoid keyword stuffing and packing pages; instead, use short sentences, conversational language, and linking words.

Use Everyday Language

We have hinted at this in other sections of our blog post, but it’s that important. The thing with voice searches is that users use everyday language. With that, you need to use the same language on your site. Stray from formal or written language as much as you can while incorporating conversational long-tail keywords.

Restructure Your Content

There are several changes you need to make to your content to make it ready for voice search. This is because voice searches are more conversational. So, analyze your content and structure it again. You need to include succinct questions and answers to improve the layout and make it more voice search-friendly.

Improve Site Load Time

Page load time is a Google primary ranking factor, and as Google says SEOs must do. Load times are important no matter the search method (mobile, desktop, voice). Websites that take longer to load are abandoned quickly. Don’t be an organization that drives leads and loses leads based on a technical SEO issue.

According to Backlinko, the average voice search result (4.6 seconds) loads in half the time than the average page (10.3 seconds).

You can improve your site speed by compressing images and videos on your website. It is also a good idea to use CSS3 and HTML5 frameworks. If this is gibberish and jargon to you we can help!

Wrap Up

Be Voice Search Ready! Where the tech giants lead, consumers will follow. The exception to the rule is Google Glass, consumers shot that one down. Amazon, Apple, Google, Samsung, and Microsoft are known for creating new products that quickly revolutionize the internet. And like it or not our lives revolve around the internet now. Shopping, paying bills, checking the weather, etc. Digital assistants and mobile devices are at the center of the evolution of the internet.

We recommend thinking of your voice search SEO strategy as an extension of your mobile search SEO strategy. All mobile searches aren’t voice searches and all voice searches aren’t mobile, but mobile users and voice search users are both in search of convenience in a variety of situations. Whether they are a businesswoman eating between meetings or a busy parent driving to a soccer game, ease of search is why they aren’t pulling out their laptop.

If you restructure and write content that is geared towards users that are time-crunched or on the move, your website’s user experience will improve and automatically become more accessible. Carbon Digital provides digital marketing and business solutions, including making your SEO strategy voice search-ready. Contact us today for help applying these voice search tips to your existing SEO strategy.