Voice search and optimization are extremely important for both marketers and for SEO professionals going into the future. Voice search has revolutionized the way end users search the web for content, and optimizations for it must be incorporated into any successful SEO strategy.
It’s naturally easier for users to speak their inquiries aloud instead of typing them through a phone/tablet interface or a computer, but it’s also easier for them to absorb the results. It’s possible to listen to audio content while multitasking, so users are theoretically always ready to use voice search.
This means you should be focusing your SEO and marketing efforts to take advantage of voice as much as possible. Below are a few suggestions for doing this.
Create voice-friendly content
Search engines have been updated many times in the past to better understand the context behind inquiries. This has made voice search easily adaptable, and voice search now provides users with the most convenient experience possible.
Fortunately, it may be easier than you think to optimize your content for voice search, as much of the internet’s content is practically built around it already. Smart speakers and other virtual assistants are already used by owners to primarily stream audio and video content.
In fact, video content already accounts for roughly 80 percent of internet traffic, making it the web’s hottest commodity. Of course, this simply accounts for data sent and shouldn’t be interpreted to mean 80 percent of users are only looking for video. High quality written content is still extremely important, but it’s clear that video should be a major focus of any site owner’s efforts.
Luckily, it’s relatively easy to create audio content through podcasts, which can even be recycled audio from past content. Podcasts are extremely popular for listening at work or at home, so they’re a simple way to reach a larger audience. 90 percent of consumers also say that product videos are the most helpful and influential factor in their decision to buy or not.
Voice search algorithms are becoming more advanced all the time, and they’ll be more capable of connecting users with content relevant to them. The more quality video content you have, the more likely it is that yours will be selected.
Improve local marketing
Voice search is especially useful for finding information about the local area. Users frequently use digital assistants to get information about the weather or to voice-search restaurants and stores in the vicinity.
You can work on your localized SEO to improve your chances of appearing in voice search. Optimizing your business for exact and location-based inquiries is generally the best way to take advantage of local voice search and get a leg up on local competitors.
Increase your mobile search presence
It’s hardly a secret that mobile has been hugely important to SEO efforts in recent years, with mobile devices accounting for approximately half of worldwide web traffic. Your site should be optimized to be conveniently navigable on mobile devices, but assistants like Siri and Bixby on mobile phones means you also need to do everything possible to ensure your content appears on mobile SERPs (search engine results pages).
It’s even more advantageous if your content can be included in search engine featured snippets, which are more likely to be seen by users. It’s now more important than ever to ensure your content will load quickly on mobile, as page load speed is now an important ranking factor.
Whether voice search largely maintains its current popularity or it becomes the dominating force in online searches, preparing for it now is your best chance to ensure your brand stays known and relevant in the future.