SEO: How to Optimize for Voice Search?
Making search queries through Google Assistant or Siri is common for people nowadays. The way people are using voice search via a tablet or smartphone to find what they are searching for has tremendously increased in a few years.
According to Google, 20% of all mobile queries are voice searches. Though this percentage seems less, it’s a collection of a large group of people.
Voice search is not a future, and it’s already here.
In fact, 41% of adults and 55% of teens already use voice searches daily. When voice searches are used by every age group, optimizing content for voice search is becoming crucial, especially for local businesses.
Why?
- Up to 43% of voice-enable device owners use their device to shop
- 51% of people use voice search to find restaurants
- 41% of people find groceries by using voice searching device
- 28% of people call the business they voice to search for
- 82% of the smart speaker owner find voice search useful
A few years back, you just typed to search for the information. But now you are using a voice to find what you’re looking for. You may not do it daily. However, you’re changing your searching habit.
While typing, people use keywords like “recipe for chocolate cake” to search, but with a voice search, the searching manner has undoubtedly changed.
Voice searching asks, “Hey, Google, how to make chocolate cake at home?”
Search queries are more conversational. People like to talk. They are more interested in getting conversational answers rather than boring answers.
Remarkably, it has impacted SEO. So optimizing content for voice search is undoubtedly essential.
Here is how you can optimize for voice search that can support SEO.
1. Use question keywords
Voice searches are usually in question form. People use voice search to be informed, solve their problems, update themselves with recent events, know their surroundings, and for many other reasons. So it’s normal for people to start their queries with what, why, when, where, how, and who.
Back in the year, searches consisted of one or two words and were more like sentences. However, how people search for information has changed over the past years.
When you use question keywords, ensure that you match the search queries. The more similar you’re to searchers, the more chance you’ll be featured in the search result.
How to sound similar to your searchers?
Use filler words.
Examples of filler words,
I, the, on the, of the, to, for, etc.
Optimizing for question keywords using filler words is the right choice if you want to get visible in voice search.
2. Include the short answer in Content
People are getting more inclined to voice search because they want a simple answer. They are looking for an exact answer to their search. So consider answering the question to the point rather than exaggerating it.
Why?
It’s just not about people not liking it. It’s also because Google tends to answer the voice search within 29 words. Ensure you answer the people’s queries within 30 words so that you appear whenever people are voice-searching for you.
Try answering the question briefly to make your content display as an answer whenever there is a related search. Be very specific and genuine while you answer the question because that’s what Google and people appreciate.
You might be wondering 30 words blogs don’t make sense.
That is very true. It doesn’t make sense. That’s why you create the FAQ page for your voice search.
3. Create a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page
You can make use of SEO data to create an FAQ question page. Categorize the questions based on similarities and put a similar question on the same page. Create multiple FAQ pages to increase the chances of pulling the answer from your site.
As you have previously learned, voice search is more effective for the answer of 30 words. So when you write an answer to each question, you must ensure that you fit your answer into 30 words.
Creating multiple FAQ question pages is beneficial as you increase your chances of ranking.
You might be surprised, but it’s true, FAQ pages can rank for hundreds of different voice search queries.
If you have a reliable answer, your visibility can increase insanely.
4. Natural language content
Voice searches are more interactive and less robotic. People using voice search are looking for readable, easily scannable content that gives them brief information on the topic.
Most importantly, people should understand what you want to convey through your writing. Use simple and short sentences, and avoid using fancy words in your content.
Why?
Because the average result displayed for voice search is written at the 9th-grade reading level.
Eliminate the words which are not understood by your target audiences. Your intention should be to make your audience understand rather than to show off your vocabulary.
Remember to keep your writing clear, as this also helps you to rank in voice search.
5. Use long-tail keywords
You’ve already learned that people use natural language while doing voice searches. So, you should consider how your audiences make sentences to find you. Think of the language they can use to search for your products or services.
The long-tail keywords might differ slightly for voice searches than those you use. This is because people use questions to look for answers while doing voice searches.
You can use Google Search Console to help you determine the right queries that bring people to your website. With this, you’ll know which long-tail is appropriate to apply.
You can also discuss with your customer service team to know more about your customers. Once you have a list of questions, start creating content focusing on long and conversational keywords.
6. Loading speed and domain authority matters
Your website loading speed does matter. The Voice search result shows up in 0.54s. If your loading speed is incompatible, you’re less likely to appear for the resonate queries.
Likewise, you also need to have high domain authority. The website, which has a lot of links pointing back, is considered a reliable website by Google, which is why it significantly impacts your ranking in voice search.
In fact, if the average domain authority is close to 77, then this can positively affect your voice search ranking. But average page authority doesn’t seem to matter much.
It’s not easy to determine what is happening with the data, but it’s good to go with the flow.
7. Optimize for near me
Localizing your website for a particular city or state is the best way to attract people to your business. People are searching through their voices to know their area. They are looking for places to hang out, relax, shop, gym, etc.
To attract local people, you should optimize “near me” for voice search.
For example, if someone searches for pizza and is in your locality, you need to make sure that they find you. If you’ve optimized your website for voice search, they are very likely to visit you.
The business that appears in voice search can immediately drive local customers to their business.
8. Optimized for featured snippets
Getting featured snippets is vital for voice search. According to Backlinko, 40.7% of search answers come from the featured snippets.
Actually,12.3% of searches have featured snippets. So, you need to determine if your content can appear in featured snippets.
If you have content that can appear in featured snippets, then it’s better to optimize it for featured snippets so that your content gets displayed in voice search.
Final Thoughts
As the searching manner keeps evolving, marketers need to keep themselves updated with statistics to cope with the changes. Voice searching is something that needs to be considered while making a marketing strategy, as it has already started growing.
Moving along with the trend is beneficial if you aim for a stabilized business. If one can understand the changing scenario, it’s easy to deal with all the changes. This can be the right time to optimize your website for voice search as it is in the growing stage, and it’s a bit easy to optimize your site for voice search.
