The rise of voice search has been nothing short of game-changing. With more and more people using voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant to search for information, businesses need to adapt their content to ensure it is optimised for voice search or risk missing out on a large portion of customers who are looking for them.
Why is it so important to optimise for voice search?
It really comes down to understanding how vast and fast the growth of voice search is. Here are some key stats that should convince you to take it seriously:
There are 4.2 billion voice assistants in use in 2023 and this number is expected to double in 2024.
There are over 1 billion voice searches occurring every month.
More than 50% of adult internet users use voice search daily.
33.2 million US consumers said that they shop using smart speakers.
51% of online shoppers in the US reported that they use voice assistance to research products.
Source: DemandSage
Why is voice search so popular?
Stats are one thing, but it helps to understand why voice search is becoming so popular to truly appreciate this phenomena. There are a few key reasons:
Convenience: It's simply easier to speak to a device than to type out a search query on a keyboard.
Speed: Voice search is faster than typing, particularly for longer queries.
Accessibility: Voice search is particularly useful for people with disabilities or those who find it difficult to type.
Personalisation: Voice assistants can learn your preferences and tailor their responses accordingly.
Ubiquity: Voice assistants are now available on a wide range of devices, from smartphones and smart speakers to TVs and cars.
What does this mean for your business?
If your business relies on online traffic, then voice search is something you can't afford to ignore. Here are a few reasons why:
Increased visibility: Optimising your content for voice search can help your business appear in more search results, increasing your visibility and ultimately driving more traffic to your website. This additional traffic could translate to better business results.
Better user experience: By providing content that is optimised for voice search, you can create a better user experience for your audience, making it easier for them to find the information they are looking for.
Competitive advantage: As voice search continues to grow in popularity, businesses that fail to optimise their content risk falling behind their competitors who are adapting to this new trend and capturing an uncontested market share.
How can you optimise your content for voice search and stay ahead of the competition?
Great! You're convinced and want to take action. Here are 6 action steps you can take right now to optimise your content for voice search:
1. Use natural language
When people use voice search, they speak in a natural, conversational way. So, when optimising your content for voice search, it's essential to use natural language in your content. This means avoiding jargon, technical language, and complex sentence structures that may confuse or frustrate users. Instead, use simple, clear, and concise language that sounds like how people would speak in a normal conversation.
Actionable step: Review your content and simplify it as much as possible. Focus on making it clear and concise, using simple language and short sentences that sound natural when spoken out loud.
2. Answer frequently asked questions
Voice search is often used to ask questions, so it's essential to provide clear and concise answers to the most commonly asked questions related to your business or industry. By doing so, you increase your chances of appearing in voice search results when people ask these questions.
Actionable step: Use tools like Answer the Public or SEMrush's Topic Research to identify the most commonly asked questions related to your industry, and create content that provides clear, concise answers to those questions. You can start with queries that begin with "how to," "what is," and "where to find."
3. Focus on long-tail keywords
As mentioned earlier, voice search queries tend to be longer and more specific than text-based searches. This means it's essential to focus on long-tail keywords - longer and more specific phrases that people might use in a voice search. An example of a long-tail keyword would be "cafés near me that are open now" as opposed to just "café".
Actionable step: Use tools like Google's Keyword Planner or Ahrefs to identify long-tail keywords related to your business or industry, and incorporate those keywords into your content.
4. Use schema markup
Schema markup is a way of providing additional information about your content to search engines. By using schema markup to mark up your content with information like your business address, hours of operation, and other key details, you can increase your chances of appearing in voice search results.
Actionable step: Implement schema markup on your website using tools like Google's Structured Data Markup Helper or Yoast SEO.
5. Optimise for local search
People often use voice search to find local businesses or services. So, it's essential to optimise your content for local search by including your location in your content or using local keywords.
Actionable step: Include your location in your content, and use tools like Google Business Profile, formerly Google My Business, to manage your business's online presence, including your business address, hours of operation, and other key details.
6. Make your website mobile-friendly
Many voice searches are done on mobile devices, so it's essential to ensure that your website is mobile-friendly. This means ensuring that your website is optimised for smaller screens, that it loads quickly, and that it is easy to navigate on a mobile device.
Actionable step: Use tools like Google's Mobile-Friendly Test or PageSpeed Insights to test your website's mobile-friendliness and identify any issues that need to be addressed. Make sure your website is optimised for smaller screens, loads quickly, and is easy to navigate on a mobile device.
"OK Google. Optimise this article for voice search."... If only it were that simple.
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