Unlocking the Power of Voice Search: Strategies for Optimizing Your Website

Intro

Internet searches have been around for as long as we’ve had the Internet in our homes.

Of course, much like the internet, the way we search has changed. Now, one of the most popular means of conducting an online search is by asking a smart device.

We now have voice assistants like Google, Siri, Alexa, Bixby, and others. They’ve unlocked a whole new way to ask for what we want on the internet.

That means, as a business owner looking to pull in more website traffic, you need to optimize your site for voice search.

But how does voice search actually work, and what can you do to make sure that when people ask a device about a business like yours, they find you?

This article is going to explore those very questions in detail.

What is voice search?

Voice search is a system that allows a user to conduct an internet search with just their voice. Typically, this uses a voice assistant like Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa, among others.

Voice searches allow users to ask conversational questions and get answers.

For example, a common voice search question might be, “Hey, Siri, where’s the nearest Chinese food restaurant?”

These assistants can also answer questions based on random facts. For example, you can ask, “Alexa, what was the 48th state in the United States?” It would then answer you verbally, telling you that it was Arizona.

Google Assistant, Siri, and Bixby will also bring up a search results page to show you where it obtained the information.

Why are businesses optimizing for voice search?

Businesses have seen the value in optimizing their websites for voice search. More than 50% of the US population uses voice search every day. That means there’s a massive audience to pull from.

(Image Source)

Those numbers will only grow over time. That means your business should make voice search optimization a priority. That’s particularly true for service-oriented companies looking to capitalize on local searches.

Let’s say you own an Italian restaurant in Miami, Florida. When someone in that area asks Siri or Google whether there’s good Italian food around them, your name should come out of that speaker.

Customers use voice search on their mobile devices and smart speakers. Many consumers even use voice search in the car through Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

So, why are consumers using voice search more than text search in 2023?

It’s convenient and works from anywhere with an internet connection. It provides specific answers and responds to conversational queries. It’s hands-free, which is always a plus, and requires less effort to access.

A parent carrying their child in one arm and a bag of groceries in the other can ask questions of a search engine without putting anything down.

Because of its increasing popularity and ease of use, you can’t afford to miss out on optimizing your website for voice searches.

How can you optimize your website for voice search?

There are many steps to optimizing your website for a voice search query. In the following sections, we break several of them down with actionable steps and tips.

Structure content around dialogue

One of the key ways voice searches differ from text searches is how you word them. When you’re looking for a sporting goods store in Orlando, Florida, you’re likely to type in something like this:

“Sporting Goods Orlando FL.”

However, when you’re conducting a voice search, it will so more like this:

“Hey, Google, I need to find a sporting goods store in Orlando, Florida, with good prices.”

Voice searches are conversational in nature. Users conduct them as though Google is a friend sitting next to them. That means you need to structure your website content around dialogue in a conversational tone.

One way to do this is to add Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to most pages. This tactic presents an opportunity to answer some common voice search questions and appeal to the search engine’s algorithm.

Additionally, structure your content around answering questions to match the search intent of the voice query. Find some of the most common questions people ask within your industry or niche and answer them with your content.

The result could lead to you ranking high on the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) for voice queries.

Focus your design on mobile-first

When people use voice search, it’s usually through a mobile or smart device. It’s rarely, if ever, done through a desktop or laptop computer.

Once, we focused on desktop optimization first while making sure our mobile game was strong. That was back when mobile internet was new, and more people searched for and accessed content through their computers.

Now, 64% of internet searches take place on mobile devices. That’s a huge industry shift. What’s more, most voice searches are going to come through a smartphone. So, you need to guarantee that your site is optimized with a mobile-first outlook.

(Image Source)

Why do you need mobile-first optimization for voice search? Because one of the major criteria for searches in the Google search algorithm is user experience. By making sure that your mobile optimization is spot on, you’ll increase your odds of Google pulling you up the SERP for voice results.

Use AI tools

Artificial intelligence can be used to optimize your website for voice search. For video marketing or audio content, use an AI caption generator to make voice searches more accessible.

It does this by creating word-by-word subtitles. That can help voice search find your content more easily. Considering software developers for hire can help your business not only integrate voice search but also customize it to your specific needs and requirements.

Google’s search bots still aren’t smart enough to look at a video or image and understand what it’s about. That’s why we need captions and alt text to inform these bots of our purpose.

(Image Source)

But few people have the patience to sit and slowly type out transcripts of longform video or audio content. In the case of a podcast, this could be two hours worth of dialogue that you’ll need to write out.

With an AI caption generator or Chatgpt transcription, you can get this job done in under a minute. The AI combs your content, and recognizes the words spoken. It then generates captions the search bots can comb through.

What’s more, this content is already conversational in nature. That’s another positive feather in your proverbial cap that can go a long way toward ranking in a voice SERP.

Go after long-tail keywords

When you conduct your initial keyword research, incorporate high-volume long-tail keywords. These are longer, more conversational terms that people look for when they’re being specific in what they want.

For example, “auto shop in Glendale Califnornia specializing in Chevy tranmsmissions” would be a long-tail keyword.

If you noticed there, that also sounds a lot like a phrase someone would use when conducting a voice search. Long-tail keywords are conversational in nature, so optimizing for them will help your chances in ranking for a voice search.

(Image Source)

Just do some careful research before deciding what long-tail terms to go after. They should be high in volume but low in competition. That will give you the best chance of rising through the SERPs quickly.

In the SEO world, we call this low hanging fruit. It’s ripe and delicious, but also within reach. If you select long-tail keywords with a lot of competition, it’s going to be a struggle. If you’re wondering why your business isn’t ranking on Google, this could be why. That’s especially true if you’re trying to match big name national brands with a ton of reach.

You also want to make sure that the volume exists. It won’t do you any good to rank for long-tail keywords that no one is searching for.

Optimize for local results

When optimizing your content for voice search, it’s important to add some local identifiers. Customers are often looking for businesses in their general area. If you optimize too wide, you’re going to get a lot of irrelevant results.

For example, trying to rank for sporting goods stores nation-wide will put you up against major competition like Dick’s, Target, and Walmart. And if you don’t have an online store, it’s not going to do you much good to be found in a search by someone in California when you’re in New Jersey.

Adding location modifiers can help you narrow the playing field. That removes a lot of the big names that could trample you into the SERP mud and gives you a fighting chance.

(Image Source)

One important element in ranking for local searches is optimizing your Google My Business page. Google My Business is a free service offered by Google that helps you rank for local results and Map listings.

Conclusion

Voice search isn’t a fad and it’s not going away anytime soon. If anything, voice search is only going to get bigger and more powerful as time goes on. That’s why you need to start thinking about voice search optimization now before your largest competitors pass you by.

Get a leg up today and implement the advice offered in this guide. By doing so, you can get a nice head start and improve your voice search reach.