You are here: Home / Blog / Voice Search: Why You Need It and How to Get It

Voice Search: Why You Need It and How to Get It

By Arkadiy Okhman on Oct 21, 2021

People are increasingly using voice search technology, to the point that if you don’t optimize your website for it, you are losing business. People are becoming more and more accustomed to using voice for a variety of applications. A Google survey reported that 52% of people have voice-activated speakers in common spaces at home.  And 72% of them use them regularly for various functions. Not only do people like voice search, but voice search optimization is also a key component of SEO these days. What all this means is that the time is here to optimize your website for voice searches.

In this article, we’ll cover five quick ways that can get you started on optimizing your website for voice searches. But before we do that, let’s look at some reasons that show how important this is for businesses.

Why Should You Make Voice Search Optimization a Priority?

The Adobe Analytics survey reported that 70% of people use voice search for music, 35% for confirming information and 16% for hotel research. So, no matter what your industry is, a whole lot of users are looking for information using voice searches. It’s becoming a primary medium for people to find information and online stores. That means optimizing your website for voice search means more traffic and more sales.

A Google survey reported that 62% of users say that they will likely buy something through voice search within a month of looking it up. And 44% of people who regularly use voice search order groceries through it at least once a week. So, if your customers are using voice search, why shouldn’t it be a priority for you?  If you don’t know enough about the process for optimization, then this article will certainly help you. Otherwise, you can reach out to a marketing agency to optimize your website for voice search and SEO services.

Five Practical Ways to Optimize Your Website for Voice Search

Here are five practical and quick ways to optimize your website for voice search results.

1. Restructure Your SEO Strategy

One aspect in which voice searches differ from typed ones is that long-tail keywords dominate voice queries. Here, people ask questions in a conversational tone, and so the questions or keywords are usually long. For example, for a written query one could type “pet shops near me.” But for voice queries the question will likely be “where can I find a pet shop near me?”

Here’s how you can adjust your SEO for voice search optimization:

  • Use tools such as Google’s Keyword Planner or Answer the Public to find the long-tail keywords and question keywords that you should be targeting in your content.
  • Then update the keywords in the meta tags and URLs. It helps search engines know what your content is about and optimizes it for SERPs.
  • Create location-specific pages for your business and use conversational language.

Remember that sometimes the result that ranks number one in typed searches is not the same that shows up in voice queries. That’s because each targets slightly different keywords.

2. Focus On Google My Business (GMB)

Did you know four out of five customers use search engines to find local business information? And then 50% of the customers who use a mobile phone for local searches visit the location.. So, to optimize your website for voice searches, start by optimizing your local SEO, specifically the Google My Business page.

Here are some ways you can work on improving your website’s local visibility:

  • Target keywords with your location such as plumber in Lakeview, Chicago or vegan dessert store in Clear Lake, Houston.  That will help your website show up in the results for queries with the keywords near me.
  • Add reviews on Google and other review sites that might be popular in your industry. Google Chrome was the most widely used browser in 2021, so  adding reviews on Google helps boost your local SEO.
  • Update information on your Google My Business page. That can include store timing, parking, location and delivery options.

3. Update Your Content

To optimize your website for voice searches, you need to first understand why people are using the voice search option in the first place. It’s usually because they need quick and accurate information. For that, you should add high-quality content on your website that answers the searcher’s intent quickly.

Here are some tips.

  • Write in a conversational tone.
  • Create answer targets to long-tail keywords in a way that directly resolves the user’s query. Google or Siri sometimes only display one answer in the voice-search results. So target answers should help your content rank in voice searches.
  • Since most users use the voice search option to look for local business, update your content to include information on local events or activities.

The key is to focus on answering questions, keeping local intent in mind and creating a better framework for your website so it’s easier for search engines to find the content.

4. Make Your Website Mobile-Friendly

Since 58% of people use mobiles for voice searchers, you no doubt already know that your website must be mobile-friendly. You can use professional SEO services to improve your website or make the changes yourself.

Some tips for making your website mobile-responsive are to

  • Choose a theme that is compatible with various devices.
  • Adjust button sizes to give the best user experience.

Start by running a website audit on Google Analytics. Check the bounce rate and visit duration of mobile visitors to see where your website stands in mobile-friendliness.

5. Improve Website Speed

Page load speed is important for both typed searches and voice searches because Google and other platforms need to show answers immediately but especially for voice searches. That means if your website loads quickly, then it’s better optimized for voice searches.

Here are some things you can adjust to improve your website speed.

  • Use compressed videos, images and graphics to improve speed. You can use Gzip for that.
  • Reduce plug-ins on your website.
  • Use a better hosting provider.

Help Is at Hand

A Bright Local survey reports that 46% of voice search users use it daily to find information and local businesses. With the growth of digital voice assistants and better technology, that number will only increase. That’s why your website needs voice search optimization.

I hope this article made the process clear to you. If you need more help with any aspect, contact Umbrella Local, and our experts will be happy to assist you.

Share This Article

Subscribe to our newsletter

Join thousands of marketing managers who get our best digital marketing insights, strategies and tips delivered straight to their inbox.

    How is your
    website's SEO?

    Use our free tool to get your score calculated in under 60 seconds.

      captcha

      Our Locations

      Alternative content for the map
      contact calling icon

      Ready to speak with a marketing expert? Give us a ring

      (646)440-1426

      google ratingfive star customer rating