The world of search engine optimization (SEO) is constantly evolving, and one of the most significant changes in recent years has been the rise of voice search. With the widespread adoption of smart speakers like Amazon Echo and Google Home, as well as voice assistants like Siri and Google Assistant on mobile devices, voice search is quickly becoming a major player in the world of SEO.
What is Voice Search?
Voice search is a technology that allows users to perform internet searches by speaking to a device, rather than typing in a query. Voice search is becoming increasingly popular as people look for faster and more convenient ways to access information.
According to a study by PwC, 71% of respondents would rather use voice assistants to search for something than physically typing out their query. Another study by Google found that 55% of teenagers and 41% of adults use voice search every day.
The Impact of Voice Search on SEO
Voice search is changing the way people search for information online, and this has important implications for SEO. Here are some of the ways that voice search is affecting SEO:
More conversational search queries
- When people use voice search, they tend to ask questions in a more conversational tone. This means that search queries are becoming longer and more detailed, as people try to find the information they need using natural language.
For example, instead of typing “best pizza restaurant in New York,” someone might ask their voice assistant, “What are the best pizza places in New York City?” This means that businesses need to optimize their content for long-tail keywords and conversational phrases, rather than just short-tail keywords.
Greater importance of featured snippets
- When people use voice search, they are often looking for quick answers to their questions. This means that featured snippets, which provide a concise answer to a query at the top of search results, are becoming increasingly important.
To optimize for featured snippets, businesses need to focus on creating content that directly answers common questions related to their industry or niche. They should also use structured data markup to help Google understand the content of their pages and highlight important information for featured snippets.
Emphasis on local SEO
- Voice search is often used to find local businesses and services. This means that local SEO is becoming more important than ever. Businesses need to make sure that their website is optimized for local keywords, and that they are listed in local directories and review sites.
Need for mobile-friendly websites
- Most voice searches are performed on mobile devices, so it’s essential that businesses have a mobile-friendly website. This means that the website should be responsive, load quickly, and be easy to navigate on a small screen.
Importance of natural language and conversational content
- As we mentioned earlier, people tend to use natural language when performing voice searches. This means that businesses need to create content that sounds conversational and answers common questions related to their industry.
For example, a real estate website might create a blog post titled “What are the best neighborhoods for families in [city name]?” This type of content is more likely to appear in voice search results because it directly answers a common question in a conversational tone.
Conclusion
Voice search is a rapidly growing trend that is changing the way people search for information online. As more people use voice search, businesses need to adapt their SEO strategies to stay ahead of the curve. By optimizing for conversational search queries, featured snippets, local SEO, mobile-friendliness, and natural language content, businesses can ensure that they are well-positioned to succeed in the age of voice search.
INTERVIEW QUESTIONS
Q.1 What is the primary goal of SEO?
The primary goal of SEO is to improve the visibility of a website by securing higher rankings in search pages which in turn, increases business prospects. SEO is thus a subset of web marketing, in which the focus is to improve the ranking of a website on a search engine page by implementing specific techniques. All the initiatives here will be driven organically, that is, without having to spend any money on advertisement.
Q.2. HOW TO OPTIMIZE YOUR CONTENT FOR VOICE SEARCH SEO
Optimizing for voice search is quite a departure from the old days of search engine optimization. Though, when you think about it, it’s also more straightforward.
As I’ve mentioned, voice search is all about natural language processing, which means an emphasis on long tail keywords.
So, instead of “grocery store near me open now” you might say, “Ok, Google, where is the nearest grocery store that’s open now.”
In other words, you’re using long tail search terms that sound more like complete sentences, rather than trying to write copy that naturally weaves in the awkward phrases you’ve found inside the keyword planner.
According to studies, the first result in Google’s organic SERPs gets about 35% of the click share.
With voice search, there are even fewer organic “slots” available. Compared to the ten or so organic listings, plus the rich results box, smart speakers only share one result at a time, while mobile displays three results.
As such, securing the top spot is more challenging and more important than ever.