In recent years, voice search has emerged as a significant trend in the way people conduct online searches. With the rise of virtual assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and others, more and more users are using voice commands to find information, products, and services.
From desktop to mobile and mobile to digital assistants, we have come a long way as far as accessing information is concerned. Previously all queries were made using text, but today users are opting for voice search as well. The convenience provided by voice search and the popularity of digital assistants has added to this trend.
According to media analytics firm ComScore, by the year 2020 half of the searches made will be through voice.
The above stats prove the importance of voice search in the coming years. This search alternative is very popular especially among the younger generation as they look for easy options to perform any task. Google says in Canada, the popularity of voice search is increasing rapidly.
According to Google, in Canada, 70% of smartphone users are interested in getting things done on their smartphone by speaking instead of typing.
Ways to optimize your site for voice search
For marketers to evolve and succeed in the voice-first market, they need to quickly adapt to changes and make their site relevant not just for text but for voice searches as well. Here are some of the ways to optimize your website:
Optimize your site for voice search has become increasingly important in today’s digital landscape. As voice-activated digital assistants and smart speakers like Siri, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and others gain popularity, more and more people are using voice search to find information, products, and services online. Here are some key reasons why optimizing your site for voice search is crucial:
- Changing Search Behavior: Voice search is changing the way people search for information. When using voice search, people tend to phrase their queries more conversationally compared to traditional text-based searches. Optimizing your site for voice search ensures that it can better understand and provide relevant answers to these natural language queries.
- Rising Voice Assistant Adoption: The adoption of voice-activated digital assistants and smart speakers is growing rapidly. These devices are becoming an integral part of households and are frequently used to perform tasks like searching for information, checking the weather, making purchases, and more. By optimizing for voice search, your site has the potential to reach a larger audience using these devices.
- Local Business Opportunities: Voice search is often used for local queries, such as “near me” searches. For local businesses, optimizing for voice search is especially vital as it increases the chances of appearing in the search results when users are looking for products or services in their vicinity.
- Featured Snippets and Position Zero: Voice search devices often read out the featured snippets, also known as position zero, which are concise answers to user queries. By optimizing your content to provide direct and relevant answers to common questions, you increase the likelihood of your site being chosen as the source for voice search results.
- Mobile and On-the-Go Convenience: Voice search is frequently used on mobile devices while people are on the move. By optimizing for voice search, you cater to the convenience of users who prefer hands-free searching, making it easier for them to access the information they need quickly.
- Competitive Advantage: Voice search optimization is still a relatively new concept, and not all websites have adapted to it. By staying ahead of the curve and optimizing your site for voice search, you gain a competitive advantage over competitors who might be slower to adopt this technology.
- Improved User Experience: Voice search optimization often goes hand in hand with improving overall site usability and content quality. When you optimize your site for voice search, you are likely to enhance the user experience for all visitors, whether they use voice search or not.
In conclusion, optimize your site for voice search is no longer an optional strategy but a crucial step to adapt to changing consumer behavior and stay relevant in the digital world. Embracing voice search optimization can help your site reach a broader audience, increase organic traffic, and provide a seamless user experience, ultimately contributing to the success of your online presence.
References:
Melody McKinnon, December 4, 2018 Canadian Report: English and French Use of Voice Search, https://canadiansinternet.com/english-french-use-voice-search/
Singh Geeta, June 4, 2019, How to Optimize for Voice Search in 2019: The Ultimate Guide, Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-optimize-voice-search-2019-ultimate-guide-geeta-singh/