Optimizing for the Rise of Voice Search

In the last few years, voice search has been quietly yet steadily rising in popularity among internet users. What was once considered a gimmicky feature of digital assistants like Alexa and Siri has now become a go-to method for many people to find information, make purchases, and interact with the digital world.

According to a recent ComScore report, a whopping 50% of all searches are expected to be voice-based by 2024. That’s a staggering statistic that no business can afford to ignore. If you want your website to remain competitive and visible in the years to come, you need to start thinking about how to optimize it for voice search.

As an SEO agency in Manchester, UK, we’ve been closely following the voice search trend and helping our clients adapt their digital strategies accordingly. Through our research and experience, we’ve identified several key areas that businesses should focus on to audit their website content and capitalize on the rise of voice search. Let’s dive in, shall we?

Understand the Unique Nature of Voice Search

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of optimizing your website, it’s important to understand how voice search differs from traditional text-based search. While the underlying mechanics may be similar, the way users interact with voice search is quite different.

For starters, voice search queries tend to be longer and more conversational. Instead of typing “Italian restaurants near me,” a voice search user is more likely to say, “Alexa, find the best Italian restaurant in my area that’s open right now.” The language is more natural and question-based, reflecting how people actually speak.

Another key difference is the importance of location. According to Think with Google, over 50% of voice search queries have local intent, with users looking for businesses, services, or information specific to their geographic area. This means that optimizing for local SEO is crucial for voice search success.

Conduct a Thorough Voice Search Audit

Now that you understand the unique nature of voice search, it’s time to audit your website content to identify areas for improvement. This process involves several steps:

1. Analyze your current content

Start by reviewing your existing website content through the lens of voice search. What types of questions are your customers likely to ask using voice search? Are your pages structured in a way that provides clear, concise answers to those queries?

Take a close look at the language and tone used throughout your site. Is it conversational and natural, or does it sound overly formal and robotic? Voice search users respond best to content that sounds like it was written for a real person, not a search engine.

2. Optimize for featured snippets

One of the key ways voice assistants determine their responses is by pulling information from featured snippets – those short, concise answers that appear at the top of traditional search results. By optimizing your content to be featured in these snippets, you increase your chances of being selected as the voice search result.

Focus on creating clear, well-structured content that directly answers common questions related to your products or services. Use appropriate schema markup to help search engines understand the context and intent of your pages.

3. Embrace long-tail keywords

As mentioned earlier, voice search queries tend to be longer and more conversational than text-based searches. This means you need to shift your keyword strategy to target longer, more specific phrases that reflect how your customers actually speak.

Conduct thorough keyword research to uncover the types of questions and phrases your target audience is likely to use when searching by voice. Incorporate these long-tail keywords throughout your content to improve relevance and visibility.

4. Optimize for local SEO

With the prevalence of local intent in voice search queries, it’s crucial that you optimize your website for local SEO. This includes ensuring your NAP (name, address, phone number) information is accurate and consistent across all online listings, as well as creating location-specific content that addresses the needs of your local customer base.

Don’t forget to claim and optimize your Google My Business listing – this is a key factor in determining local search and voice search visibility.

5. Prioritize page speed and mobile optimization

Voice search is predominantly conducted on mobile devices, so your website needs to be fast, responsive, and optimized for mobile users. According to one study, the average voice search result page loads in less than 5 seconds – double the speed of a typical web page.

Use tools like Siteimprove’s Performance to identify and address any speed or mobile optimization issues on your site. This will not only improve the user experience for voice search users, but it will also boost your overall search engine rankings.

Adapt Your Content Strategy for Voice Search

Once you’ve completed your voice search audit, it’s time to start making changes to your content strategy. Here are some key things to focus on:

1. Create FAQ pages

As mentioned earlier, voice search queries tend to be question-based, so creating dedicated FAQ pages is a great way to provide clear, concise answers to your customers’ most common questions. Structure your FAQ content in a way that’s easy for voice assistants to parse and understand.

2. Optimize existing content

Don’t feel like you need to start from scratch – you can actually optimize a lot of your existing website content to perform better in voice search. Review your blog posts, product descriptions, and other pages to identify opportunities to make the language more conversational, add relevant long-tail keywords, and structure the content in a way that’s conducive to voice search.

3. Leverage schema markup

Structured data in the form of schema markup is a powerful tool for voice search optimization. By adding schema to your website, you can help search engines better understand the context and meaning of your content, increasing the chances of it being selected as a voice search result.

Focus on implementing schemas for things like FAQs, product information, and local business details. This will give your website a significant boost in voice search visibility.

Stay Ahead of the Curve

Voice search is only going to continue growing in importance, so it’s crucial that you make it a key part of your overall digital marketing strategy. By auditing your website content and adapting your approach to cater to voice search users, you can position your business for long-term success in the evolving search landscape.

Remember, voice search optimization isn’t a one-time event – it’s an ongoing process that requires regular monitoring and refinement. Keep a close eye on your website’s performance, track your rankings for key voice search queries, and be prepared to make adjustments as needed.

The team at MCR SEO is here to help. As an experienced SEO agency in Manchester, UK, we have the tools and expertise to guide you through the voice search optimization process and ensure your website is primed for success in the years to come. Don’t wait – start auditing your content and optimizing for voice search today!