In today’s world, we are constantly searching for the easiest, fastest, and most efficient forms of technology. Therefore, it is no surprise that voice search features are so common.
Between remotes that change channels at the sound of your voice to virtual assistants like Siri and Alexa, most of us likely use voice search more often than we even realize.
While this makes our lives easier, it makes SEO (search engine optimization) strategy more complicated, as voice searching and text searching can produce very different results.
Furthermore, voice searches typically only show around three of the most relevant results to the search, so modifying your SEO strategy to work with this search method is crucial in order to reach as wide of an audience as possible.
Voice Search Vs. Text Search
To understand how voice and text search differ from one another, just think of the way that you yourself use them.
Let’s say you’re trying to search for a nearby pet store. If you’re using text search, you might abbreviate your query to something like “pet store near me.”
However, if you’re using voice search, you might say something like “Where is the nearest pet store?” Even these tiny differences can change the results of your question.
Different Types of Keywords
To make sure that your site appears in all searches, utilize long-tail keywords and question keywords.
A long-tail keyword is a phrase that contains three or more words. For example, a long-tail keyword would be a phrase such as “pet stores in Savannah, Georgia” instead of just “pet stores.”
This helps to narrow down searches and help your consumers find exactly what they’re looking for. On the other hand, question keywords are exactly what they sound like- they pose a question and provide an answer.
These are commonly placed in FAQ sections. For example, a question keyword could be a statement such as “Does your store sell live pets?” followed by an answer to the question.
This way, your brand is more likely to show up as a result no matter how the searcher’s question is posed. To make this strategy even stronger, insert more conversational words such as “I,” “we,” and “you.”
Instead of trying to be overly technical and professional, think of the way you talk to the people around you every day and use that kind of language to communicate with your consumers.
Consider the Browsers
In addition to catering to your consumers, cater to the browsers your website shows up on. This can be done by maintaining a Google Business profile, providing straightforward information in order to appeal to Google featured snippets, and adding as much relevant detail as you can to your website to give SEO bots more information to work with.
At the rate that search engines and technology are evolving, voice search optimization is not something that can be ignored. By following these tips, not only will your online presence be stronger, but you’ll also see more traffic and activity on your website. What is there to lose?
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