How to Optimise Your Site for Voice Search – Without Ignoring Typists
The number of voice searches on Google and other search engines is growing. It’s hardly news, as people talk constantly to Siri, Alexa, Cortana, Jemima etc., but the scope might just surprise you.
The Predicted Growth of Voice Search – The Stats
- 40% of adults already use voice search once every day
- 50% of all searches will be voice searches by 2020
- 20% of all mobile queries are voice searches
The differences between Voice and type SEO optimisation
– Voice search queries are longer
Three words is the modal average, as opposed to 2 for type searches, and the number of voice searches continues to be higher for four, five, six word or even longer queries.
– Voice searches are more likely to be a question
Build experiences for question-based queries – alongside keywords and key phrasing, Google takes into account the phrasing of searcher’s questions, so consider if your customer will be using Where? What? Why? or How? when they are searching for what you’re selling.
– Voice searches are more likely to sound like how a human being actually speaks
Google algorithms have been moving further and further towards quality and readability of content for a long time now. So, if your copy has been moving with those changes, integrating voice string queries into your site is the next logical step should be pretty simple.
Don’t forget the keyboard warriors!
20%, 40%, 50%, you’ll notice that these numbers are big, big enough to make the industry sit up, take notice and make sweeping changes. But even taking into account the huge predicted growth, voice searches are still only around half of Google searches, or even less. So, it’s important not to forget people searching for products and services using last season’s look – the keyboard.
We’ve highlighted above how Voice Queries tend to differ from typed queries, which still make up the majority of searches online. Therefore, you should be careful when optimising for voice searches not to throw the baby out with the bath water. Your existing SEO plan and targeting will continue to be effective for traditional typed searches (if it is already), so look to add to, rather than replace, what is already working.
Voice Search is great for local businesses
27% of consumers visit the website of a local business as a direct result of a voice search, and 46% of voice search users look for a local business daily.
A couple of stats we didn’t include earlier is that voice searches on mobile are three times more likely than text searches to be looking for something local. A supermarket, petrol station, coffee shop, wedding boutique – you name it, people are asking their phones or smart speakers to find one for them.
And their AI assistant is directing them to the nearest options it can find. If you think that the nearest or best option is your business, you need to make sure you’re optimised for it.
Beyond optimising your site to rank for your particular search query, these steps can include;
- Listing your business on Google My Business (and posting regular content to your page)
- Including a Google Map of your location on your website
- Even something as simple as including your location or address in Headings and Title Tags
To find out more about how to optimise your site for SEO, including Voice Search, give us a call today on 01473 326 907 or click here to contact us.
Read more – Hey Google… How Is Voice Search Affecting SEO?
