Voice Search: What Does it Mean For Your Business and SEO?

Is your business optimised for voice search?

Though it’s still often thought of as a ‘feature of the future’, voice search has actually already integrated our day-to-day lives and is being used far more widely than many businesses realise.

In this article by Sierra Six Media’s Alice Baker, you’ll learn what voice search is, what it can do for your business and some top tips for improving your SEO for voice search.

What is voice search?

Voice search is an up and coming marketing tool that was first introduced by Google in 2011 but has only become popular over recent years, with many popular brands introducing wifi connected devices and enhancing voice enabled functions. Google Home, Amazon Echo and Apple Homepod are among a few examples of smart speakers with voice search functions, which now over 2 in 5 adults use daily.

Anyone with a smartphone knows that voice search is more mobile than ever, with options such Google Assistant, Apple’s Siri, Samsung’s Bixby and Microsoft’s Cortana, accessible at our fingertips. A recent Google report found that 27% of the online global population is using voice search on mobile.

What can voice search do for my business?

A study by comscore in 2017 suggested that by 2020, 50% of all queries would be voice-based. This is bad news for any business that hasn’t updated its online profiles in a while. 48% of people search for local businesses with phrases such as “which restaurants are open near me?” and if your business is difficult to find online, or the information is confusing, it is unlikely to show up in those searches.

An analysis of 73,000 business listings in 2019 found that 96% of all business locations fail to list their business information correctly. This study implies that only 4% of businesses are voice-search ready!  You can improve your voice-search results by using search engine optimisation to boost your Google position and inputting the correct information on your business pages. 

Along with e-commerce SEO and technical SEO, make Voice Search Optimisation part of your SEO strategy. Without it, you may be missing a crucial chance to gain new local customers for your business.

Here’s some tips to improve your SEO for voice search:

1. Understand Your Key Demographics

Voice search algorithms use location and several data points to understand search context, we also have to look further into understanding our consumers and their behaviour.

Real-time data and research on consumer insights can help understand how different people use voice search. For example, Millennials and Gen Z prefer using voice search over the older generations.

2. Conversational Keywords

Although short-tailed keywords are useful for boosting SEO, when it comes to voice-search we have to consider what a natural voice search enquiry would be and how your website can answer them.

3. A Page That Answer FAQs

In relation to conversational keywords, you will need to have content which asks the major questions for your business and products or services: Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How, and include content that answers those key questions.

4. Mobile and Local

Mobile and local go hand in hand, especially where voice search is concerned. Users ask on-the-go queries using their phones and other devices which means your website should be mobile-friendly. Make sure information like directions, location and contact info is readily accessible and correct on your landing page.

5. Load Time

Backlinko did some extensive tests on Google Home’s search results. They found that the top results of the voice search had an average wait time which was almost half of the average wait time of the top-ranked websites on a traditional search. This means your website wait time needs to be short enough to grab the attention of not only your customers, but of coveted voice search algorithms too.

We can help your business be in front of other businesses in voice search by upping your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) game, giving your customers instant access to your company information such as opening times, location, reviews, etc and being recommended by the top voice user interface.

Written by Alice Baker

Digital Marketing Executive, Sierra Six Media

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