In 2023, Why Should You Optimize Your Website for Voice Search?

In the past, talking to robot assistants every day seemed impossible. But if we want to find the closest taco stand, dog park, or day spa, Siri and Alexa can help us.

It's now common to use a virtual assistant to conduct web searches on smartphones, smart speakers, and smart TVs. It's often faster, easier, and more efficient than typing in a query.

The catch is that a typical voice search won't be the same as a standard text search. Our queries are phrased differently when we talk to our devices. This is closer to what we would say in real life. This is why SEO professionals and marketers need to be able to capture the growing number of searchers.

Ranking voice search results is difficult, as if this weren't enough. Voice search devices tend to list only the top 1-3 results for any given query. So you need top-notch content and voice search optimization to land that spot. This guide will show you how.

What's Voice Search Optimization?

Voice search optimization refers to a collection of SEO techniques that increase the likelihood of your content appearing in voice search results. Voice search optimization aims to address common queries in your content for voice search technologies and virtual assistants to present your page to users using voice search results.

The user with a phrase initiates a standard voice search (e.g., "Alexa" or "Hey Siri") followed by a question e.g., "What are some good spas close to me?" or "When's the food truck festival?

The device will then reply with a spoken answer. If the device has a display, it might also display the top search engine results pages. Voice search optimization is used to find a specific spot in this search type.

Why Optimize Voice Search?

Voice search is not a new trend but is slowly becoming a standard. Nearly 40% of U.S. internet users use voice search at least once a month, mostly via smartphones and smart speakers. By 2023, the number of smart speakers in America will exceed 200 million.

No matter your industry, voice search offers another way to get organic search traffic. Voice search allows you to tap into a new group of users using smartphones and smart speakers to find businesses and purchase products.

Voice Search Optimization Best Practices

• Keywords that target questions and long-tail keywords

Voice searches are more specific than text searches, as mentioned. They are more detailed, longer, and more specific than text searches. This is because we speak in full sentences with more detail than when we type.

This is also true when we consider interaction costs. For example, it takes most people more effort to type a query than it does to speak it aloud. Because speaking is more physically and cognitively challenging than typing, voice search queries take longer.

One of the best ways to optimize your content for voice search is to target long-tail keywords. This will allow you to capture user traffic with longer, more specific queries.

You don't have to rely on your instincts when identifying long-tail keyword phrases. You can use one or more keyword research tools to find the most relevant keywords for your target audience. To see your target audience's most frequently asked questions, you can use the "related searches" and "people also ask" sections of the Google search results page. Google will recommend what you search for about your business.

• Use conversational language to write your content

It's a conversational search. To meet users where they are, your content should be conversational. A conversational tone is more natural and easy to read. It also makes it easier to respond to voice queries.

You can make your content more conversational by using more conversational words in your blog posts (e.g., "I," me," "you," etc.), refraining from technical language and jargon, and adding humor to your points. You should not be following a brand voice in your content.

• Local SEO is a priority

Local SEO is the process that improves search engine visibility for local businesses. This includes brick-and-mortar establishments. These businesses need local SEO to reach potential customers in their area who are likely to make purchases. It is also a great way to optimize your voice search.

Consider this: If someone uses their phone to search for something, they are likely on the move and searching for something close by, such as a restaurant or a store.

• Capture Google-featured snippets

This is important for voice search, as a virtual assistant will likely use the featured snippet to answer a query if it exists. Therefore, you must capture the featured snippet to win the query.

Because landing in a Google-featured search snippet is not something you can do, I said, "Try to." However, there are steps you can take to capture featured snippets. For a more detailed explanation, see our guide on optimizing for Google's featured snippet box.

• Use schema markup

Schema markup is another technique that can benefit your site's SEO on-page, not just voice search.

Schema markup, a structured data type, is code you add to your website's HTML. It helps Google and other search engines deliver more detailed results. Schema markup usually includes key information about your company, such as hours, addresses, contact information, and pricing information.

• Optimize for mobile

More than half of global internet traffic is generated by mobile devices. Therefore, mobile optimization is crucial, as 27% of smartphone users use voice search to find information on their phones.

Google considers the mobile user experience essential to a website's success and incorporates it into its ranking. Use responsive design to ensure your website ranks well in voice and text searches. This is one more way to stay competitive in voice searches.

• Maintain your site quickly

What do you think about the performance of your website? You're likely to have thought about it. It's common knowledge that a page should load in less than two seconds before it affects the user experience.

Page load time, like mobile optimization, is another Google ranking factor. It affects how your site appears in voice search results. Again, it's all about the user experience. Google wants us to be happy with our search results, so we don't want a slow website.

Voice Search Optimization: Get your voice heard

Over the past decade, voice search has grown to be a significant player in the best web application development company. It won't stop growing rapidly. Therefore, voice search queries are something you need to be aware of. You should also actively seek to capture this segment, especially for local businesses trying to increase foot traffic.

These tips will help you get your site into good standing with search engines. This, in turn, will help you attract more voice search traffic. These web development challenges and solutions will help your site's SEO even if you don't see immediate results. Siri, this sounds like a win-win situation.