“Okay Google, what is voice search optimization?”
The internet is a changing place and voice search in digital marketing is one of the biggest areas of growth at the moment. Talking to a computer may have seemed like science fiction a decade or more ago. Today, it is commonplace.
55% of users currently utilize voice search to ask questions of an AI using a smartphone, smartwatch, or smart speaker. This number is growing rapidly every day. It is therefore important that you harness voice search as a part of your SEO strategy.
The question is how do you implement voice search as a part of your digital marketing strategy?
In this article, we’ll look at how you can optimize for voice search.
What is Voice Search in Digital Marketing?
Putting it simply, voice search allows people to search for information just by speaking into their device. Typically, voice search can be found on smartphones and other similar devices.
As more-and-more people adopt this type of technology, more Google voice searches will be made.
How Does Voice Search Differ From Traditional Search?
The most noticeable difference between voice search and traditional search is that you speak your search query instead of typing it.
Voice search makes use of longtail keywords that are more conversational in nature. This is because when we’re using a device with voice search we’ll ask the question in full.
For example, you’ll be more likely to say “Okay Google, where is the nearest hardware store?” rather than “hardware store near me” which is how you might phrase it when typing.
Although you can ask any question using voice search, it is generally used mostly for finding services that are local to them.
Voice search gets to the point quickly. Because users want to hear the answer back immediately, voice search uses featured snippets to provide results.
Instead of reading several results back, you’ll just hear your device let you know the answer to your question. If there is a more in-depth answer, your device will ask if you’d like to visit the site.
Creating the Best Digital Marketing Strategy for Voice Search
The great news is that by working on making your site accessible to voice search, you won’t harm your current SEO strategy or traditional search.
There are several things you can do. These include:
Optimize Your Content for Featured Snippets
By optimizing your content for featured snippets and rich answers, you’ll be opening yourself up to feature in voice search results. You should also include knowledge panels and knowledge boxes.
These will help prepare your content for voice search.
Use Google My Business and Employ a Local SEO Strategy
To appear in ‘near me’ searches, you should set up your Google My Business profile. The bare minimum you should include is your name, address, and phone number. However, the more full your profile is, the better your chances will be of ranking higher.
Write in a Conversational Manner
Optimizing your content for voice search involves writing in a conversational tone, using natural language.
It’s essential to understand who is reading your content before deciding on the voice you’ll write in. Ask yourself what question keywords will they use?
How to Use Voice Search in Your SEO Strategy
By utilizing voice search in digital marketing, you’ll be able to appear in more searches. With the technological changes that are occurring, you’ll need to optimize for voice search to stand out.
For help optimizing for voice search in your SEO strategy, get in touch today.
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