Voice search is changing the way people search for information online. With the increasing popularity of virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, it’s more important than ever for businesses to optimise their SEO strategies.
Considering that by 2025, the transaction value of purchases made through these devices is expected to reach $164 billion, adapting to this revolution has become a must for businesses.
In this article, we’ll delve into the impact of voice search on SEO marketing and provide tips on how to optimise for local search and virtual assistants. But first, let’s start simple and look at some basics and definitions.
Voice search is a type of technology that allows users to perform search queries using their voice instead of typing. It is powered by artificial intelligence (AI) and natural language processing (NLP) technologies that help virtual assistants understand and respond to user queries. It is becoming increasingly popular due to its convenience, speed, and accuracy.
According to a report by Juniper, voice commerce will grow substantially; reaching over $80 billion per annum by 2023. This means that businesses that fail to optimise for this rising trend risk losing a significant portion of their potential customers.
Imagine you are a business owner, and you have been working hard to improve your website's search engine ranking. You've invested in keyword research, link building, and other traditional SEO strategies to drive traffic to your site. However, you start to notice that your efforts aren't yielding the results you hoped for. Your website is struggling to rank high in search results, and your competitors seem to be doing better.
That's due to the relationship between SEO and voice search. Traditional SEO strategies are no longer enough to keep up with the rapidly changing digital landscape. The rise of voice search has disrupted the traditional SEO game, and businesses need to adapt quickly to stay relevant. Voice search changes the way people interact with search engines and requires a new approach to SEO marketing.
Overall, while traditional SEO tactics may have worked in the past, the shift towards voice search means businesses must be agile enough and adapt their strategies to keep up with the changing landscape of digital marketing.
To nail voice search and local search optimisation, businesses need to understand how users interact with virtual assistants and the types of queries they use. Here are some tips for optimising your SEO strategy for voice search:
Voice search queries tend to be longer and more conversational than text-based queries. This means businesses need to use long-tail keywords and conversational language in their content to match the way people speak.
For example, instead of optimising for the keyword "best pizza in town," businesses can optimise for the long-tail keyword "Where can I find the best pizza in town?"
First things first: what are featured snippets?
Featured snippets are search results that appear at the top of Google's search results page. They are often used to answer voice search queries. To optimise featured snippets, businesses need to structure their content in a way that is easy for virtual assistants to read and understand. This can include bullet points, lists, and tables.
Local business listings are also important for optimizing voice search. Businesses need to ensure their business information is accurate and up-to-date on platforms like Google My Business. This information can include the business name, address, phone number, and hours of operation.
Title tags and meta descriptions are important elements of SEO marketing that help search engines understand what a page is about. To optimise voice search queries, businesses need to include natural language and long-tail keywords in their title tags and meta descriptions.
Structured data is a type of code that helps search engines understand the content on a page. By incorporating structured data, businesses can improve their search engine visibility and increase their chances of appearing in voice search results.
For example, using structured data to mark up business information can help virtual assistants understand and display that information in search results.
To stay ahead of the curve, businesses need to adopt growth marketing strategies that take into account the impact of voice search on SEO marketing.
Here are some growth marketing strategies for optimising for voice search:
Creating voice-optimised content is an essential growth marketing strategy for businesses looking to succeed in the age of voice search. To truly optimise content for virtual assistants, it's important to focus on providing value and answering the questions that your audience is asking. By doing so, you can establish your business as a trusted source of information and gain visibility in voice search results.
User experience is a critical factor in SEO marketing and voice search optimisation. Businesses need to ensure their websites are mobile-friendly, load quickly, and provide a seamless user experience. This can include optimising for local search, providing accurate business information, and making it easy for users to contact the business.
Data warehouses can be used to analyse voice search data and identify trends in user behaviour. By analysing this data, businesses can gain insights into the types of queries users are using and adjust their SEO strategies accordingly.
Local search optimisation is a critical factor in voice search optimisation. Businesses need to ensure their business information is accurate and up-to-date on platforms like Google My Business, Yelp, and other local directories. This can include providing accurate business hours, phone numbers, and addresses.
Voice search is an emerging technology that is changing the way people search for information and make purchases online.
At NBT, we understand the importance of voice search optimisation for businesses and their growth. This will definitely improve their chances to rank higher, show up in voice search results, and reach a wider audience.
By combining voice search with a range of digital marketing services, businesses can seamlessly improve their online presence, increase website traffic, and generate leads.
