One of my best assistants is named Siri. Yep, that one. She never leaves my wrist and follows me around on my phone too.
I might use her because I’m lazy, but I think really think I use her just because I’m busy. Siri is always there with a quick answer and I can ask a question much faster than I can type it into a search bar.
As it turns out, I’m not alone. In the U.S. in 2023, 41% of adults used voice search on smartphones and smart speakers each day. (source)
Voice search has opened up a huge new opportunity for businesses. But your website needs to be ready for it. Here’s what you should do to optimize your website for voice search.
Optimizing your small business for voice search is crucial as more people use voice-activated devices like smartphones, smart speakers, and virtual assistants. Here are some steps to get you started:
1. Use Natural Language and Conversational Phrases
Voice search queries tend to be longer and more conversational than typed searches. Think about how your target audience would ask questions verbally and incorporate those phrases into your website content. For example, you might type in “pizza delivery near me” in a search bar, but in using voice search, you may ask “where’s a pizza place that delivers to my house?” We talk to our phones and speakers as though we’re talking to a real humans. So our website needs to reflect that.
2. Focus on Long-Tail Keywords
There are two types of keywords for SEO: short-tail and long-tail. Short-tail words are general one- or two-word phrases. Long tail keywords are phrases that have five or more words that mimic natural speech. For example, instead of using “marketing tips,” use “What are the best marketing tips for small businesses?”
3. Optimize for Local Search
Many voice searches are local, so make your business is listed on Google My Business and other similar local directories. Include your location in your website content and meta descriptions.
4. Implement Structured Data
This may be one for your web developer, but using schema markup will help search engines understand your content better. This can improve your chances of appearing in voice search results.
5. Improve Page Load Speed
Fast-loading pages are crucial for all SEO optimization, and voice search is no exception. If you’re not sure how fast your site is loading, I’d recommend testing it using a speed test. Often it can be sped up by reducing the size of photos and images, and getting rid of extra WordPress plugins. It’s doubly important for your mobile site.
6. Provide Direct Answers to Questions
Consider creating FAQ pages or blog posts that answer common questions your audience might ask. Use the conversational tone that your customer uses when including the question. This increases your chances of being featured in voice search results as well as being featured as a Featured Snippet on the top of a Google search results page. Structuring your content so the answers are clear and concise will increase your chance of being featured too.
7. Update Your Online Presence
Maintain consistent and accurate business information across all your online platforms. That includes reviews, social media profiles, and directory listings so they’re all up to date and have the same correct information.
8. Leverage Online Tools
Consider using tools to analyze voice search trends and adjust your content accordingly. You can track what phrases people are using to find your site on your Google Analytics account. AnswerThePublic searches questions and phrases people are searching for, which can be really useful for understanding voice search trends. Also, pay attention to what people are asking on social media, including how they are asking it. These tools can provide insights into how people are using voice search to find businesses like yours.
9. Keep your content up to date
Updating your existing content to ensure it’s optimized can be a game changer for voice search and help your stale content find a new life!
Incorporating these strategies into your website will not only improve its visibility in voice search results, but also enhance your customers’ overall user experience. As more people turn to voice search, having your website optimized for voice search can give you a competitive edge…and who wouldn’t want that!?
Photo Credit: Los Muertos Crew
