Words: Angela
As voice search devices and hands-free features become more widely available, it’s important to think about whether your content is ready for these searches.
Speaking is 3.7 times faster than typing, making it ideal for users on the go. Voice search is a growing movement that’s here to stay! Below are some best practices and Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) tips to help your content succeed with voice search.
How different is voice search SEO to traditional website SEO?
Voice searches are more conversational and are generally longer in comparison to typing search phrases or keywords.
The preference to voice is faster than typing or using a touchscreen with 30% of internet users aged 16-64 worldwide using voice assistants each week. It’s predicted to increase significantly in the next five years.
Google has long adapted to this market shift as it slowly changes from a traditional search engine to an ‘answer engine’ and one that’ll be notably driven by advanced generative Artificial Intelligence (watch this space!). Google even supports mobile voice search for over 70 languages.
Since voice search results focus on natural, human-like phrases, it’s important to tweak your SEO strategies to match this trend.
5 effective strategies for voice search SEO
1. Write using natural language
Focus on adding more natural sounding keywords that is easy to understand and is more human-like. Keep jargon to a minimum (unless those keywords are specific to your topic).
According to an SEO study by Backlinko you typically want it simplified to a 9th-grade reading level. Use filler words in a way that people speak, considering how they would carry out a voice search to make it sound more natural.
2. Incorporate long–tail keywords
When searching with voice, this means longer than usual keyboard searches.
As people search with voice, this will see long tail keywords become more important. Optimise with five or more words while sprinkling them into your relevant pages or in blog content on your specialised topic. As with the first point, your longtail keywords should still be more conversational.
3. Use target question related keywords
People tend to ask questions more naturally when speaking. Consider what answers are you trying to address or resolve for your audience. Your content needs to give people direct answers to their questions.
Google is using answer-focused technology similarly for voice search results, so keep this in mind when writing your blog content.
Use prompts like ‘can,’ ‘when,’ ‘how,’ ‘what,’ ‘where,’ and ‘when.’ Also using question generating machine tools like answerthepublic.com means you can search for common questions or keyword research.
As part of your voice search strategy, create tailored FAQ pages to answer focused keywords to a key or relevant topic as voice search results are 1.7 times more likely to come from an FAQ page compared to a desktop result.
4. Optimise answers for featured snippets
Include short and concise answers in your web page’s content. It may land you on a search engine featured snippet! With 40.7% of all answers from voice search pulled from a featured snippet you want to identify common questions related to your topic and provide clear and succinct answers right at the beginning of your content. Keep an eye on existing featured snippets for your target keywords and analyse their format and structure to inform your own content.
5. Improve your site speed
Did you know that the average voice search result page loads in 4.6 seconds, which is 52% faster than the average page? Your page speed therefore plays a significant role in driving organic traffic through voice search – a key thing to address when creating content for SERP.
Voice search favours conversational phrases, natural language and fast-loading sites, so it might be time to adjust your strategy to match the way people are searching now.
Need assistance with your web optimisation or refining your content and SEO strategy? Get in touch with our results-driven marketing team and let’s boost your online visibility together.
