In years past, it was possible to explain SEO to a non-techie as essentially the relationship between “text” and “search.” However, jump forward a decade or so and there is a vastly different reality—namely, a pretty prominent amount of web traffic as well as e-commerce purchases are the result of a search that comes through interaction with Apple’s Siri or Amazon’s Alexa, as well as other devices.
With that in mind, it’s necessary to readjust thinking about the difference between typing a query in a browser and what that same query would sound like when spoken aloud. Why? Because optimizing your site’s content to capture traffic that is the result of voice search works differently than what happens via traditional SEO means.
Voice Search is Simply Different
The question isn’t about whether or not you should, but when you should optimize your website to enable voice search. The answer? Now!
After all, current studies show that voice shopping is projected to top $40B in 2022.
So, keeping that staggering number in mind, what are the main benefits of voice search?
When your website is prepared to handle voice search SEO, you will realize:
- Improved rankings: The results from voice search tend to land somewhere in the top 3 positions on the SERPs. Therefore, you’re going to get more eyeballs on your site.
- Increased revenue: Numbers are numbers—when you have more visitors, you’re more likely to have more conversions, which means more money for your business.
- Boosted authority: The moment you start ranking for voice search and your audience numbers increase, your website’s authority is also boosted.
So, How Does Voice Search Work?
The answer to this question isn’t necessarily rocket science either. Think of how you type a query into Google’s browser. For instance, you might search for some particular keywords like, “Best steakhouse, Charlotte.”
However, voice search is going to be focused on a whole question, as opposed to just keywords. After all, how many of us actually talk in abbreviated keywords when asking a question?
So, with regard to our query, a user is more likely to ask, “Siri, what’s the best steakhouse in Charlotte, North Carolina?” This is more commonly called a long-tail keyword and is based on natural language.
From here, voice search will give you one answer instead of showing you a full list of search results—and as a business, you are more likely to capture the attention of that person as they have less to focus on when making their decision.
Leveraging Voice Search SEO
There are a few ways to ensure that your website is prepared to handle voice search SEO, including:
- Confirm your Google My Business listing is complete. This is one of the main factors that determines voice search ranking—after all, it’s highly likely that a user finishes their voice search query with the words “near me.” Make sure your Google My Business listing has all of your name, address, and phone number information in the listing and that you have selected the right business category and area code.
- Ensure your site is mobile friendly. Voice search tends to be mobile, and Google’s mobile-first index will base rankings on the site’s mobile friendliness. This means that only websites that are mobile responsive are getting a shot at first-page rankings.
- Page load speed is key to voice search. This is a crucial component for whether or not your site is optimized for voice search SEO. People generally don’t like having to wait for a site to load—and virtual assistants like it even less.
Smart Speakers Are the Driving Force
As we near the holiday season and enter into 2022, know that it’s projected that more than half of U.S. households will have their very own Alexa, Siri, or some other iteration come the new year. Smart speakers, then, are in a unique position to completely remake the way Internet searches are conducted… and if you don’t put special focus on this now, you might get left behind.
The team at Woland Web is passionate about helping our clients ensure their SEO is comprehensive, strategic, and all encompassing—and we would love the chance to speak with you about how to ensure your website is designed to be found by a user on a traditional browser, as well as a person who is posing a question to their household robot.
Reach out today and let’s schedule a consultation before the new year. We are eager to prepare you for success in 2022!
