Seven ways to optimize your search for voice SEO

Speaking search words aloud into your mobile is what voice search is all about. It is fast replacing the old routine way of typing out words in the field to search. Everyone is into voice search these days, and the number of people using it is expected to increase many more times in the next couple of years. Smart devices that run on voice recognition like Alexa, plays music for you, turns on the lights, or provides you information just when you pop it a question.

According to a recent study, around 20 percent of the searches today happen through voice search. Voice search is no longer than what it used to be. Today, smart speakers have become a lot smarter and understand more than 95% of the English we use. Only the top three results show up when we voice search on our mobile. In the coming years, it may even come down to only one result for any query made.

As per Statista, about 31% of the users of smartphones operate voice search once a week. Zebra Technologies conducted a study which found out that in the next couple of years manufacturing companies will see technology like voice recognition being used more to make operations completely paper-free. According to an allBusiness report, the productivity of workers in warehouses has increased by 25% due to voice recognition.

To keep yourself in the fray, you need to have a fool-proof voice SEO strategy today. Voice search engine optimization, in simple terms, is making your content easier to search by voice. The idea should be to make only your brand appear as a result of a voice search.

Hacks for Optimizing your website for Voice Search

Here are some great tips for you to make your site more ideal for voice search:

1. Make your website suited for voice search: These are busy times and we all do our searches on mobiles on the go. No one has the time or energy to type search words.

• Most searches are made by voice when we are in trains, cabs, or strolling on the streets.
• Voice search is the fastest and most convenient way.
• Design your site so that the searchers get responses quickly.
• Your website must have simple content, voice search, a user-friendly layout, large CTA buttons, and small images.

1. Include a Question and Answer section: This is an effective way that will work wonders for your website. Most people consider their smart devices as their pals and converse with them as if they are humans.

• Instead of using keywords, they like to field questions like ‘Find a good Thai Restaurant near me’ or ‘where I can go for a Pilate workout’.
• It is better to research on the likely queries that people use when they search on Google.
• Ensure to add triggering words such as when, what, who, why, how, where, etc.
• It is highly likely that the items in your FAQ section may match with the queries made by voice searchers. That may get you a top ranking in the search results.

1. Improve the speed of your site: You will not get top rankings in voice search, if your website is moving at a snail’s pace. People want results instantly. Studies point out that the ideal speed for a website to load up should be around three seconds.

• Use proper compressing tools that will reduce the size of your HTML or Javascript files.
• If your website takes time to load up, find out the bugs, and rectify them
• Choose a theme for your site that will be light and load up in a jiffy.

1. Fill your site with long-tail keywords: In voice search, people do not mind using lengthy phrases as opposed to short ones in text searches.

• Fill your content with long-tail keywords. They stand a better chance of getting top ranks.
• There are many tools such as Ubersuggest or Google Adwards, which can help you to coin up such long keywords.
• These tools will suggest commonly used phrases to search for products and services that can be used as keywords.
• Study the queries used by visitors on sites like Facebook to get an idea for forming keywords.

1. Keep your content simple: Don’t use high-sounding words in your website content. The days are gone when you had to sound formal and use technical jargon to impress people. Everyone likes it simple these days.

• Avoid filling up your content with keywords everywhere unnecessarily. People search in a casual, informal language, and it is better to maintain that writing style for your content.
• Instead of flaunting your English, try to explain things in a friendly, conversational tone.
• Keep your paragraphs short up to four sentences only.
• Give short headlines, use bullet points, and images to make the content eye-catching.

1. The importance of snippets: When we do a voice search, answers may come in the form of featured snippets. They are nothing but search results in a box, and they appear at the top of the results. To increase your chances of your site content being displayed as snippets, use the following tips:

• Create short paragraphs of not more than 45 words that will be a summary of the main points.
• Make your content engaging by adding images, tables, or charts.
• You can also make a numbered list that briefly sums up essential points.

1. Focus on local SEO: Make sure your content has all your details, such as an address, location, opening hours, etc. Experts point out that the people who use voice search try to find services that are local or nearby.

• Most people use phrases such as ‘near me’ when searching for some product or service, so try to include these phrases in strategic places in your site.
• Also, include your exact location in some of the keywords. Adding proper landmarks is also a great idea.

All these will help to give your website a top ranking among the search results.

Optimizing your website for voice search is not something to be taken lightly. Most of the searches in the coming years will be by voice, and to boost traffic, your website must be in the right direction. Consider the above seven tips seriously and optimize your content for voice search to drive more traffic to your website.

https://www.pointtopoint.com/blog/9-effective-strategies-to-optimize-for-voice-search

https://www.awai.com/2018/08/9-ways-to-optimize-content-for-voice-search/

https://www.stanventures.com/blog/voice-search/

https://www.singlegrain.com/seo/how-to-optimize-your-website-for-voice-search-and-wearable-tech/

https://unamo.com/blog/seo/voice-search-seo-guide

https://www.searchenginejournal.com/voice-search-optimization-strategies/261115/