The Future of Voice Search and Its Impact on SEO

Voice search has evolved over the years and has become a very popular means of browsing the internet. It is seemingly the fastest growing search method to be invented. It is fast, hands-free, fun, accurate and allows for easy multitasking.

Voice search or voice-enabled search is the use of a voice command to search for information on the internet. The voice search is used to make inquiries, search for information and get answers to questions.

With everything going on with voice searching, questions are rising and answers will be needed to feed those questions. Apart from the answers being needed, consider this a medium to learn more about the effects and the benefits as well.

Why is voice search important?

There are some people who do not really type the way they talk. They find it difficult to express their verbal words exactly the same way in written form. There is usually always a little difference, and that “little” difference makes it difficult for the results they are looking for to be found. However, when they talk or use the voice search feature, they get rapid answers.

The trick is that, while typing, they just type in the keywords like for example “food-Kenya”, meanwhile, if they used the voice search feature they could ask questions directly using their voice like; “what is the best meal in Kenya”? A search of this type will certainly get more accuracy.

Voice search allows users to search the internet while doing other things. It provides a quicker option for those who do not like typing on their phones to still access the internet.

Since voice search provides answers quickly, it helps to reduce negative signals such as high bounce rates. This helps in improving the ranking of a website if it has been optimised for voice search.

Does voice search impact SEO?

Voice search has revolutionised the way people search for information online, and it’s certainly made its mark on SEO strategies. But is voice search a ranking factor when it comes to SEO?

The answer isn’t a simple yes or no – there are more factors at play than just whether a website is optimised for voice search or not. For instance, the context of the search plays an important role; if users are searching for a specific product or service, voice search results need to be more accurate than traditional text-based searches. Additionally, natural language processing (NLP) is becoming increasingly important for voice search optimisation, as it helps ensure that searches are understood and responded to in the most relevant way possible.

Ultimately, voice search is not a direct ranking factor for SEO. However, if used properly and optimised for natural language processing, it can be an effective tool for increasing website visibility in both traditional text-based searches and voice searches alike. It’s important to remember that optimising your website content for voice search will also boost its visibility in traditional text-based search results, as well.

Finally, voice search isn’t a direct ranking factor for SEO, but it can still be an effective tool for boosting website visibility. Optimising your website content for natural language processing and tailoring it for both traditional text-based searches and voice searches is the best way to ensure optimal SEO results. By doing this, you’ll be able to maximise the visibility of your website in both types of searches and reap the rewards for it!

Brands that fuel the rise in voice search

Google has revealed that voice search is one of the fastest growing forms of search and they’ve invested heavily in it. As more gadgets like apple (siri) are becoming more reliant on voice search, some website owners and tech giants also woke up to this type of search development including the likes of;

  • Alexa by Amazon,
  • Cortana from Microsoft,
  • google now, etc.

These companies set the trend for voice searching and more brands are beginning to appreciate the importance of adopting it, so as not to be left behind. The fact that some of these technology giants invested millions of dollars into these digital assistants is an indication of its potential, and this has made some other brands to consider implementing it.

What are people using the voice search technology for?

  • Spelling correction – You can use the voice search to make corrections or specify what you’re actually looking for. For instance, if you search for ‘whales’ on the internet using voice search and you get wales instead, you can simply spell W-H-A-L-E and the appropriate result will pop up.
  • The previously searched  – The use of voice search will also help you make follow-up searches. A typical example is when you search for something like the “LONDON BRIDGE”. Afterward, you can also ask, “who built it?” Google will understand the context in which “it” is being used.
  • Understanding Context based on location  – People use the voice search to get the timing for their next trips. Here’s a sample of how it works; you can ask Google “how far is the airport from the stadium?” and Google will immediately know that your current location is the stadium.

Understanding Application Based Context

If you are chatting with a friend about a particular restaurant on an application like fibre, and you voice-ask Google what the menu is, Google will know the restaurant’s menu you’re trying to get.

  • On screen context  – Let us say you’re reading something on Wikipedia about Tom Cruise. Once you say to Google, show me pictures of Tom Cruise, you’ll be sure to find it.
  • About you – You can ask Google things about you. You could ask Google “where’s my house address?” and using Google voice search, your house address would pop up with Google knowing the context “my” refers to.

In general, voice searching is mostly used to ask questions and locate places.

How will the voice search technology impact SEO?

The use of voice search is on the rise. With the increase in accuracy of voice searching and the adaptation of the technology by more mobile companies, more and more people would turn towards voice searching. It is obvious that voice search is going to be the future of web search. As a digital marketer who wants to implement some SEO strategies, it would be smarter to incorporate voice search into these strategies so that you can capitalise on the increasing amount of people using voice search to access the internet. Here are a few strategies you can adapt to leverage the benefits of voice search.

  1. Using Long Tail Keywords – People do not use keywords on voice search the same way they would do when typing. They ask more direct questions to get better corresponding answers. Long tail keywords are usually more conversational, which is the way voice-searchers access the web. Inputting long tail keywords in your content increases the chances of it ranking high on SERPs for voice search. Also, try to develop contents using an informal tone.
  2. Optimise micro-data on your site – Visitors, search engines, and mobile voice search users are usually all about the basics. The very small things like directions, locations, sitemaps, and all other basic things that mobile users are after should be optimized on your site.
  3. FAQ Pages – Most searchers usually just ask questions about the content they need. One way to increase your ranking is to have an FAQ page on your website about your content. That way, when questions are asked, your website comes up as well.
  4. Keyword Research – From time to time, carry out keyword research on the questions that are frequently asked by users of voice search technology, and develop your content with the focus on those keywords.
Conclusion

The Use of voice search continues to increase daily, with millennials forming a greater part of that number. People now want information faster and in the easiest way possible. Voice search is being used to ask for everything from directions, locations, types of foods to how to prepare some foods, the best fashion, and best beauty products. Implementing voice search technology to SEO is no longer an option, but a necessity if a brand wants to stay within the competition. Voice search is the future of web search and should be adopted to increase traffic, increase user engagement, improve ranking and bring profit to the business.