How to Optimise Your Website for Voice Search
Very few trends have grown at such an exponential rate that requires adoptions to your digital marketing strategy as voice search. This technology was unknown in 2010 and now it can be found in a large majority of homes throughout the world. But what does this mean for your website?
Voice search uses artificial intelligence (AI) not only to hear but to interpret the users query to ensure that they receive relevant results. A great example, is as you are about to leave the house in the morning, you ask Siri or Alexa, “do I need my umbrella today?” The software understands the question and provides the answer on the weather for today.
Voice search is convenient, which is why more people are using it. The majority of voice search today uses search engines and the search engine is then responsible for returning the most relevant results.
This means voice search needs to be part of your Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) strategy. As the input demands content optimisation. Without voice search optimisation, your website could be left in the dust, as your competitors embrace this new technology in their campaigns.
Did you know, in 2023, Amazon sold over five hundred million Alexa-powered devices to clients throughout the world? This excludes the number of smart phone users that rely on voice search.
The most obvious statistic is that you need to optimise your website content for voice search now. The majority of requests made using voice search are very different to text-based questions. This means marketers need a new approach for SEO now and in the future.
Snippets are direct and concise results on Google search engine results pages. These are results Google feels are relevant and answer the question for the user. When it comes to voice, there isn't a screen, most results come from snippets. Snippets take the information from your website, linking your audience to your website without them every visiting your site. It's an excellent opportunity to boost brand awareness and improve your authority in your niche.
Snippets are exceptionally powerful, often referred to as “Position Zero,” as they are shown before the rest of the results. They are essential to voice search.
It's important when optimising for voice search to bear in mind that voice search results tend to be direct, short, and easy to understand. This means paying closer attention to your website structure, such as your meta descriptions, introductions, lists, and subheadings.
When your website structure is done properly, it appeals to Google crawlers, while grabbing your audiences attention, helping to generate more organic traffic to your site.
Most users using smart speakers and voice assistants ask a question. This means you need to create your website content to answer question-specific searches. The majority of phrases include who, when, why, what, and how. When your website content provides direct answers that fit their questions, it is picked up in results.
Studies have found that close to sixty percent of consumers using voice search are looking for a local business. This shows how mobile and voice search work together and are powerful tools for local marketing.
Make use of Google's free tool, Google My Business. This strategy provides an opportunity to keep your business information updated, write content, and capture the attention of your local community.
When you optimise your website for voice search, it offers the opportunity to reach a wider target audience. When you optimise your website for voice search, you provide the search engines and your audience with what they need and prefer. It's recommended to add voice search into your digital marketing strategy as soon as possible to adapt to your audiences habits. Get in touch with Genie Crawl today if you need help optimising your website for voice search.
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