According to Statista, 8.4 billion digital voice assistants are in use worldwide. That’s more voice search devices in the world than there are people! This continuous rise of voice search optimization presents challenges and opportunities. Let’s take a look at voice search and its impact on SEO.
What is SEO?
First and foremost, we must understand what SEO is. SEO, or search engine optimization, is the process of driving organic traffic from search engines. It aims to improve your website’s position in search result pages.
Understanding voice search.
The convenience of speaking to a device and receiving an immediate response has rapidly grown in appeal to the younger generation of tech users and made technology more accessible for the older generation.
More so, smart devices—such as phones, speakers, Amazon Alexa, Google Home and even appliances—make it possible to search for things by speaking without typing or navigating the internet.
Three ways to write SEO for voice search.
Creating a shift in how people search the internet, voice search and its impact on SEO means strategies must evolve. Check out these three tactics for optimizing writing SEO for voice search.
Implement conversational keywords and long-tail phrases.
When writing SEO for voice search, remember that when people speak to devices, they use conversational language rather than traditional keywords. Using long-tail phrases aligns with the conversational nature of voice search.
Typically, a voice search user asks questions. So, incorporate question phrases using who, what, where, when, why and how.
Optimize for featured snippets.
Structure your content to provide clear answers to potential voice search queries. You can do this by using bullet points, headers and lists.
Enhance local SEO.
Many people use voice search to find local places and businesses by saying, “coffee shops near me” or “fencing companies in Auburn,” for example. To ensure your business shows up in the search, create content that answers local questions related to your business. This includes guides, blog posts, and pages that use local landmarks, neighborhoods and services.
Update your Google My Business listing with inclusive information. Ensure your business address, phone number and hours of operation are accurate and engaging photos are shared.
In a “nutt” shell
All in all, search engines prioritize concise content that delivers answers. As we look forward to voice search and its impact on SEO, adapt, innovate and keep the user’s voice at the forefront of your digital strategies.
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