The way people are searching the internet is changing. With the rise of voice-enabled devices such as smartphones, virtual assistants and smart speakers, voice search is becoming an increasingly important factor when it comes to search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. It is estimated that by 2020, half of all online searches will be conducted via voice search. Therefore, businesses need to keep up with this trend and adapt their SEO strategies to optimize for voice searches if they are to remain competitive.
The Basics of Voice Search SEO
Voice searches are different from traditional keyword searches in that they tend to be longer and use more conversational language. Therefore, businesses need to adapt their SEO approach to account for these changes. Instead of using the traditional keyword research tools, businesses should focus on long-tail keywords and phrases that reflect the way people speak. This means that businesses should be incorporating more natural sounding phrases into their content, as well as optimizing for local search results. Voice searches are 3 times more likely to be local in nature, compared to text searches. Taking advantage of local search results can greatly benefit a business, as it can help to drive more traffic to the company’s website.
Optimizing for Featured Snippets
Another important aspect of voice search SEO is to optimize for featured snippets. Often referred to as “position zero” in search results, featured snippets are designed to provide users with quick answers to their questions. With voice searches, users are more likely to receive answers from featured snippets. Therefore, businesses need to take steps to optimize their content to appear in featured snippets. This includes creating content that is straightforward and easy to understand, as well as using bullet points, lists and other relevant formatting to make the information more accessible. Businesses should also make sure that their content is written in a way that is easily scannable, so that it can be easily picked up by Google’s algorithm.
Optimizing for Mobile
Finally, businesses need to ensure that their content is also optimized for mobile. Voice searches are often performed on mobile devices, so it is important that businesses make sure their website is mobile-friendly. This includes making sure that they are using a responsive design and that their website loads quickly on mobile devices. In addition, businesses should also check their website’s user interface to make sure it is easy to use on a mobile device. Finally, it is important that businesses take steps to optimize their content for mobile, including using the right meta tags and using the right size images to ensure that their content loads quickly.
Conclusion
Voice search is rapidly becoming an important factor in search engine optimization (SEO) strategies. Businesses need to keep up with this trend and adapt their approach in order to remain competitive in the digital age. This includes optimizing for long-tail keywords, phrases and local search results, as well as optimizing for featured snippets and mobile. By taking these steps, businesses can ensure that they are delivering the best possible user experience and increase their chances of being found in voice search results.