How to Optimize Your Website for Voice Search in Digital Marketing

In this article, I’m going to take you through Voice Search optimization in Digital Marketing.

Voice search is not a new trend, but it is becoming more popular and influential in the digital marketing world.

According to a report by Juniper Research, voice-based ad revenue could reach $19 billion by 2022.

That’s a huge opportunity for marketers who want to reach their target audience through voice search devices like smartphones, smart speakers, and virtual assistants.

But how do you optimize your website for voice search?

What are the best practices and strategies to rank higher in voice search results? In this article, we will answer these questions and more.

We will show you how to optimize your website for voice search in digital marketing and why it is important for your business.

What is voice search optimization?

Voice search optimization is a set of SEO techniques that make your content more likely to appear in voice search results.

The goal of voice search optimization is to address common verbal queries in your content so that voice search technologies and virtual assistants present your page to users in voice search results.

Voice search optimization is different from traditional SEO because voice searches tend to be more conversational, natural, and long-tail than text searches.

For example, a text search might be “best pizza near me”, while a voice search might be “Where can I get the best pizza in town?”.

Voice search optimization requires you to understand the intent and context of your users, as well as the capabilities and limitations of voice search devices.

You need to create content that answers the questions your users are asking, using the language they are using, and providing the information they are looking for.

Why is voice search optimization important for digital marketing?

Voice search optimization is important for digital marketing because voice search is growing rapidly and changing the way people search for information and products online.

Here are some of the benefits of voice search optimization for digital marketing:

• Voice search optimization can help you reach more potential customers who use voice search devices to find what they need. According to Google, 27% of the online population is using voice search on mobile. That’s a huge market that you don’t want to miss out on.
• Voice search optimization can help you improve your brand awareness and reputation by providing relevant and helpful answers to your users’ questions.
• Voice search optimization can help you boost your local SEO and drive more traffic to your physical store or location. According to Search Engine Journal, 58% of consumers use voice search to find information about a local business online.
• Voice search optimization can help you increase your conversions and sales by providing a better user experience and a faster path to purchase.

How to optimize your website for voice search in digital marketing?

Now that you know what voice search optimization is and why it is important for digital marketing, let’s look at some of the best practices and tips to optimize your website for voice search.

Here are some of the things you can do to make your website more voice search-friendly:

1. Target question keywords and other long-tail keywords.

As mentioned, voice searches tend to be worded differently than text searches.

Voice searches are usually more specific, detailed, and question-based, as users want to get a precise answer to their query.

Therefore, you need to target question keywords and other long-tail keywords in your content that match the way your users speak and search.

To find question keywords and long-tail keywords for your niche, you can use tools like AnswerThePublic, AlsoAsked, or Keyword Tool.

These tools can help you generate hundreds of questions and phrases related to your main topic or keyword.

You can also use Google’s autocomplete and related search features to get more ideas.

Once you have a list of question keywords and long-tail keywords, you need to incorporate them into your content in a natural and relevant way.

You can use them as headings, subheadings, bullet points, or within your paragraphs.

Make sure your content answers the questions clearly and concisely and provides value to your users.

2. Use conversational language in your content.

Voice searches are conversational.

Users speak to their voice search devices as if they were talking to a friend or a human assistant.

They use casual, informal, and colloquial language, and often include words like “I”, “you”, “me”, “please”, and “thank you”.

Therefore, you need to use conversational language in your content as well, to match the tone and style of your users.

To use conversational language in your content, you need to write as if you were speaking to your audience directly.

You need to use simple, clear, and easy-to-understand words and sentences, and avoid jargon, acronyms, and complex terms.

You also need to use emotion, humor, and personality, to make your content more engaging and human.

One way to check if your content is conversational is to read it out loud or use a text-to-speech tool.

If your content sounds natural, smooth, and friendly, then you are on the right track.

In case your content sounds robotic, stiff, or boring, then you need to revise it and make it more conversational.

3. Prioritize local SEO.

Voice search is especially popular for local queries, as users often use voice search devices to find nearby businesses, services, or attractions.

According to Google, 46% of voice search users look for a local business daily.

Therefore, you need to prioritize local SEO and make sure your website is optimized for local voice search.

To optimize your website for local voice search, you need to do the following:

• Claim and optimize your Google My Business listing. This is a free tool that allows you to create and manage your online presence on Google, including Google Maps and Google Search. You need to fill out your profile with accurate and complete information, such as your name, address, phone number, website, category, description, hours, photos, reviews, and more. This will help your business show up when users ask for local information related to your niche.
• Use geo-targeted keywords and phrases in your content. You need to include your location and other relevant terms in your content, such as your city, state, region, neighborhood, landmarks, or directions. This will help your website rank higher for local voice search queries that include these terms.
• Get more online reviews and ratings. Online reviews and ratings are crucial for local SEO, as they influence your reputation, credibility, and visibility. Voice search devices often use reviews and ratings to determine the quality and relevance of your business, and to provide recommendations to users. You need to encourage your customers to leave reviews and ratings on platforms like Google, Yelp, Facebook, and others, and to respond to them promptly and professionally.

4. Try to capture Google-featured snippets.

Google featured snippets are the boxes that appear at the top of the search results page, providing a quick and direct answer to a user’s query.

They are also known as “position zero”, as they rank above the organic results.

Voice search devices often use featured snippets to provide answers to voice search queries, as they are concise, authoritative, and easy to read.

To optimize your website for voice search, you need to try to capture Google-featured snippets for your target keywords and questions.

To do that, you need to follow these steps:

• Identify the questions and queries that trigger featured snippets in your niche. You can use tools like SEMrush, Moz, or Ahrefs to find out which keywords and questions have featured snippets, and what type of featured snippets they are (paragraph, list, table, video, etc.).
• Create content that answers those questions and queries in a clear and structured way. You need to use the exact question or query as a heading or subheading and provide a short and direct answer below it, preferably in less than 50 words. You also need to use relevant images, videos, or other media to support your answer and to use schema markup to help Google understand your content better.
• Monitor and measure your performance and results. You need to track and analyze how your content is performing in terms of ranking, traffic, clicks, and conversions. You also need to keep an eye on your competitors and see how they are capturing featured snippets, and what you can do to improve your content and strategy.

5. Use schema markup.

Schema markup is a type of code that you can add to your website to help search engines understand your content better.

It can provide additional information and context to your content, such as your name, logo, address, phone number, ratings, reviews, events, products, prices, availability, and more.

Also Schema markup can help your website appear in rich results, such as featured snippets, knowledge panels, carousels, and others.

Schema markup is important for voice search optimization because it can help your website rank higher and provide more relevant and accurate answers to voice search queries.

Voice search devices often rely on schema markup to find and present the information that users are looking for, especially for queries that involve facts, figures, or actions.

To use schema markup on your website, you need to follow these steps:

• Choose the type of schema markup that is relevant to your content and niche. You can use the Schema.org website to find the list of schema types and properties that you can use on your website, such as Organization, LocalBusiness, Product, Event, Review, FAQ, HowTo, and more.
• Generate and implement the schema markup code on your website. You can use tools like Google’s Structured Data Markup Helper, Schema Markup Generator, or Schema App to create and test the schema markup code for your website. You can then add the code to your website’s HTML, either manually or using plugins or extensions.
• Validate and monitor your schema markup implementation. You can use tools like Google’s Rich Results Test, Structured Data Testing Tool, or Search Console to check if your schema markup is working correctly and if it is generating any rich results. You can also use these tools to identify and fix any errors or warnings that might affect your schema markup performance.

6. Optimize for mobile

Mobile devices drive more than 50% of worldwide internet traffic.

Not only that, but 27% of mobile users engage in voice searches on their smartphones.

Recognizing the significance of mobile optimization, Google prioritizes a positive mobile user experience, impacting website rankings.

Embracing responsive design and enhancing mobile-friendliness not only improves search results but also keeps you competitive in voice search, a crucial step in staying ahead.

7. Keep your site fast

How often do you consider your website’s performance?

It’s widely agreed that a page should load within two seconds to maintain a positive user experience.

Similar to mobile optimization, page load time significantly influences Google rankings and impacts visibility in voice search results.

It’s all about enhancing user satisfaction, as Google aims to display results that ensure a swift and enjoyable browsing experience.

There are various strategies to boost your website’s speed.

Start by assessing your site’s current performance using tools like Website Grader.

Then, implement our recommended performance optimization steps to observe the difference.

Conclusion

Over the last decade, voice search has emerged as a significant player in SEO, and its importance will continue to grow.

It’s not just about understanding voice search queries; actively engaging this segment is vital, especially for local businesses aiming to boost both online and offline traffic.

Implementing the aforementioned tips will position your site favorably with search engines, enabling you to capture more voice search traffic.

While immediate results might not be apparent, these steps contribute to your site’s broader SEO strategy.

It’s a win-win situation, much like having Siri on your side.

Further Reading!

• B2B PPC Agency: How to Choose the Best One for Your Business
• Which Goals Are Available in Google Analytics?
• How to Promote Affiliate Links: Proven Strategies
• How to Become a Copywriter at an Ad Agency