Voice Search optimization is all set to change SEO. It’s beginning to gain momentum, so are you ready for it? If not, then read on to learn!

What is voice search?

Voice search is a process of searching for information on search engines by speaking into the mic, rather than typing. More and more people are usingGoogle voice search because it’s faster, convenient and it doesn’t need typing. There will be no room for typos, so it’s more accurate. 4 billion – that’s how many people use voice search. The number is expected to reach 5 billion by 2021. (source – statistica). 

So optimizing for voice search has to be one of your top marketing priorities in 2021. It’s likely going to affect your SEO as well. So your content has to be optimized for voice search from now on. If you’re in need of SEO or voice search optimization, then we provide digital marketing services. 

How to optimise your content for voice search? 

Keyword research for voice search

Voice search uses more conversational language than typing. Hence, voice search keywords are longer. The types of keywords to use while optimise the content for voice search are – 

Question keywords – Question keywords contain the following words – 

• What
• When
• Where
• How
• Why

For example, if a searcher wants to look for running shoes, their voice search queries would be like “where can I buy running shoes near me?”. The interrogative word where is an important keyword here. So implement it in the content to optimise it for voice search. 

Long-tail keywords – Long tail keywords are quite important in voice search because like we said before, people tend to search by using conversational language which are longer than what they type. So, by default long-tail keywords will be present in their query and completes their question. So make use of it in the content. 

For example – how to bake eggless chocolate cake at home? A normal search would be an eggless chocolate recipe. 

Filler words – They make the keywords or phrases more conversational and fills the gap in keywords that you would normally see in types of keywords. For example – a digital marketing company in Bangalore. It is a filler word. For normal SEO, “in” would be absent. It would simply be the digital marketing company Bangalore. So don’t forget to use the filler words in the content. 

These keywords are useful for voice search adwords as well. A voice search analytics will help provide plenty of data for user intent. 

Optimise your content for rich answers

Google displays a piece of information relevant to the search in a box on top of the SERPs. This is called rich answers. They get straight to the point, are short and concise. Google displays them to provide information to the searcher quickly and accurately. 

For most voice searches, the rich answers will be displayed, hence, optimise your content for rich answers. Rich answers see a prominent growth over the couple of years. 

Restructure your content

Now that voice searches are more conversational, make your content more concise and crisp. A typical voice search answer is 29 words long. Users prefer their answers to be short and clear for voice searches. 

So to optimise your content, include questions and answers related to a query and include Frequently Asked Questions too (FAQs). Adding FAQs makes it easy for Google to pull content from it and provide it for the voice search results. Use related questions from answer the public.

Using pointers to break your content into small fragments is another voice search best practice. 

Use casual, conversational language – Make the content more conversational to match their voice searching type. The more robotic or bookish your content is, the lower your chances of appearing for voice search results. The crucial step is to understand the search intent behind the verbal queries. Data-driven insights will let you get an idea of what people want when they search verbally. 

Optimise for mobile experience

Most voice search is done on mobiles. It is simply more convenient and when doing voice search, people are usually looking for near places, restaurants, hotels, how-tos, etc. All on the mobile phones. It beats all other devices when it comes to voice search. 

So it’s imperative to optimise your content for voice search marketing. Google places heavy emphasis on mobile optimisation. So take a Google mobile friendly test to determine your content’s optimisation for the same. Ensure that you website and its content are optimised for voice search engine on mobile and that they are responsive. 

Improve content readability

Readability is an important ranking factor in SEO. A good content is simple and easy to read with in-depth information about a topic. It’s written in a language that a 10th grader could understand. 

Use the Flesch-Kincaid readability test to determine the language grade of your content. Aim for a grade 8 or lower for easy readability. Avoid technical jargons. Explaining hard to understand terms that a layman cannot understand, in a simple language. 

Optimise your Google My Business Listing

Most Google voice search will have near me in the keywords. Restaurants near me, book stores near me, cake shops near me, etc. So it’s important to optimise and leverage your Google My Business listings. It will determine where we rank for the “near me” searches. 

Here are the important features that must be on visible on your Google My Business – 

• Name
• Address
• Phone
• Business categories
• Area code
• Local keywords
• Optional – special deal, updates, offers, 

Target local keywords relevant to your locality. Embed structure data  for better recommendation and  rankings. 

So are you ready for voice search optimization yet? It’s surely going to have a greater impact on SEO and your website’s ranking. It’s 2021 and voice search technology is here to take over. If you need any help, Webi7 is the best digital marketing agency in Bangalore. We provide SEO services, PPC services, Content marketing services, and many more. Contact us for a free consultation.