There’s no getting away from the term ‘voice search’ in the world of SEO. With the emergence of handy technology like Amazon’s Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant, voice search is here to stay, so let’s break it down.
Voice search allows the user to search the internet or complete tasks on a device through a voice command. It’s very likely that you’ve heard someone say ‘OK, Google’ or ask Alexa a question, and this is an example of how voice search has already become integrated with not just our mobile devices, but our homes too.
So why does this matter to a marketing company? By 2020, 50% of all internet searches will be voice searches. As an SEO agency in Hull, we’re always on the lookout for new SEO trends that can affect how websites rank in the SERPs. This fact proves just how much voice search is on the rise, meaning businesses need to adapt their SEO strategies and start optimising their websites for voice search.
SEO for Voice Search
If you want to stay ahead of the game, you’ll need to rethink your SEO efforts to rank highly for voice searches. The first step is to make sure your website content works for voice queries. This means using a more conversational tone and writing the way that people speak, rather than in short-tail keywords. When people use voice search, they typically use longer phrases and more question words. For example, when typing a search query you may search ‘Best SEO Hull’, but when asking your device you’re more likely to say ‘What is the best SEO company in Hull?’. The use of semantic search and FAQs on your website can help increase your rankings when it comes to voice search.
In addition, voice search is typically done on a mobile device and tends to be more locally focused, so it’s important not to overlook Local SEO. In fact, 22% of voice search queries are searching for location-based content, so having an up-to-date Google My Business profile with your correct business information including opening times, address and contact details can help voice assistants find what the user is searching for. If you’re a local bakery and someone searches “Where’s my nearest bakery?”, you’ll want to ensure your address is listed so that you appear in the top position in the search results.
Much like traditional search, Google voice search favours websites that load quickly, so you should consider improving your page load speed to improve your chances of being picked as the answer to a voice query. Don’t worry if you’re not clued up on this, our technical SEO specialists can take care of your page load speed and everything else we’ve covered in this blog.
If you’re interested in adopting the help of an SEO company to maximise your SEO strategy, get in touch with us on 01482 333833 to speak to an SEO specialist. We’re a digital marketing agency in Hull, but we work with clients nationally to improve their search engine rankings.
