It’s 2017 and we’re relying on our robotic companions more than ever before. Alexa is now one of our wisest friends and Siri is still having to answer your weird and wonderful questions. But what does this ever-increasing utilisation of voice search mean for your website? It actually means quite a lot, so it’s time to wise up on how we can optimise sites for voice search.
1. Think ‘chatty’
“Hey, Siri. Where’s my nearest pizza place?”, “Alexa, can you play me some Beyonce?” – If these sound familiar to you, not only are you spending your free time in the best way, but you’re also kickstarting your journey towards optimising for voice search. Our devices are making it easier and more convenient to search than ever before thanks to the natural nature of how they are conducted. We can simply ask a question and the technology used will generate an answer in a similar fashion that a human might. But with this also comes a change in the search terms we have to think about when it comes to optimisation. A standard text search is going to be between 1 and 3 words long whereas a voice search tends to be longer, mimicking that of a conversation between friends. Conduct new Keyword Research thinking specifically about how you, and other device users, would ask questions. You’ll soon notice a pattern in the searches made, especially in terms of localised and personal angles.
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2. Utilise Google My Business
The best way to think about Google My Business (GMB) is to see it as your very own, free online store advertisement. On here, you can manage your company’s information, including the basics such as address and phone number, across both Google Search and Google Maps. This means you can be found with great ease when those all-important localised searches are carried out. You can also add events and blogs posts to your listing which is a great way to keep your online presence fresh and relevant whilst driving traffic to your desired pages. Whilst this all sounds fabulous, it’s important to remember that your GMB listing won’t automatically guarantee your site showing in the SERPs. However, it will allow Google to see more information about you which, if kept up-to-date, will work in your favour – especially when it comes to local SEO…
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3. Refer to the FAQs
As well as being super handy for visitors to your site, the FAQs pages present a great opportunity for you to really hone in on the long-tail keywords sandwiched inside of voice searches. If you’re thinking about building a shiny, new FAQ page then it’s worth considering quite a wider scope of searches that include a higher number of words. For example, instead of just “How do I know if my car needs an oil change?”, consider brand specific queries such as “How do I know if my Mercedes C-Class needs an oil change?”. In doing this, you’re going to be anticipating the direct searches from device users whilst also driving the focus to a niche product or service that you provide.
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4. What are people asking?
In Britain, 62% of us are already pretty comfortable with using voice-operated devices and voice assistants on mobile when listening to music, checking the weather and, most importantly, for search. Knowing where these searches stem from and we’re most likely to be asking for is essential in order to make sure your site is still showing in the SERPs. The majority of searches and commands tend to be localised, such as “Hey Siri, how far away is the nearest petrol garage?” or “Alexa, find me the number for Tesco on Birmingham New Street.” Where voice optimisation and your site then merge is in the ability to fall into these localised results. Taking the time to think about the questions related to your industry will also help in terms of understanding their journey which, hopefully, leads to your site.
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If you’d like to learn more about voice search and how to optimise your site for it, why not get in touch with one of our SEO experts today.
