Voice Search first became introduced to the world in 2011 when Apple released their new iPhone that came equipped with Siri. Siri became very popular quickly. Soon after, Amazon developed a smart home device, Alexa, the first mainstream smart speaker. Now, over 118 million people in the US own a smart home device, and 100 million own Apple iPhones making voice search one of the most popular ways to search the internet.
What Is Voice Search?
Voice search is when individuals ask their question into their mobile device or smart speaker rather than typing it into a search engine. The smartphone or device used will generate an answer pulled from the web and relay it to the individual. Voice search is growing in popularity because of its convenience and availability. So many large companies have created their own voice search software, including Apple’s Siri, Google Home, Amazon’s Alexa, and more, making it readily available to the majority of the population.
How do I Optimize My Website for Voice Searches?
Because of the growing popularity of voice searches, businesses need to optimize their website correctly to stay relevant and visible to consumers. Here are a few tips on how to optimize a website for voice search:
Natural Language & Long Tail Keywords
Because voice search requires people to speak their search instead of typing it out, the language used is likely to be more conversational based using natural language. For example, you may type “macaroni and cheese recipe” into a search engine, but if you were to search using Siri or Alexa, you would probably say, “how do I make macaroni and cheese?”. Because the language used in voice searches is more natural to how we talk, it is important to include long-tail keywords on your website. What are long-tail keywords? They are about 3 to 5-word phrases or questions people search for.
Local
It is found that voice searches are three times more likely to be local search based. Because voice search is often local, it is an excellent opportunity for local businesses to optimize their website. Make sure that your Google My Business profile is complete with all the necessary information, including who you are, what you do, and where.
Give a Concise Answer
Lastly, think about how you would use voice search and what you want to hear back from Siri. Everyone who asks a question to their Siri or Alexa wants to short, concise answer rather than an elaborate, lengthy answer. So keep this in mind when developing content for your website.
Contact Boston Web Marketing
If you are looking for more ways to optimize your website to the fullest, please contact Boston Web Marketing. Our team helps businesses improve leads, conversions, brand awareness, and more by providing professional services in SEO, social media management, paid media, and more!