The future of voice search for businesses
Voice search is a speech recognition technology that lets users search queries based on voice commands.
It has become popular among Amazon Echo, Amazon Alexa, Siri, Cortana, and Google Assistant. The technology uses audio recognition to understand what users are saying accurately.
It is clear that technology is evolving to Google search, but does it really have the potential we foresee?
According to recent research, voice search is fourth in the list of preferred options for performing searches, dropping from third place in 2025. What does this mean for your business?
Although the growth of voice search may not be as rapid as predicted, it’s safe to say it is here to stay. Ensuring your website is optimised will keep you on top of this trend and get you ahead of the competition.
Ways to optimise your website for voice search include:
- Website load time: Like traditional search engine optimisation, voice search favours faster sites. Ensure that your website responds quickly on all devices, that images are optimised, and that files are compressed, along with other tasks that typically speed up your website’s load time. How speed affects conversion.
Conversational keywords: When searching on desktop or mobile, you would be more likely to use short phrases such as ‘vegan cafes in Manchester’. But when asking a voice assistant, you may re-phrase to ‘Where is the closest vegan cafe to me in Manchester?’ It’s time to start saying goodbye to singular keywords and introducing long-tailed, question-based keywords. - Local searches: Invest in local content to increase your chances of producing voice search content. If a user visits a new location, they will ask, “What is the best cafe in Liverpool?” You could be missing a trick if your Google address is not listed correctly.
- Learn more about Local SEO.
Keep in mind that different locations will have colloquialisms that will affect your results. Make sure your website content accurately represents the location of your business.
Answer your consumer questions: People often ask direct questions on voice search. Try integrating an FAQ page on your site to provide answers to your consumers.
Tip: YouTube videos appear in voice search results, so having videos that answer specific questions could be a great way to answer your client’s queries.
Voice search is on the rise and will not go anywhere anytime soon. Embracing this new trend and moving with the times will help keep you ahead of your competition. It’s time to ensure your website content is optimised and that you have a structure and strategy for future content.
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