Voice Search Impact on Digital Marketing
It is evident now that Google is now becoming an essential part of our personal and professional lives. The search giant keeps improving its functionality to provide precise results to everyone. Now you must be wondering how voice search exactly functions and why it is significant for entrepreneurs? What's voice search optimization, or what does it mean it meant to be? We are here removing all of your doubts and confusion related to this latest technology and its impact on digital marketing.
Voice Search is a sort of technology that helps you to find the correct websites by merely stating your search phrase over the gadget. You can use speech recognition technology to create a query on an internet search engine, look for audio or video files, establish an app, or call somebody. Voice search is not a new technology in the market. But recently it has gained some pace in SEO marketing because of the current change in Google algorithm. Here we are going to discuss the following things:
- Effect of Google Voice Search on SEO
- Impact of Voice Search on SEO
- Future Growth of Voice Search Implementation
- Points to Improve Voice Search Results
Effect of Google Voice Search on SEO
A technology that is dependent totally upon voice recognition is what voice search is all about. It permits its clients to get results by saying terms on the search options bar. After an intensive investigation of its extensive database, this technology will restore the relevant answer as an immediate outcome instead of a query output page.
To cause the clients to associate with voice search, a few computerized collaborators were planned.
Siri, Cortana, Google Now, Alexa, or even Google Assistant are the principal voice search associates that are being utilized all the time by individuals. Clients are in this way posing progressively conversational inquiries to their voice search partner than typing whole question phrases. It is a different method of approaching results for clients.
With versatile and tablet gadgets presently representing 60% of the entire online traffic and the ongoing news declared by Google's algorithms. Such a worldwide development to execute voice search shows that it will leave an extraordinary effect on voice inquiry streamlining methodology.
Impact of Voice Search on SEO
This way, voice is changing our ways to deal with innovation and the web, however, let’s have a look at what impact does Search Engine Optimization have?
Keyword Length - The spoken language is generally not as brief as the written language, and so, the inquiries made on voice searches are comparatively longer. An average of 29 words is generally used for making voice searches, as per a famous blogger. So, it is advisable to use longer keywords to be found. Also, using longer keywords increases the chances of conversions.
Language - Improved and sound voice recognition systems have enabled the voice technology to adjust and follow the ordinary language, due to which users can provide orders as though they were addressing a human. Be it any potential disarray, the client experience is improving continuously due to developing technologies. This has made voice search usage more popular as it's a bit easier and less time-consuming. The 2018 Internet Trends Report by investors and web patterns experts, proves that most of the people are using common English language to search.
Local Search - Due to voice searches being made actively, local searches have considerably increased. It is a fact that 58% consumers are more likely to search locally while making voice searches. So, the optimization of content should consider this change and account for “near me” queries.
LQuestion Words - Voice searches majorly involve the usage of question words like how, who, when which, and where these are generally avoided while making written searches. It becomes important on the part of marketers, to ensure that the results delivered are relevant and specific. Searches that involve very short results, do not help in getting traffic to your website. As per the research, 20% of voice searches are triggered by just 25 words. So, the SEO strategies should be laid down accordingly and content optimization should be done keeping in mind the questions of a higher value.
SERPs - Approx 75% of results from voice searches rank in the top search engine result pages. Most of the results come from the answer boxes appearing at the peak of result pages. Snippets form 30% of the search queries, which are a part of any website present on the first page as a result of the voice search made, and this way, the brand representing that website gets the credit.
Online business - Voice searches have a major impact on online businesses, as in the current scenario, consumers are more dependent on voice search results for buying products. 40% of the people who depend on voice searches, use voice assistants for buying items, while 60% account for those who make use of virtual assistants. So, online sellers should focus on these digital assistants and find out the best way to optimize their content accordingly.
Future Growth of Voice Search Technology Implementation
Within a few years, voice search will turn into a need for SEO, because more purchasers will use voice-empowered gadgets for search. Gadgets that run on Windows 10, macOS, Android, and iOS, all including remote helpers, it's very simple to search online by talking with your gadget. Amazon's Alexa, Google Home, and other committed home speakers have good command over results based on voice-based questions. Purchasers act quickly with the help of snappy answers, settling on choices, and purchasing in a shorter period. This is true for all items whether it's requesting food, purchasing attire, leasing a vehicle, or another movement, voice search makes buying practically prompt.
All these gadgets are always listening to the user’s day to day conversation. Apart from voice search data, this extra and huge voice data gathered in idle time by gadgets is very useful for brands and advertisers to show more customized and accurate promotions.
Points to improve Voice Search Results
Voice innovation has changed the way SEO works as we can see users shifting from text search to voice. Hence, digital marketers and companies need to adopt this change and ensure that they don’t lose top search results. Some suggestions for this can be:
- Google voice search demands more time-efficient search results. Responsive websites have compressed content, low size images, and which load quickly is needed to get on top of search results.
- Voice search has less of text keywords and more of spoken language keywords. Websites should ensure to make content closer to spoken language, including long-tail keywords. Regional websites or websites targeted to specific audiences should have keywords related to the local language of the audience.
- The best spot on the search result page is the featured snippet. Accurate, crisp, and simple content that can be extracted directly by Google should be included. The usual formats for content in top snippets are list, steps, bullets, table, and similar forms.
- Schema Markup helps the search engine to explain what the website content means, not just what it is. In voice search, chances are higher that the search keyword is not found on the website, but the search engine knows what the search means and with the help of schema markup, it knows what the content of the website means, thus, Google search engine can easily find the content required.
Conclusion:
Voice search optimization is proven to improve brand awareness, online purchases, and revenue. The effect of voice search innovation on SEO is inevitable. Given the enormous ascent in the selection and utilization of voice, the effect on organizations will be significant. Brands that can foresee and remain in front of the progressions before they happen will without a doubt get better results.
Thirumalesh Prasad C G (Thiru) is an entrepreneur, Founder, and CEO of Inboundsys. He has over 22 years of experience working for various multinational IT products and services companies in India and abroad. He was a significant member and worked as a user interface architect, designing the user interface for many web applications and products. In addition to running Inboundsys, he is an advisory board member in various other design studios and digital marketing agencies. He is a passionate blogger who loves writing on digital marketing, inbound marketing, lifestyle, philosophy, positive thinking, and motivation.