How to Optimize Website Voice Search for Increased Visibility and Conversions?

With convenience becoming a priority, hard work has taken a back seat. Technology has advanced to an extent that you can use your mobile’s microphone and your voice to make searches. This was not heard of ever before. Voice search has taken over the traditional text search as the help of robots and artificial intelligence is available at ease. Siri and Alexa have become integral parts of everyone’s search options. 

What is it about this technology that everyone is loving? It is the convenience of not having to type full sentences that takes time and effort, search has been made simpler and quicker by simply just talking to the robot assistants. The ease of also not having to type in a full search rather a robot doing the hard work is another reason that fascinates people and keeps them attracted to using voice search. This new wave of technology has made content writers, marketers and SEO-experts focus their attention on easy to cater to this new group of growing searchers. This is because we do not type our query the same way that we speak in real life. Voice search queries are rather a two-way question-answer session than a one sided search. Here is when the need to optimize website voice search comes in. 

To add more to it, voice search ranking is no play. In fact, devices that use voice search usually only list the top three results for a given query. So, to have that spot taken over by your content, you will require top-notch content and first-class voice SEO. Skip the hard  work and follow this guide to understand how voice search works and how you can optimize voice search for your website to rank better?

What is Voice Search Optimization?

A set of SEO techniques used to make content more likely to appear in search results when searched using voice is called Voice Search Optimization. The reason voice search optimization has become crucial is to address common verbal queries in content so that technologies that use voice search and virtual assistants show your page to the users in the voice search results page. 

A typical voice search starts with the user saying the phrase like “Hey Google”, “Hey Alexa” or “Hey Siri”, this is when the virtual assistant gets activated. The phrase is then followed by a question or a statement that usually goes like this: “What is a good pizza place near me?” or “When is this movie releasing?”. The device used to make this search then would respond either with a spoken answer or may display top results from the search engine results page if the device has a screen- mobile phone, iPad, tablet, smart TV, laptop,and smart watch. Optimize voice search for your website to rank higher in voice search results page.

Also, Premium WordPress themes by VW Themes incorporate features that can enhance your website's visibility in voice search, making it easier to attract and engage potential customers.

Why Do You Need To Optimize Website Voice Search?

Voice search has become the new normal instead of a trend that would otherwise fade away with time. 125.2 million voice searches were done in 2023 and this number is increasing by the day in 2024, so it is safe to say that voice assistant search is here to stay.  More than 50% of the online population uses their voice to make daily searches. Let us see what more voice search has to offer over the traditional text search:

1. Changed user behaviour is the biggest reason why you should optimize voice search. Voice search has altered how users frame a query. Voice searches are more natural, spontaneous, and conversational. Text searches lack this intimacy.
2. Advancing technology has led to more smart devices users than ever before. Home automation is no luxury now with Amazon Echo and Google Home. Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant have become an integral part of everyday lives. These smart devices thrive on voice search. 
3. Local queries featuring “near me” have become more common on mobile phones. On-the-go users want immediate, location-based information without having to type in a search bar. Optimize voice search to for your website this user base. 
4. Position Zero and Featured Snippets are usually from where the voice assistants pickup the search results from. Optimize content to appear here as it can significantly better the voice search results. 
5. Betters user experience because of the ease voice searches have over the text search. The ability to have quick and concise answers without scrolling through various links gives voice search a competitive advantage over text search. Voice search also takes into consideration those users who can not type- either are driving or are differently abled. 
6. Voice recognition technology is a futuristic take on how search engines operate. As technological advancements are improving. More devices are making use of voice capabilities. This will lead to growth in the number of voice searches. Optimizing content now makes your business future ready. 

Highlighting these benefits is crucial to understand before you venture out to optimize website voice search. 

 Which Search Type Is Better?

Both the types have their pros and cons. However, voice search is becoming more accessible with the digitally moving world. Now is the time to put in efforts to optimize website voice search. 

Best Proven Techniques for Voice Search Optimization

1. Questions and Long-Tail Keywords

Voice searches are worded differently than the usual text searches, so your voice search optimization efforts need to be different than the written searches. Think of it as like this- it requires more effort and time to type out a query than in saying it out loud. Voice searches are longer than text searches because verbal ability is physically and cognitively less taxing.

To be able to rank better in voice search, use long-tail keywords. You will be easily targeting traffic to your website from searchers who make use of full sentences, lengthy, more specific queries. Long-tail keywords consist of three or more words, also are major elements of keyword optimization techniques. These attract high-target traffic as they are more specific in their user’s objective. Another way to be more specific is by targeting words associated to your website’s offering- add “hotels in Deira Dubai” instead of “hotels in Dubai”. This leads to less competition on the results page. 

The five W’s are what makeup the question keywords- who, what, when, where and why. Include these in your written content and follow it by giving a straightforward, satisfying answer.

Ditch the hard work and take help from several keywords research tools available online to find the most relevant keywords your target audience makes use of. “Related Searches” and “People also ask” are great helping tools as well when running out of ideas. To know where your website stands, enter a search your website is about and see what Google recommends, this is the fastest way to know what changes you need to make to optimize website voice search and rank higher on the search engine results page.

If you do not want to overcrowd your content with too many questions and query sentences, create a dedicated FAQ page. This section lets you write down all the possible common search questions that relates to your website’s content, and also provides an answer, if the site visitor is looking for one. This content type helps you get featured in Google’s snippet placement. 

2. Conversational Language

Giving your content a conversational tone is essential for it to rank better on search results pages when searches are being made through voice recognition technology. Your content needs to fetch you your customers, not vice versa. 

A few ways to make your content be more conversational includes having more conversational words- I, me, you, we, us in your written content. This creates intimacy. Avoid jargon and technical language that is not used in everyday life. Chances are that the technical language is not what searches lean towards when making a search. Craft content in as much of a casual tone as possible. 

3. Value Local SEO

If your business serves locally, this is a tip you should incorporate in your website to optimize website voice search. Local SEO involves improving search engine visibility, especially for local brick-and-mortar businesses. Usually when a voice search is done on a smartphone, it is because the user is looking for something nearby to show up quickly, and are on the go- usually a restaurant, a cafe or a convenience store. 

Out of the many ways to improve the Local SEO strategies, the best one has to be creating and maintaining a Google Business Profile. This is the listing that you see when searching for “____ near me”. Google Business Profile lets viewers know about the store’s location, contact information, opening and closing hours, directions to reach there, nearby landmarks, and other needful information a local SEO search involves. Google Business profile is needed for voice search optimization as results are often taken from information offered from profiles like these. So, a completed listing means your business has a better chance of being ranked in local voice searches. In many cases, Google Business Profile is the first and the only way a searcher would get information about a business if it is crafted accurately. 

4. Google Featured Snippets

Google featured snippets are short content pieces that are displayed on the search results page above the organic results. These are pulled from a webpage that ranks better for a query. These results, if captured, have the potential of boosting traffic of a website exponentially. These could be in a paragraph, a numbered or a bulleted list format. 

If there's a featured snippet for a query, a virtual assistant will likely use it to answer the question. To win that spot, your website should aim to capture the featured snippet. However, unlike a Google Business profile, there's no guarantee you'll get it. Still, you can take steps to improve your chances to optimize website voice search for Google’s featured snippet.

5. Schema Markup

Schema markup is a useful tool to improve your website’s SEO, not just for voice search. It’s a type of structured data code that is added to your site’s HTML that helps search engines understand your content better. 

This markup includes important details like business hours, address, contact info, pricing, and reviews. While it’s invisible to visitors, it helps search engines index your site more effectively, boosting your visibility and click-through rate. This can also increase your chances of appearing in voice search results.

6. Optimization for Mobile Devices

Mobile devices account for more than over half of global internet traffic, and around 50% of mobile users use voice search on their smartphones. Google values mobile user experience for rankings, so optimizing website voice search for mobile is crucial. Use responsive design and other mobile-friendly practices that improve your site’s performance in both textual and vocal search. This will help keep you competitive in voice search.

7. Faster Loading Site

How often do you consider your website’s performance? It’s important because a page should load in under two seconds to keep users happy. Page load time is a key factor in Google’s rankings, affecting your site’s visibility in voice search and other results. Google wants to show fast, user-friendly sites to its users. To improve your site’s speed, use a tool like Website Grader to check your website’s current performance. 

8. Amazon Echo

If you have an eCommerce website, partnering up with Amazon can be very beneficial. As one of the largest eCommerce platforms, Amazon offers valuable tools and products, like Amazon Echo, that can help you optimize your site for voice search.

9. Directories Listing

To have an expanded reach, you need to get listed on directories like Just Dial. When someone voice searches for something like a nearby restaurant or a cafe, directories like these show closest options. By listing your website, you'll be reaching more potential customers.

These listings include a link back to your website, which helps drive traffic. Digital assistants like Alexa and Siri use these lists to provide users with relevant options, hence, making it necessary for you to optimize website voice search. 

Now that we have understood the ways you can better your website’s voice search, let us see how you can find voice search keywords. 

Finding the Keywords For Voice Search

Keyword length is increasing, and voice search keywords are often longer because of how we speak. When searching for voice search keywords, think about how you’d naturally ask a question to another in a conversation or how you’d phrase it if you were on the go.

Voice search keywords are usually 5 words or more. For example, while typing might lead you to search for “how to do link building,” a voice search could be “How do I build more links to my website?” The way you phrase the question affects your results.

To get started, use keyword research tools like AnswerThePublic.com or Ubersuggest. AnswerThePublic shows questions related to a keyword (like “online marketing”) and lets you view them in a list format. While Ubersuggest allows you to filter keywords by question words like what, how, and when. You can also check live chat or email data to find common questions about your business, product, or service offerings.

Once you have these long keywords listed, improve your on-page SEO by incorporating them into your content.

Optimizing Content For Voice Search

Once identified the voice search keywords, it is time to start optimizing your content around them.

1. Choosing a Topic:

Create content that answers common questions about your brand, services, or products. Focus on questions like “who, what, when, where, why, and how.” Embed your voice search keywords into your content, but don’t try to optimize page titles for these terms, as less than 2% of voice search results use exact keywords in their titles. Instead, optimize your pages as usual and include voice-related queries naturally.

2. Structuring Answers:

Incorporate all possible long-tail keywords as answers to relevant questions in your content. Keep answers around 30 words long, as Google typically provides voice search results that are about this length on an average. However, answers can vary in length, so it’s useful to check the length of competing answers and aim for a similar length yourself.

3. Optimizing Long-Form Content for Voice Search SEO:

For long-form content, include numerous answers to all potential questions by using long-tail keywords that are specific to your topic. For instance, “matching wedding and bridesmaid dresses” is more specific and is likely to convert better than a broader term like “bridesmaid dresses.” Use these long-tail keywords as answers within your content or as H2 and H3 headings. Structuring content with questions, such as “where’s the closest coffee shop?” can also optimize website voice search results.

Long-format content increases the chances of ranking well because it offers more opportunities for keyword inclusion. According to a study by Brian Dean, 40.7% of voice search results come from featured snippets. To improve your chances of appearing in these snippets, optimize for Google featured snippets by using schema markup relevant to your content type. For example, use “HowToSection” markup for instructional content like “how to change a flat tire.”

In addition to schema markup, ensure your content is well-structured with headers and lists. Not all content needs to be long, though. Create an FAQ page with long-tail keywords for quick answers to enhance your voice search optimization.

Conclusion

Optimizing website for voice search has become a crucial aspect to succeed in the modern digital landscape. As voice search technology continues to advance, it has become important to adapt an SEO strategy that caters to this growing trend. Voice search is a more natural, conversational way for users to interact with their devices, making it essential to optimize website for voice search to stay relevant and visible.

Voice search queries are typically longer and more conversational as compared to traditional textual searches. By focusing on long-tail keywords that reflect natural speech patterns, you can better match the queries your audiences are likely to use. Incorporate these keywords into your content in a way that answers their common questions clearly and concisely. This approach will not only help your content appear in voice search results but also enhances the overall user experience on your site.

Structuring your content with schema markup can significantly improve your chances of being featured in voice search results. Schema markup helps search engines understand the context of your content, making it easier for them to provide accurate answers to voice queries. Moreover, optimizing for local SEO is vital, especially for businesses with a physical presence. Voice searches often involve location-based queries, so having a well-maintained Google Business Profile will make a substantial difference.

The benefits to optimize website voice search go beyond it just ranking higher. This also ensures that your content is accessible to users who rely on voice assistants due to physical constraints or inconvenience. Embracing these voice search techniques and constantly refining your strategy will keep you ahead in the competitive digital space. As voice search technology is evolving, staying updated with these best practices and trends will help you maintain your visibility and relevance in search results. Make sure you integrate these practices to effectively optimize website for voice search and capture the growing audience of voice search users. By leveraging a powerful WP theme bundle like the one offered by VW themes, you can streamline the process of implementing voice search optimization strategies and enhance your website's overall performance.