Is Your Company Optimized for Voice Search?

If you’ve made the time and effort to include search engine optimization (SEO) in your company’s website, you’re one step closer to gaining additional web traffic. But if you have a good understanding of SEO, you also know it is always evolving, and so should your website. Of all the ways SEO has changed over the years, one of the more significant changes is the importance of voice searches.

Why Voice Search Optimization Is Important

As a business owner, you are likely no stranger to situations where you have little time to stop and manually type in a search or dial a phone number. In the same way voice command searches have helped you out in the past, voice searches are growing in importance for everyday web users. Back in 2016, Google reported that 20% of all searches were voice searches, and this number is estimated by some experts to reach 50% by next year.

This significant shift in how people use search engines is something you can’t afford to ignore if you want to rank high on search engine results pages. By making a few adjustments, you can ensure your website isn’t missing out on valuable web traffic.

Emphasize Long-Tail Keywords

One of the key differences between typed searches and voice searches is how many words are involved in the query. People who type out searches tend to use as few words as possible, often sticking to just two or three words. However, it’s a lot easier to say a whole phrase when doing a voice search. For instance, a typed search for a coffee shop in Portland would likely look something like “Portland coffee shop,” which is a good keyword phrase and should be included. However, optimizing for voice means including more specific phrases, such as “Best Portland coffee shops for working remotely.”

Aim for Featured Snippets

If you’ve ever searched online by asking a specific question, you’ve likely noticed that Google tends to display an answer extracted from a website at the top of the search results. This convenient “snippet” is chosen by Google’s algorithm based on how clearly, concisely, and accurately a piece of content answers a given question. It’s a feature designed to provide a quick bit of information that is easily readable on the fly.

While many people may see the answer and feel no need to inquire further, having your response at the very top of the search page builds your domain authority and many people will also click and explore your website more. In addition to including concise bits of information to common searches, you can achieve a featured snippet by creating headers in the form of common keyword questions.

Keep Your Website Updated

This will always be important for good SEO, but it is all the more relevant when attempting to optimize your website for voice searches. In addition to regularly posting new content on your blogs with long-tail keywords and answers to questions, be sure to keep your web page copy updated to modern SEO standards.

When you update your content, keep voice search optimization in mind to ensure your SEO strategies are up to snuff and your website is poised for continued success.