How to Optimize Your Website for Voice Search

Who would have thought years ago that our society would be talking with “robots”? Let alone, asking them questions?

Jump ahead and here we are…asking “Alexa” to play our favorite song and asking “Siri” for restaurant suggestions. 

I’ve personally caught myself wanting to ask “Alexa” to play a song while in the car instead of pushing a button because hey, that’s what we are used to now days, then the kids and I laugh and remember, we don’t have “Alexa” in our car.  However, this too can now be done.

Time sure has changed. From smartphones to smart speakers and smart TVs, using voice search is now more common than ever.

In fact, research shows that about 40% of internet users in the U.S. use a voice assistant at least monthly.  But typical voice search isn’t the same as a “text” search, making it more of a challenge for marketers using search engine optimization (SEO). 

Think about it this way, when you’re asking Siri a question, it’s conversational, unlike when you’re physically typing a question on your phone or laptop.

SEO experts must think outside of the box when it comes to using keywords for the growing trend of voice search.

According to tech experts, search engines are now picking out the meaning of longer, more conversational queries to produce relevant results.  Some search engines are even focusing on “intent”, detecting the underlying meaning of queries, instead of one keyword specifically.

So how do you optimize your website for voice search?

Using long-tail keywords is the first recommendation.  Using at least three keywords can attract high-intent traffic because it’s more specific to what the consumer is looking for.

Using conversational language is also key.  So instead of having content that is written formally, try to be more conversational with your writing.  This way, those keywords used in your content will stand out for SEO purposes.

Have you heard of Schema Markup?

This is known as structured data or code and is the language that search engines use to read to help understand content on websites. 

This helps search engines categorize the content on web pages, helping you pop up higher in search results.

Think of it as a translator for search engines.

Coding is a whole different ball game though.  If you’d like to learn more about how to incorporate Schema Markup on your website, click here.

Finally, make sure to optimize your website for mobile use. 

Consumers across the world are on their smartphones searching for data, hence the importance of having a website that uploads fast and can be visibly attractive on cell phones.

This also means making sure your content is up to date with conversational text, so that Siri and Alexa can “find you” and talk with you.

“Siri, connect me with the best website developer in the area.”

“Yes, of course. One moment please…NinJo Group”.

“Thanks, Siri!”