With technology evolving, the marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) strategies need to be updated to keep up with this new technology. Voice search SEO is an evolved form of regular SEO. To understand what voice search SEO is, you must first understand what SEO is.
Search Engine Optimization or SEO, as it is called for short, is a marketing tactic that helps websites to show up within the top 10 search results page on a search engine, by the optimization of content, keywords, phrases, meta titles, etc. This practice helps to increase website traffic, as the person using the search engine usually clicks on websites that show up on the first page. Now, since everybody has a smartphone, there is a newly added feature called the voice search option, such as Siri for Apple. As the name suggests, voice search depends on voice commands instead of written commands. Thus, just like the browser SEO, the voice search is also optimized, causing numerous websites to compete to show up in the top results. However, voice search is different from a browser search, affecting the SEO techniques for both.
THE INCREASE IN THE POPULARITY OF VOICE SEARCH
Marketers have started offering voice search SEO services due to the increase in its popularity. If your website gets shown in the top results, it would help to direct more traffic towards your website, allowing more sales and other actions. All of this, in turn, would mean a higher ROI (Return On Investment), which is the goal of every business.
But why has voice search gained tremendous popularity? It is mainly due to the following reasons:
1. It is quick
Since we all are so caught up with one thing or the other, we are constantly looking for options that help to save us time; whether it is frozen food or coffee machines. Similarly, voice search is much quicker than typing out your query on a search engine.
2. Got it, so flaunt it!
In this day and age, a smartphone has become a necessity to stay connected with the rest of the world. Smartphones these days come with the voice search feature that tempts users to make use of this feature. So if your smartphone has this feature, then why not use it?
3. Easy to use while working, especially while driving
With numerous countries having a law that does not allow the driver to use their phones while driving, voice search would be a good option. Just imagine, while driving you to feel hungry and are looking for a pizza place near you. You can use the voice search option of your phone to find the closest pizza place near you.
4. Better than before
When the voice search option was first introduced, it was not that accurate. However, now, this technology has been revised and updated, causing the voice search results to be more accurate than before. This has encouraged people to use it more than before.
VOICE SEARCH SEO STRATEGIES
Although the concept for browser SEO and voice search SEO is the same, the technique is a bit different. To ensure your website shows up on the voice results page, you must implement the following voice search SEO strategies:
1. Using long-tail keywords
This is the major difference between browser SEO and voice search SEO. When a person talks, they tend to be more descriptive rather than sticking to just a few words. Thus, the speaker is more likely to say descriptive words than one word or 2 to 3-word phrases.
2. Adding structured data to your website
Structured data or Schema Markup can be implemented by providing the search engine with in-depth details about your website, allowing it to get a higher rank in the search results. It is a code that is added t your website to allow the search engines to get an idea about the content of your website. Schema Markup can also help search engine robots to crawl and help in making your website rank higher.
3. Your website content should give direct answers
While talking, people tend to enter longer but more specific queries. Thus, the content of your website should be written in such a way that it can help answer those queries. As the queries will get answered, your website will get a higher rank on the search results page.
4. Update your Google My Business page
Since we all are relying heavily on search engines, such as Google, your Google My Business page should be up-to-date. It should have your current and complete address, phone numbers, email addresses, website, etc. to get a higher rank. Google prefers those pages that are updated frequently.
5. Add internal links of reliable websites to your website
Google has shown a preference for those websites that have links in them from other well-known and well-trusted websites. Such websites have a higher chance of getting a better rank in the search results.
6. Mobile-optimized website with quick loading time
Time is precious; nobody would like to wait for a website to load that takes more than 5 seconds. A longer loading time will put your website in lower ranks by the search engine. Thus, a quick-loading website is important for higher ranks. Moreover, since we all are addicted to our smartphones, your website must be optimized for mobile devices. The website experience should not be compromised for the user. Therefore, the search engine gives a higher rank to those websites that have mobile-optimized websites.
7. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
While using the browser, the FAQs page is never really given that much importance, but in voice search, it is given a lot of importance. While talking, the user usually directs a question towards the voice search. Since the FAQs are answers to some common questions, chances of the search engine extracting answers from this section are pretty high. Therefore, FAQs play an important role in the ranking of your website.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The voice search option is relatively newer than the browser search option. Although it is a new technology, it has grasped the attention of marketers all around the world. The competition has also increased among businesses to get a higher rank. Therefore, you must make your website voice search optimized. In this, you should rely on professional help as it guarantees to get results. One such team of expert marketers is DigAptics, who have the relevant experience for voice search SEO. They would help your website in getting a higher rank in the voice search results, increasing your brand’s awareness and website traffic. Contact them today to discuss your website’s voice search optimization.