You’ve probably noticed that more and more voice search queries are becoming popular. The Google Keyword Tool has seen a steady increase in the amount of voice searches taken every day since 2007, and as users continue to adopt this new technology it will only become more frequent on the internet.
This blog post is about how you can optimize your website for voice search, including what Voice Search Optimization (VSO) is, popular programs that use voice search, ways to optimize your site for voice search, and how Accurate Digital Solutions can help you with VSO!
How does Voice Search Work?
Let’s start by discussing how voice search works. Voice search is a type of voice input that allows users to verbally interact with an electronic device, such as their phone or computer. Voice searches use natural speech and are often used in conjunction with other types of inputs like keyboards and touchscreens. Voice Searches rely on what’s called ASR or automatic speech recognition software which transcribes the words. When it comes to Google, its algorithms are able to accurately capture speech in about 100 milliseconds after the words have been spoken. This is processed on a voice recognition service or website and it’s then sent back as text with a list of possible matches for what was said. For example, if someone says “I love Kanye West” Google will return results that provide information on Kanye West.What is Voice Search Optimization?
The goal of voice search optimization is to make sure that a website can be found when someone searches using only their voice. This means optimizing the content, keywords and meta tags so they’re optimized for speech-enabled input methods like Google’s voice recognition engine or Amazon Alexa services. In 2021, voice searches will make up about 50% of the user queries. That’s why companies should start optimizing for voice search now. VSO plays a crucial role in this regard. Having a voice search optimization (VSO) service is one way that companies can make sure their content and keywords are optimized for voice searches.Popular Voice Search Programs
Google has the world’s leading speech recognition engine, which supports over 120 languages. It also offers free video tutorials on how to optimize your website or app for voice search. In addition, Microsoft’s Cortana, Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa are just some of the examples of popular voice search programs. However, the good news is that good Voice Search Optimization (VSO) gets results on any program. This makes voice search optimization the skill to master in 2021.Here’s How to Optimize Your Website for Voice Search
Now we’ll dive into how you can optimize your website for voice search.Use Long Tail Keywords
One of the most important things to do is use long-tail keywords rather than short keyword phrases. The reason for this is that you are more likely to rank higher if your content includes a longer query phrase, and it’s easier for users to find what they’re looking for. Think about when a user says “What’s the best restaurant near me?”. If you include long tail keywords such as “best restaurants in Manhattan” or “best restaurants in a 20 mile radius” then your website is more likely to come up in the search result. A voice search engine is most likely to find a desired website if it can understand the user’s natural language – that means using long-tail keywords and avoiding overstuffing keywords.Convert Queries into Questions
Converting queries into questions is another way to optimize the website for voice search. For example, if someone is looking for a specific type of restaurant and you are listing restaurants by their cuisine, then they might search “What’s the best seafood restaurant in Manhattan?” or “Do you know any good Italian restaurants?”. If your website isn’t optimized for voice searches it will not rank as high on Google. Since users almost always phrase their query in the form of a question, it makes sense to include these questions in the content.Avoid Overstuffing Keywords
Don’t stuff keywords into your website when it isn’t necessary. Why? Because the voice search will be able to pick up on these words and phrases anyway, so there is no need to overload them with content in order for Google or other search engines to understand what you are talking about. It’s important not to overstuff keywords because this also decreases SEO score for your website and increases the bounce rate, which is a metric that shows how many visitors leave your site as soon as they arrive on it.Optimize for Specific Queries
Certain voice searches may not work with all of the keywords on your website, especially if they’re very specific or niche-oriented. That’s why it’s incredibly important that you optimize for queries by using long tail keywords that are relevant to your business. SEO experts recommend optimizing each page of content with specific long-tail keywords to rank higher in SERPS (search engine results pages). This will help you target voice searches for specific queries. Try optimizing the content for queries in which your company has expertise. For example, if you run an auto-lubricant website, try optimizing for specific queries such as “What type of brake oil should I put in Honda Civic 2013 Model?” instead of optimizing for “What type of brake oil should I put in my car?“. This will help you rank higher for specific queries, such as “brake oil” and “Honda Civic 2013 Model”.Ensure Mobile Optimization
Voice search is most commonly done using mobile devices. Make sure your website is compatible with mobile browsers so that it can be accessed by voice searches on smartphones or tablets. To do this, make sure your site’s structure is compatible with mobile devices. An easy way to ensure mobile optimization is to use tools like Google Mobile-Friendly Test and Site Spy to see how your site is performing. In addition, you can understand what you can do to improve your website’s mobile-friendliness.Adopt a Conversational Tone
It’s important that voice searches are able to understand what they’re looking for, so it’s imperative that any content on your website be written in a natural conversational tone. This way voice search algorithms will better recognize the queries that users are searching for and will be more likely to return your site in the search rankings.Optimize for Local Listing
Similar to how you would optimize for keywords on your website, it’s important that voice search engines are able to identify local listings. Here’s a quick checklist of things to keep in mind:- Include a business name, address and phone number prominently on your website
- Use the city’s zip code rather than state or country as a way of identifying location. This will allow voice search engines to automatically identify where you are located without needing any additional information from users
- Optimize page titles with location information in the title tags
- Assign geographic coordinates if possible