Voice Search Optimization: All You Need to Know!

What is Voice Search Optimization?

Voice search optimization (VSO) is nothing but voice-based search engine optimization. It actually initiates the method of voice dominated search results. Through VEO (Voice Engine Optimization), your location, content and brand information are optimized to provide better search results to users

The reasons for VEO getting increasingly popular are:

• Gives results faster
• Reads back answers
• Voice generated. So, no typing involved
• Get desired results working something of your hand

Ever wondered where do the voice-activated devices gather information from?

• Alexa derives information from Yelp
• Google derives information from Google Maps
• Siri from Apple Maps
• Cortana from Microsoft

According to recent researches, 57.8% customers use voice search on smartphones and 60% use voice search from home

Users speak in their colloquial/ regional language while doing the voice search, it is, therefore, advisable that marketers use localized and simple content. Comprehending the users’ conversational needs is important for the marketers if they want to use voice search as their basic mode of optimization

Steps to Get Started with your VEO Strategy

• Optimize business listing
• Speed up the website
• Adopt new content strategy of asking various questions
• As per the new content strategy, provide new answers
• Test functioning of voice search on a regular basis

What to do while testing voice search?

• Test with different devices, e.g., smart speakers Vs. mobiles
• Check where the answers are derived from
• Single vs. multiple testing – check how many listings do each device provide?
• Compare your rankings with that of your competitors’

Voice Search Vs. Traditional Search

Traditional search has always been people’s favourite; however, it has been over-taken by voice search already for the following reasons:

• Keywords used in a traditional desktop search is less detailed than that used in voice search. The length of keyword varies in both the types of search
• Local listings are a priority for voice search as compared to traditional search
• Voice search results are prompt and to-the-point as compared to featured snippets in traditional search

Optimize your website for voice search by:

• Using natural, conversational language
• Transferring queries into question phrases
• Providing concise answers to questions
• Targeting long-tail keywords
• Thinking about user intent
• Focussing on action queries
• Ensuring that the website is fast and secure
• Have a good server that responds quick

What could be the possible strategies to follow to optimize content for voice search?

Optimize Content for Rich Answers – A recent voice search study revealed that 70% of all answers that returned from voice searches occupied an SERP feature. Some SEO related terms to remember in this context would be:

• Knowledge graph
• Knowledge panel
• Knowledge box
• Featured snippet
• Rich answer

Re-structure Content – With voice search being more conversational compared to traditional search results, content should be concise and to-the-point

Think of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – While planning the content for voice search include FAQs that would be commonly asked by people. Since the language used is colloquial compared to traditional search, so, considering the phrases people commonly use is important

Effects of Voice Search on Search Engine Optimization

• With voice search semantic search becomes possible. Eventually, Google is becoming better at understanding people and answering to their queries
• Voice search optimization makes it necessary for the website to be a mobile-friendly site
• The use of featured snippets continues with the use of voice search optimization

The Future of Voice Search

The future of voice search looks quite promising. It is rapidly picking up pace and becoming the No. 1 must-have for any website out there. Be it Google Now, Siri or Amazon’s Alexa, these have acted as platforms that have improved the way people look up and receive information. It has reduced the search time drastically, making information availability faster and easier

Voice search has become increasingly popular over the years and it is soon going to be the only solution for all SEO needs. Those of you who have already adopted this mode of optimization, your brand visibility will become significantly higher. Also, for this you must take the help of our expert SEO agencies in Kolkata

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