Most businesses optimize their websites and blogs for web-based search but forget to do the same for voice search. Voice search has been growing for several years now and has become an important tool for a lot of people looking for information quickly. The popularity of tools like Google Assistant and Alexa is a testament to this. But how do these services know which information to use for their answers? Well, they find it on websites that are optimized for voice search. So, how can you ensure your website or blog is ready for voice search?
- Add a Featured Snippet
The featured snippet includes information that search engines deem to be most relevant for a specific query. You will often see these features snippets occupying the first search result when you enter a question as your search query.
To land on this coveted position, start by using questions in your content and then provide a detailed answer right after the question. The question and subsequent answers should be “above the fold” on your page so they are the first thing picked up when search engine bots visit your website.
- Create Conversational Content
People use vastly different language and speaking styles when they do search queries. Their language is often more conversational. People tend to use querying words like what, where, how, when, and which when searching using voice, and your content should use the same type of phrasing.
Another thing to keep in mind is long-tail keywords. These are keywords that contain two to five words that are more often used in voice search. These longer keywords are very specific and can help you rank higher if you optimize for them.
Combining conversational content and long-tail keywords will yield great results for you, both for voice and web-based searches. There are lots of SEO articles discussing how you can combine both of these strategies for better SEO. You can find some amazing SEO articles on YourTopBlog, which tackle SEO, blogging, affiliate marketing, and other topics that can help you take your website, blog, or online business to the next level.
- Ensure Your Website is Mobile-Friendly and Loads Fast
According to research data, most voice searches are performed on mobile devices. Google started placing a lot of emphasis on page speed and mobile responsiveness a few years ago, meaning pages deemed acceptable according to these metrics are likely to rank higher on result pages.
To know if your website passes, Google has a mobile-friendly test available online and through the Google Search Console. If your website or blog does not pass, you can use the provided recommendations to correct these issues and increase the chances of your website being ranked higher, and thus being picked for voice search queries.
- Optimize For Local Searches
Research has shown that over 50% of people use voice search to find local businesses. Local businesses can therefore benefit immensely from ensuring their website or blog is optimized for local searches.
Voice search is set to grow in the coming years, with Google estimating that over 50% of searches will be done through voice in 2022. Get prepared by optimizing your website for voice searches.
