March 13, 2018 | By:

How to Optimize Your Website for Voice Search

In recent years, technological giants like Google and Apple have taken bold steps towards the development of voice search and integrating natural language processing technology in both mobile and desktop platforms. With the rising availability of gadgets that support voice search, there’s also been a sharp rise in voice search usage. In fact, a recent survey found out that there’s an estimated one billion voice searches per month.

Virtual digital assistants like Siri, Cortana, and Alexa are changing the way users search for content on the web. Voice search is essentially quicker, easier, and at times, far safer and convenient than manually typing your queries on your phone.

To say that voice search is the future of search engines is a prediction that’s very likely to happen. The revolutionary application of voice search goes beyond convenience; it’s also changing the way search engines like Google are handling organic search queries.

Optimizing your website for voice search requires a slightly different approach from established SEO tactics. Here are tips on how to ensure that your website and content are effectively optimized for voice search:

1. Use long-tail keywords and natural language

It’s important to understand that users naturally input search queries that are more or less similar to how they speak in everyday conversations. Focus on long-tail keywords or phrases comprised of six or more words that are based in a natural conversational tone.

For example, instead of targeting short-tail keywords like “mobile app agencies Texas,” test out longer and more voice-friendly keywords like “mobile app development agencies in Texas.”

2. Use question-based keywords

Studies show that voice search users typically use adverbs like who, what, when, where, and how in their search queries. You must understand the user’s intent, and most search queries nowadays lean on seeking answers for very specific questions.

That said, consider using question-based keywords in your web content, such as “who is Steve Jobs” and “how to make pizza.”

Additionally, question-based keywords tend to rank better on Google’s featured snippets, or what is often referred to as “position zero”. One of the key aspects of Google’s featured snippets is that they are often read aloud in response to voice searches. Getting your content featured in Google’s snippets is one good way of indirectly optimizing your content for voice search.

3. Use schema metadata

As mentioned earlier, voice search users tend to seek answers for specific questions, and these include microdata such as a business’ phone number and address, a recipe’s list of ingredients and recommended serving size, product pricing, and more.

Creating a comprehensive sitemap for your site that explicitly includes schema microdata from your web content can help voice search users conveniently find these information from your site, and can help search engines like Google to easily index your microdata.

You can use free tools to generate a microdata sitemap from Web Code Tools’ Microdata Generator and Technical SEO. You can also refer to Google’s primer on structured data.

4. Get listed on Google My Business

Studies show that around 22% of smartphone users use voice search to find local information. This data corresponds with Google’s report that “near me” searches are constantly on the rise; after all, it’s plain to see that most people who use voice search are on the go.

That said, it’s important to focus on local SEO to subsequently optimize your content for voice search. The first step would be to claim your listing on Google My Business. By doing so, you get to streamline your business information across Google Maps and on Google’s SERP. You can further optimize your Google My Business listing by ensuring that all information about your business is accurate.

Organic search results are constantly evolving as users become more tech-savvy and more technological advances are introduced. Voice search adds another layer of convenience and simplification to how mobile internet users access information.

If you want to know more about voice search optimization, or if you’re interested to work with Ilfusion for your search engine optimization efforts, give us a call at 888-420-5115, or send us an email at [email protected].

Tags: , ,

Categorized in: , ,

Featured Articles

February 1, 2018 | By: Ilfusion Team

How To Start an SEO Campaign in 6 Steps

Starting a Search Engine Optimization (SEO) campaign can be tricky for any digital marketer. How do you begin? What is the most important element to implement? How do you know if it’s working? Don’t be overwhelmed, though. Starting an SEO... view more

September 26, 2017 | By: Tinny

5 Signs You Need to Hire a Marketing Agency

Marketing is a crucial part of your business strategy. It’s what keeps the gears turning and the driving force of your company’s sales. For small businesses, marketing is important in getting the word out there that your company exists and... view more

September 21, 2017 | By: Tinny

Key Advantages of Video Marketing for Your Growing Business

There has been a rise in the use of mobile devices to access the internet, and there are no signs of it slowing down anytime soon. In this era where most people thrive on living on the go, video marketing... view more

September 13, 2017 | By: Tinny

5 Things You Need to Know: Image Optimization for SEO

If you’re a company whose content strategy relies on images, or if your business blog is image-heavy, it’s high time for you to think about optimizing your images for SEO — if you haven’t done so already. While there isn’t... view more

August 2, 2017 | By: Tinny

Tips on How to Choose the Best Keywords for Your Website

When you have an SEO or PPC campaign, it all starts with one basic element: keyword research. Keywords are the driving force that enable web crawlers and indexers to find your page through the throngs of websites in the world-wide... view more

July 26, 2017 | By: Tinny

Top 3 Search Ranking Factors You Should Know About

Landing on the first page of Google’s search engine results is one of the ultimate marketing goals of many website owners. While Google is keeping mum on what exactly gets you to the top of their SERPs, there are factors... view more

June 28, 2017 | By: Tinny

The Importance of Social Media in SEO

Nowadays, social media has inarguably become an indispensable tool in any marketing strategy. SEO, of course, is also one of those tools that have evolved with the many trends and changes that has occurred through time. This leads marketers to... view more

April 27, 2017 | By: Tinny

5 Ways to Dominate Google’s Search Results in 2017

Here’s how to place your website at the top of search engine results. Creating a website that doesn’t rank well in Google’s search engine results page (SERP) doesn’t translate well to your overall business effort. In recent years, Google has... view more

July 2, 2015 | By: The Conductor

Let’s talk about “The Fold”

We hear it a lot; client feedback that is focused on what content is and is not “above the fold”. To be perfectly honest, this old newspaper term can be a cause of frustration when it comes to good user... view more

June 3, 2015 | By: The Doctor

The Turbit

This crazy ol’ world of ours is spinning faster and faster everyday. Not literally, as we would all be slung to our spacey-doom. I mean figuratively we are all moving more quickly and filling every moment with some bit of... view more

May 6, 2015 | By: Ilfusion Team

How Your Website Can Survive Mobilegeddon

Think your website is mobile friendly? Think again. Google’s new functionality changes have created a frantic need for websites to be optimized for mobile. Mobilegeddon is upon us, and your website could be at risk. See infographic below.

April 23, 2015 | By: El Jefe

Website Cost: A Day at the Ballpark

A question that I get on a regular basis (read: every day) is, “How much will my new website cost?”. To which I typically say something like, “Well, that varies based on the amount of work that’s required to complete... view more

April 7, 2015 | By: The Inventor

Are you a Webspammer?

SEO practices are very different today than how they were even just a few years ago. The number one key to ranking well in search engines today is to create unique quality content. First post it on your website or... view more

March 25, 2015 | By: Ilfusion Team

Social Media Happenings

Ilfusion loves to bring you news on the newest social media functions and trends. Recently, there have been three major happenings in the social media world. Meerkat, a new app that has risen to fame due to the 2015 music... view more

March 12, 2015 | By: The Conductor

The Big Picture

Whether you’re laser-focused on a specific project, or taking a comprehensive approach to your marketing efforts, one aspect doesn’t change: always look at the big picture. Companies often shop at least a few agencies when they’re considering engagement with an... view more