Although not very widespread among everyone, voice search is on the rise. Used by 55% of adolescents and 41% of adults, it is the fastest-growing search mode. Compared to text search, you get more benefits with voice search in SEO. The main advantage of the voice is that it is much faster for the user. It is what makes it attractive to the new generation of Internet users. Next, we will explain how it works and how you can prepare your company for the impacts of voice searches, including voice search SEO optimization strategies to make your site even more ranking.
Is voice search an essential key in SEO?
Voice search is a search engine that replaces the need to type keywords in a search box with the use of voice. If you've used Siri from an iPhone or said "Ok Google" to your Android smartphone, you've already done a Voice Search. Even if only to play with the tool with fun questions. It works by recognizing your speech by the digital assistant to convert it into text then and start searching the internet regularly. Until recently, the primary use of Voice Search was precisely to do searches as you do on Google. But today it is possible to go further with digital assistants. These are some of the functions present in current operating systems:
- Researches.
- Shopping.
- Initiate telephone calls.
- Compose text messages.
- Email and calendar management.
Popular with internet users, voice search becomes the new trend
As for already existing voice search solutions, we can mainly note those of Google with Android, Apple with Siri and, the last one which is today the bet made by Amazon with Alexa. The battle for voice search solutions between Google, Amazon and Apple is raging. These three companies have clearly understood the evolution of behaviour. And have put a lot of resources into their solutions. Today, thanks to the efforts provided mainly by these three behemoths, we can say that the user is gradually starting to understand the value he can get from this tool. To better understand the emergence, here are some figures:
- 31% of smartphone user’s worldwide use voice technology at least twice a week.
- 30% of all web browsing sessions will be screenless by the mid of 2020.
- 55% of households are expected to have smart speakers by 2022.
- Playing music is the most popular use of smart speakers today.
- Only 25 keywords trigger almost 20% of all voice search queries;
- Global voice trade is expected to reach $ 35 billion by 2021.
From this point of view, it therefore becomes essential to integrate into the strategy. The optimization of the voice search of our pages and websites is crucial because it is the direction that SEO has taken. Consult with professional voice search optimization services to know more.
Producing Content for the Voice: Vocal SEO
The first objective of proper referencing gradually becomes voice searches. Composing for the voice amounts to providing our content in a conversational tone to meet the requirements of this mode of research. It should also be understood that the one who writes his request in a search engine and another who does it through his voice, do not always have the same concerns. Voice search wants an answer, but in a relatively shorter period, even instantly. SEO specialists must, therefore, take into account in their approaches –
- Long-tail keywords are much more relevant in terms of voice search.
- Optimize the micro-data of their site by ensuring the readability of the XML sitemap by search engines.
- Add pages which answer the usual questions of the type which, what, when, or? Because those who prefer voice search, use it often and want immediate answers.
Is your business ready for the future?
It is a question that every entrepreneur should ask if he wants to remain relevant in the market. In digital marketing, we need to be even more attentive because of the speed of changes and the emergence of new technologies. Therefore, having fluency in strategies, especially when it comes to SEO, is essential. The year 2019 brought the era of smart virtual assistants. Allied to Artificial Intelligence, technologies such as Siri, Google Assistant and Alexa introduced voice search once and for all into people's lives.
The traditional search for text is giving way to the direct search for voice, and the optimization of sites is urgent to keep up with this trend. If you want to get an idea of the size of the change, it is estimated that by the end of 2020, more than 50% of the entire online all surveys will be done by voice. It is no small thing. The search for voice changes the results of the research and brings new challenges for the entrepreneur to remain relevant.
With the evolution of virtual assistant systems integrated with mobile devices and the expansion of the market for digital assistants such as Alexa and Google Home, the trend is that Voice Search Optimization will only increase. In 2019 – 2020 alone, the demand for so-called smart speakers increased 187%. And it is clear that if there is a change in the search scenario, it will impact SEO strategies in 2020.
Conclusion: Is the change now?
One of the obstacles to voice development in SEO is the unreliability that users perceive when they use it. However, as was the case for translation tools like Google Translate, it should not be surprising to see the tool improve very gradually. And reach more users in the process. Voice search becomes much more reliable as technology advances. Two years ago, the word error rate was over 20%, up from just 8% today.
Google’s goal is to turn voice search into a fully-fledged mobile assistant useful in everyday life. Search engines must learn to interpret natural phrases. Voice search is more than trendy, and it would be disabling for the SEO industry in 2020 to ignore this. It's time to stop thinking linearly about text queries alone and start worrying about the best possible way to optimize voice searches.
So, these were some of the best voice search optimization tips for you. We hope you will not avoid these and will accept the trend of voice SEO in 2020.
