The convenience of speaking into a smart device and receiving an answer almost instantly has led to the rise in voice search. An increasing number of consumers are adopting dedicated voice-controlled devices, like Amazon Echo and Google Home, just for this purpose.

If you want to capture a portion of voice search traffic, you’ll need to optimize your blog. In the end, your website will produce similar search results from voice as it would with text.

Understanding Voice Search

While speaking, we tend to use a lot of filler words, tone fluctuations and trailing. In text, all of that is omitted. Since voice queries are longer and more natural sounding than text queries, voice search uses that information to assume that you’re searching for a local business.

Google understands that voice search is used for “hands-free,” meaning the user is in a rush or can’t directly look at the phone. A web design agency, like The 215 Guys, can optimize your content so that it appeals to local users who need your products or services right away.

How to Optimize for Voice Search

Nearly 60% of searches are performed on mobile devices, and 50% of these searches are completed using voice search. Business owners need to consider the impact that voice search is having, and will continue to have, on SEO by optimizing their websites for this purpose.

Make Scannable Content

People who are searching the internet on their mobile devices are looking for content that’s optimized for voice search. Make sure your content is scannable, readable, and contains no annoying pop-ups, advertisements, or formatting issues that could hinder their search.

Use bold headers, short paragraphs, and simple sentences that break up the content.

Read Manufacturer Guidelines

Each voice recognition software, platform, or app comes with instructions that can help users interact with its features. Siri, Cortana, and Ok Google have their own set of commands that aren’t that unique from each other but are important to learn if you want to optimize your site.

Use Google’s Voice Search Quality Guidelines to understand how users use voice search.

Use Long-Tail Keywords

We established that people use “natural” speech when using voice search, making long-tail keywords a necessity. Long-tail keywords are longer, more specific keyword phrases that visitors are more likely to use when they’re at the end of the customer journey.

It’s important to target as many variations of your keywords as possible to attract more users.

Claim a “My Business” Google Listing

Since people who use voice search are more likely looking for local establishments, take advantage of that and claim your Google My Business listing. By getting a listing, you can provide Google with details about your business, such as your address and phone number.

An up-to-date My Business listing increases the chance you’ll be found via voice search.

Create an FAQ Page

Adding a frequently asked questions page on your website is the perfect way to use long-tail keywords naturally. Google has a dedicated FAQ section on most search queries, so if you want search engines to pull answers or information off your site, opt for long-tail questions.

Quick answers at the top of the page or blog post satisfy Google’s rich snippet requirements, which aids in voice search.

Understand How Users Play With Voice Search

Most of us are guilty of joking around with Cortana, OK Google, or Siri. Even when we’re rude, personal assistants still manage to help us out. Oftentimes, voice search will bring up relevant websites that would have solved their problems if they were making a serious inquiry.

When optimizing your website, consider how others play with voice search. This exercise could give you insight into how your customers interact with technology.