6 SEO Strategies For Voice Search Optimization

Not very long ago, typing in a search query on Google and getting instantaneous results used to be considered fascinating in itself. But today, people have already moved past typing. They’re spotted speaking into their watches and having casual conversations with their phones. According to Thrive My Way, 71% of users now prefer using voice search queries over typing.

Although voice search first started as a small concept for smartphones, we now see voice activated smart speakers, TVs, and voice assistants all over the world. And let’s be honest, it’s faster and far more convenient than manually typing in a query. More importantly, it’s hands-free! Which means you don’t have to use your oily hands to check the next step of the recipe when you’re toiling away in the kitchen. It’s a boon for the multi-taskers.

But what effect does the increasing popularity for voice searches have on your business? Well, to make sure that it is your content that Siri, Alexa, Cortana, etc. choose to share with consumers, you will need to optimize your website for voice searches. (To learn more about how you can optimize your website in general, check out our various blogs on SEO). A lot of people assume that SEO for voice searches is unnecessary since they are converted into text-based searches anyway before they’re submitted. Here’s the thing though: Typical voice queries are phrased very differently from text searches. They are closer to the way we speak in real life, so longer and more conversational. In fact, there are also differences between how smart assistants on smartphones and smart speakers are used, so you should be utilizing SEO services in Kuwait to segment your audience accordingly. For instance:

Smartphone voice searches are usually about finding quick solutions to immediate problems.
Voice searchers on smart speakers often make in-depth knowledge searches like trivia, songs, making wedding/traveling plans, etc.
Voice queries made through car speakers are related to locations, directions, and nearby stores with competitive prices.

A voice search is a dialogue system that uses text, speech, and gestures as input and output signals. Input signals are feeded into voice search devices through Automatic speech recognition (ASR). Then, the input’s language is detected, keywords are captured, and the query is answered. The goal of voice search optimization is to optimize your content in a way that it addresses common verbal queries and is picked up by voice assistants and voice search technologies to be presented to the users. You don’t need to press restart on your existing SEO strategy to increase voice search traffic. Instead, try to implement some of the techniques and voice search optimization best practices that we’ve listed below, used by some of the best SEO agencies in Kuwait.

1. Use long-tail keywords

Voice queries are longer, more specific, detailed, and usually consist of full sentences and questions. This is because voice searches take less time and effort than typing out a query. You can effectively optimize for voice queries by targeting long-tail (consisting of three or more words) and question keywords in your content. Since these keywords are specific to the user’s intent, you get the chance of attracting high-intent traffic and that too with less competition on search engine results pages (SERPs). To target question searches, add keywords like “what”, “where”, “who”, “why”, “when”, and “how”.

2. Use conversational language

Since voice searches are conversational, your content should also match that conversational tone. This will make your content more relevant to voice queries. You can do this by including words like “I”, “me”, “you”, and “we” in your posts and steering away from language that is too technical. Use full questions and phrases normally used in a real-life conversation. However, you should do this while still maintaining the quality and educational value of your content.

3. Create an FAQ section

Voice searchers are typically looking for answers that meet their immediate needs. You can add an FAQ page that gives short and rich answers to all related questions that your target audience may have. It’s important that the answers be short and concise in order to be easily picked up by Google and displayed as a snippet on SERPs.

4. Think local

Local SEO is essential for brick-and-mortar businesses since it targets customers in the surrounding area, who are a lot more likely to invest in your products/services. As it turns out, voice searchers are usually on the go and are looking for nearby restaurants, stores, etc.

One way to improve your local SEO is to create and maintain a Google Business Profile. It tells visitors your location, contact info, hours, directions, and other important information. Voice search results pull information from these profiles so it’s imperative that your profile be complete in order to rank higher in local voice searches.

Apart from claiming your local listing, you should also look into a local SEO company in Kuwait to help you integrate locally relevant keywords into your website and drive more traffic.

5. Think mobile

When it comes to voice searches, mobile and local go hand in hand. Mobile devices allow potential customers to make on-the-go voice searches, while the nature of a voice search allows users to ask local questions. So, it’s necessary for your site to be mobile-friendly. This includes a responsive design, short loading time, and easy readability.

6. Use structured data

Apart from your website’s content, search engines also look at schema markup, which is a type of structured data, to determine your page’s relevance and position in their results. Essentially, schema markup is a code that you can add to your website’s HTML to help search engines provide more detailed results. Although invisible to humans, this microdata lets Google organize and classify your content, which in turn increases your ranking and makes your content more relevant for specific queries.

Although an effective strategy to improve SEO in general, schema markup is great for voice searches. This is because when users make a voice search for local businesses, they are usually looking for operational hours, contact info, directions, etc. By using microdata, you can ensure that search engines are classifying this information and quickly retrieving it for your target audience.

Over the years, voice search has become a major component of SEO. Using these tips will help you capture more voice search traffic, especially if you’re a small or local business. And you don’t have to do it all alone. At Design Master, we employ a specialized team of SEO experts in Kuwait who are dedicated to help optimize your voice search campaign and drive more voice searchers to your business.