How to Optimize Your Website for Voice Search

Search Engine Optimization is necessary — now more than ever — for marketing and lead generation. It’s no longer a question of whether or not your industry is suited for online marketing because everyone is now online. From window shoppers to potential investors, more and more people are surfing the Web to find entertainment, information, things to buy, services to use, etc. The longer you wait to engage in SEO, the farther ahead your competitors could go.

The online marketing landscape is constantly evolving, which means that simply having a website and performing rudimentary online promotions won’t cut it. You also need an SEO strategy that anticipates future trends so that everything you invest in today — the time, resources, content, and manpower — will serve a long-term purpose. One such example of a trend that’s worth exploring is optimization for voice searches.

What Is Voice Search Optimization? Why Is It Important?

Industry leaders have been predicting the rise of voice search in the coming years. The successes of Siri, Alexa, Google Home, Bixby, and other voice-interface platforms are proof of this. One-fourth of adults in the U.S. now own a voice-controlled smart speaker, and 72% of them use their speakers in their daily routines.

One thing is clear: voice search is not a mere fad but the future of search.

Voice Search Optimization (VSO) is the process of optimizing web pages to appear for voice searches. It is very similar to SEO, except that how people speak is often different from how they type.

People tend to speak longer sentences and type shorter ones. As such, voice searches yield different results from typed searches. This means that ranking high for traditional search doesn’t guarantee that your site will also appear on the first search engine results pages for voice search.

If you want to stay ahead of the curve, you’ll want to optimize your website for voice search as well.

How Do You Optimize Your Website for Voice Search?

There are several methods, many of which are similar to SEO techniques. VSO takes into account the users’ behavior, however, and uses conversational search terms instead of keyword-centric phrases that are awkward to read.

A basic VSO strategy goes like this:

Optimize on-page texts and content marketing materials with long-tail, conversational keywords that read organically.
Optimize on-page content with answers to specific questions that the target audience is most likely to use. These questions and answers must be straightforward as voice search users ask questions that are direct to the point.
Optimize for local search. Voice search goes hand-in-hand with Local SEO. Analysts observed that many voice searches are “near me” questions, suggesting that people use voice search when they have an urgent need to find a product, service, or place nearby.
Optimize webpages for mobile. Thanks to the Internet of Things, voice-controlled smart speakers can be connected to mobile phones, and many recently released smartphones have voice recognition technology as well. Since voice search results are likely to appear on a mobile screen, websites optimized for mobile will have an advantage.

Other strategies fall under these points. Athena Marketing can discuss with you the details of optimizing for voice search once you sign on for our voice search optimization services.

Invest in the Future

The role of voice search will continue to grow and transform the landscape of digital marketing. If you want to maintain your standing or take the lead in your industry, you have to be a step ahead of your competition. Aim for long-term results and invest in campaigns that give you sustained success in online marketing.

Athena Integrated Marketing offers you such an opportunity with our SEO and VSO services. More than promoting your brand, we help you connect with your target audience online and turn one-time buyers into loyal customers.