How To Optimize Your Website For Google Voice Search?

Ankita Ajamani           27 March 2023

Two decades ago, the idea of talking to robot assistants on a daily basis for menial functions seemed like something out of a sci-fi movie. Today, if we need to find the nearest petrol pump, chemist or grocery store we have no problem asking Siri or Alexa for suggestions without having to worry about being thought of as cuckoo!

From smartphones to smart speakers to smart TVs, steering web searches with a virtual associate today is a very normal thing. In most cases, it’s quicker, suitable, and so much easier than filling out a query.

But the catch here is that a typical voice search isn’t the same as a text search. When we speak to our devices, we craft our queries differently, more like how we speak with humans in real life. This trend implies that marketers and experts in the SEO field were required to modify their strategies to seize this increasing group of searchers online.

Ranking for voice search is not easy by any long shot. Devices that permit voice search are inclined to only list the top one to three results for any given query. To land a spot in those three positions, you need high-quality content and a first-rate voice SEO.

Voice search optimisation is a synchronization of SEO techniques that enable your content to figure in voice search results. The purpose of voice search optimisation is to respond to ordinary verbal requests in your content so that voice search technologies and virtual assistants present your site to users in voice search results.

In a typical voice search, a user begins a search with an expression e.g., “Alexa” or “Hey Siri” trailed by a question or statement for e.g., “What are some good restaurants near me?” or “When is the N7 music festival?”).

The device then answers with a vocal answer or, if the device has a screen, it may show top results from a search engine results page. Voice search optimization intends to grab a spot in this specific kind of search.

Reason to optimize for voice search?

Voice search hasn’t really picked up pace yet but it’s gradually becoming the norm. Voice search grants another important opportunity to generate organic search traffic, irrespective of what sector you’re in. By means of voice search, your business can capture a growing section of users who trust smartphones and smart speakers to discover businesses and purchase products.

Improving voice search can also help your site’s overall SEO and ranking. Search engines favour it when websites optimize for voice searches, which can lend your site more gravitas and thus higher spots on results pages and maybe even high enough to land in a voice search result.

Some of the good practices on how to optimise your website for Google Voice Searches are as follows:

• Target question keywords and other long-tail keywords

When users voice a query, the answer they receive is often not the first result on Google. Long-tail keywords assist websites show up as the answer that users hear when conducting a voice search. Long-tail keywords are longer, specific and targeted.

• Use familiar and colloquial language in your content for enhanced understanding

Brands optimizing for voice search should keep their content conversational for better engagement.

• Prioritise local search engine optimisation

SEO is the practice of boosting search engine prominence for local businesses, primarily physical businesses. Local SEO is crucial for these businesses, as it aims for probable customers in nearby areas who are very likely to buy. It’s also one of the optimal ways to augment voice search.

• Try to capture Google featured snippets

A Google snippet is the box that you’ll spot just below the search bar. Snippet boxes have quick-hitting data pulled from a relevant website—if you were to search for the top 15 Mughlai restaurants in Delhi, the Google snippets box would likely include a numbered list.

• Use schema markup

Brands must have actionable keywords and embed them in the website’s schema markup, also called code. This will allow the website to offer search engines more information, which will be relevant for specific searches people make.

• Enable for mobile devices

Mobile devices produce over half of all global internet traffic. If that’s not enough to persuade you that mobile optimization is vital, consider that 27% of mobile users are using voice search on their smartphones

• Keep your site fast

Voice search is the future and what the future holds and to meet this trend, marketers and designers must emphasize on voice searches to ensure a smooth, natural experience for voice search users. Responses must be familiar, easy to act upon and easy to understand.