Whether you’re building a tech startup from office space in Melbourne’s CBD or a logistics company from a warehouse in Miami, customers are relying more and more on voice assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri to find what you offer. To ensure your company stays visible, you’ll need to optimize your marketing for these technologies.
Below are five effective strategies to help you hit the mark with voice search:
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1. Focus on Conversational Keywords
Since people are speaking, voice searches tend to be more conversational in tone than traditional searches. People ask questions or make requests in complete sentences rather than typing a few keywords. To optimize for that, identify and target long-tail keywords that mirror how people actually speak— think, “what is the best monitor for a home office?” rather than “best monitor.”
Tools like Google’s Keyword Planner or Answer the Public can help you identify these conversational phrases. Incorporate these keywords naturally into your content, FAQs, and product descriptions to align with the way your audience is using voice search.
2. Create Content That Answers Questions
Most voice searches are questions. People ask their smart speakers for quick answers to specific queries. To capitalize on this, your content should be structured to directly answer common questions related to your industry or niche.
Consider adding a dedicated FAQ section to your website or creating blog posts that address specific questions. Start each piece of content with a question or include questions as subheadings, followed by concise, direct answers.
3. Optimize for Local Search
Voice search is particularly popular for local queries, with users often asking for nearby services or businesses. To optimize for local voice search, ensure your Google My Business listing is up-to-date with accurate information, including your address, phone number, and business hours.
Additionally, include local keywords in your content, such as mentioning your city or neighborhood. This enhances your visibility in local search results, especially when users are looking for services you provide within their vicinity.
4. Enhance Website Speed and Mobile-Friendliness
Smart speakers typically pull information from websites that are fast and mobile-friendly. In other words, a slow-loading site or one that doesn’t perform well on mobile devices can hurt your chances of being featured in voice search results.
To optimize your site’s speed, consider compressing images, reducing server response times, and enabling browser caching. Additionally, ensure your website is fully responsive, meaning it adapts seamlessly to different screen sizes and devices. A mobile-friendly, fast website increases the likelihood of ranking well in voice search results.
5. Claim and Optimize Your Business Listings
Voice search often relies on business listings to provide information to users. Ensure that your business is listed on all relevant platforms, including Google My Business, Yelp, and Bing Places for Business. Claim your listings and optimize them with accurate, detailed information.
Include your business category, location, contact information, and hours of operation. Don’t forget to update your listing whenever big changes require it. Optimizing these listings increases your chances of being the top result when someone uses voice search to find a business like yours.
As voice search and smart speakers continue to shape the future of search engine optimization, adapting your strategies to meet the demands of this technology is essential. By focusing on conversational keywords, creating content that answers questions, optimizing for local search, enhancing website speed and mobile-friendliness, and optimizing your business listings, you can effectively position yourself for success in the voice-first world. Start implementing these strategies today to stay ahead of the competition and ensure your business remains visible.
