In today’s digital age, voice search is becoming an increasingly popular way for people to search for information. With the advent of smart speakers like the Amazon Echo and Google Home, voice search is becoming more prevalent than ever before. Over 31% of the world’s mobile users make use of voice search more than once a week. This has made voice search one of the fastest-growing trends in search optimisation.

As a result, businesses need to adapt their digital marketing strategies to account for this trend. In this blog, we will discuss how voice search is changing the digital marketing landscape and how businesses can adapt their strategies to take advantage of it. Stay tuned!

What is voice search?

Voice search is a way of searching the internet through speech. With results that are over 95% accurate, it’s no surprise that users are gravitating towards voice search.

Through AI technology, a device recognises a user’s voice, runs the query through a search engine, and then delivers a search result. Consumers can use voice search for anything from questions to shopping for products.

SEO strategies for voice search

Google released Hummingbird in 2013. This update was the first to accommodate voice queries within the search engine. As technology has evolved, the algorithm has continued to adapt to deliver better quality results.

As a result, brands should re-evaluate content opportunities to reach new customers. Here are some SEO initiatives and digital marketing optimisations that will help businesses thrive in a world of voice search.

•    Focus on intent. Voice searches are more conversational and organic when compared to text queries. This has forced search engines to prioritise intent to deliver the right search results. Producing quality content has become significantly more important than getting the right keywords.

•    Create concise content. Voice users are often on-the-go and get their search results delivered back to them in real-time. Google prioritises content that is quick and accurate for the user, often reading out the top search result. As a result, capturing SERP features like featured snippets has become more important for businesses.

•    Answer common questions. Voice search users treat their search like a conversation. They’re more likely to search in a question format. Businesses can answer common questions related to their product and service to reach more new users.

Brands can ensure they’re reaching as many users as possible through voice search by leaning on marketers that are familiar with the optimal strategies.

The impact of voice search on digital marketing

The shift to voice search means the type of content being consumed is also changing. Search engines (and users) are more likely to gravitate to audio content. This is a great opportunity for growth in digital areas of marketing, such as video and other multimedia content.

The demand for mobile-friendly websites and content has also increased over the last decade. More users are navigating the digital world on their phones than ever before. Over 25% of voice searches are now being conducted on mobile. As a result, brands will need to make sure their marketing efforts are optimised for a mobile-first experience.

Another massive change is the rise in local SEO. Almost 22% of voice search queries are looking for location-based content. Businesses should prioritise their efforts on optimising for local search. This includes scaling up on creating local content and keeping Google My Business listings up to date.

The future of voice search SEO

Google is expected to roll out updated technology to accommodate the phase-out of cookies at the end of 2022. Businesses should expect to make more changes to continue reaching engaged audiences. The cookie-less future means brands will need to adjust how they connect with users through their customer journey.

Voice search is like having conversations with your customers. Understanding and connecting with customers has become more important than ever before. As the changes continue to roll out, businesses can thrive in this new environment by leaning on digital marketing experts to adapt their strategies toward voice search.