For years, the desktop computer reigned king as the primary way that people accessed the internet. However, In the last decade a plethora of new devices have arisen to steal the crown away. Unsurprisingly, smartphones are now the top dog, with experts predicting that over 70% of people will use them exclusively for web access by 2025. Like smartphones, smart home devices have also risen in popularity and voice search technology has become a staple in modern homes across the world.
Right now, Google estimates that 20% of all searches from these new devices are voice searches. This statistic begs an important question – is your website voice search friendly? If it isn’t, you’re missing out on a valuable and growing slice of organic search traffic. To make sure that doesn’t happen, we’ve outlined a few important steps.
First, Be Mobile Friendly
With the majority of voice searches originating from mobile devices, the first thing you should do is make sure your website is mobile friendly. Begin with a responsive design that maximizes mobile compatibility to make sure the majority of mobile users can easily browse your site. To figure out if you need to make changes, visit Google’s mobile-friendly test page to see how your site appears to mobile users.
Embrace Local SEO
One of the major trends in voice search, and mobile search in general, is that users seek out results based on their location. This is especially true of voice searches, which tend to revolve around finding immediate satisfaction. For example, a voice searcher is more likely to ask for where they can get a haircut rather than for an explanation of a physics question. To take advantage of this, your site should embrace local SEO tactics to make sure it’s at the top of local search results. That way, when a nearby voice searcher needs your business’s services, they’ll find you right away.
Create Content That Answers Questions
If you think about it, the way we speak bears little resemblance to the way we type. When it comes to voice search, this matters – a lot. That means the typical voice search query is likely to be longer, and in the form of a question, when compared to a typed query. At Comit Developers, we have found that optimizing a site’s content to focus on answering common questions is a great way to capture a bigger share of voice search traffic. It also provides a great opportunity for sites to exploit long-tail keywords in their content creation. They’re less competitive than shorter phrases and are a natural fit for voice search optimization.
The Power of Voice Search
As time goes on, there’s likely to be even more growth in the importance of voice search. The devices that enable it aren’t going away and are becoming more ubiquitous by the day. To keep ahead of what is sure to be a long-term trend, now is the perfect time to make sure your website is voice search friendly. For help making the transition, contact us today and we’ll help to get your site voice-optimized with timely turnarounds. Our sister agency, Rally Marketing, can help design a marketing strategy that will maximize your voice search traffic and supercharge your business. Whatever you need, we’re here to help!
