"Hey Siri, open a trending podcast for me to listen to."
See what I did there? ;)
We are calling it now - voice search is going to become more popular than typed search. As AI technology has developed, digital assistants like Microsoft's Cortana, Google Home, Alexa from Amazon, and Siri from Apple have emerged. Even if voice search is still a long way from matching text-based search inquiries, now is a critical moment for you to maximise your SEO tactics and level the playing field against your competitors.
So what is voice search?
Instead of typing a question, you can ask a gadget via voice search by speaking out loud and directly asking it what you want to know. The device will either send you to a website for additional information or deliver an answer derived from information that it finds on the internet. The device will identify the source of the information as it speaks the answer to you.
Traditional search queries are not the same as voice search - think about it, people don't talk in the same way that they'd type. This implies that your SEO strategy needs to consider voice search inquiries. People typically ask inquiries during voice searches. Rather than doing a verbal search for a "digital marketing agency" they ask questions like "Which is the best digital marketing agency in Pretoria" or "What is the phone number for UNTAMED Creative Society?" This implies that additional conversational inquiries need to be handled by our company. Essentially, voice search requires you to optimise your SEO plan to focus on how users verbally search, what phrases or keywords they use, and what information they want to find.
So focus on semantic search.
Making sure you understand user search intent, is the main goal of the semantic search approach. By doing this, you can produce content that more closely aligns with searchers' interests and eventually gain access to further voice search options. To better optimise your website for those queries, you should be aware of the search intent of your audience.
There are mainly four;
Informational Intent: This type of search is performed by users who are looking for information. They might be in the early stages of learning about a topic or trying to understand something. For SEO, targeting informational intent involves creating content like blog posts, articles, guides, and videos that provide valuable information or answer specific questions.
Example Keywords: "How to tie a tie," "What is blockchain technology," "Why do cats purr?" Navigational Intent: Users with navigational intent already have a destination in mind and use search engines to help them get there. This type of search is often focused on finding a specific website or page. For businesses, it’s important to ensure that your brand is easily findable and that search results accurately represent their offerings. Example Keywords: "Facebook login," "OpenAI homepage," "Nike outlet near me"
2. Commercial Intent: Searches with commercial intent fall between informational and transactional. They are likely to use keywords that involve reviews, comparisons, and specific product or service details. For SEO, content that helps users make informed decisions, such as comparison articles, buyer guides, and expert reviews, works well.
Example Keywords: "Best smartphones 2024," "MacBook vs Surface Pro," "Top-rated coffee machines" 3. Transactional Intent: This type of intent is the most directly linked to purchases. Users are ready to buy a product or subscribe to a service. Keywords often include specific brand names, product names, and terms like "buy," "deal," "discount," or "for sale.
Example Keywords: "Buy iPhone 14 online," "Discount codes for yoga mats," "Book a flight to New York"
Voice search relies heavily on long-tail keywords that occur naturally in the way people communicate and provide insight into a user’s intent. In the future, businesses will need to reevaluate the content of their online presence to drive qualified traffic to their sites.
Create valuable, informative content
When you create content, it’s tempting to use terms and jargon native to your field, but your average reader may not know what those terms mean. If you want to optimise effectively for voice search, write in a language that your audience uses. It’s better to write conversational content because it will appeal more to your audience. They will understand your content, too. When they use voice search, they can easily understand your information when it’s written in the conversational language they use.
Want to get a better sense of how your customers speak and what interests them?
Take a look at how they interact on your website and social media. This will help you understand your audience better and write in a way that makes sense to them.
It’s also important to account for how your audience phrases voice searches. They will generally ask questions starting with who, what, where, why, when, or how. You can also use Google autofill to get an idea of how people search for a particular topic.
Claim your Google Business Profile
Many voice search queries come from people looking for local businesses. They’ll ask questions like “Where’s the closest law firm near me?” or “Where can I buy tires?” Your Google Business Profile listing is the key to driving local traffic. When users conduct voice searches on Siri, Siri generates a list of the top three places near that person. This is known as the local SEO 3-pack.
Now to appear in the local SEO 3-pack, claim your Google Business Profile. Once you’ve claimed your listing, fill out all the information for it. Pay special attention to the contact information, address, and hours of operation to ensure they are accurate and up-to-date. These pieces of information are important because voice searchers will ask for this information most often. They’ll want to know where your business is located, know when it’s open, or call to get more information. You can also optimise your listing by including links to content, photos, and earning reviews. If you put in the time to optimise your Google Business Profile, you’ll see positive results. Search our GMB profile - UNTAMED Creative Society - to see a great example.
Create an FAQ page
When people conduct searches, they typically pose questions to find answers. By creating an FAQ page, you can help drive leads to your site by providing the answer to their question. FAQs are great for creating answers to common questions surrounding your products, industries, and company. You can provide your audience with knowledge and help them get to know a little more about your business. Creating an FAQ page can get your information featured in snippets on Google search results. If you want to take it further, you can create content that addresses common questions directly. It’s beneficial to help your business attract valuable leads.
So now that you are up to date with the latest in SEO, ask Siri to "book a discovery call with UNTAMED Creative Society" to put it all into play.
Written By: Reshoketswe Magagane