What is Voice Search and how does it work?
Hey Siri, what is Voice Search? Okay Google, How does Voice Search work? If you have ever used either of those phrases, then you might surely be familiar with Voice Search. To get the gist of the definition, a voice search is a technology that uses voice commands to operate online searches through the web and other applications. It’s a popular way to surf the internet nowadays as it is about making our search experience more convenient and fun. Virtual assistants like Siri, Google Assistant, Cortana and Alexa have gained popularity and still do to this day.
Getting answers to our queries without lifting a finger has become relatively easy, thanks to voice search. The main aspect of their feature is how user-friendly they are. It almost feels like you are talking to a friend or your personal assistant.
You might be familiar with how to use it, but we shall also know how it works. Voice Search depends upon the user’s speech command. Therefore, it uses speech recognition and Natural Language Processing (NLP) to interpret a request, just like a human! Once the request has been received, it analyzes and turns the sound wave into digital data. That data is then processed to understand user intent and present the result accordingly.
Speaking of process, you might have noticed a peculiar yet minute detail while using Siri or Google Assistant. Whenever you give any command or ask any question, your speech is automatically typed in their search bar. How? This is due to the work of Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR), which transforms voice signals into text, helping them search throughout the web to find suitable results.
Your Voice is the New Keyboard: Welcome to the Voice Search Era
Voice Search has already showcased its potential amongst today’s generation. Many people have started relying on voice assistants like Siri and Google in their daily lives. Smart speakers like Amazon’s Echo are being used to control home appliances, and it’s just the beginning of its evolution. Speech recognition is improving daily, making it more user-friendly and easier to use.
Statistics show that 41% of adults globally use voice search in their daily lives. However, this number in India is a little different. You would expect fewer users; however, it is essential to note that India has one of the highest numbers of internet users in the world. Therefore, this number is twice the global average, as Indians are more comfortable talking than typing. This number has opened a vast market for Voice Search.
Many voice search assistants, such as Siri, Google Assistant, and Alexa, can be customized to be used in several different languages, which is helpful for non-English speakers. Voice search holds the potential to take over typing as it can be used for various purposes. From getting real-time answers to sending texts on behalf of the user, it only grows to become your full-time, all-around personal assistant.
The Transformative Impact of Voice Search on SEO
Yes, you read that right. Voice search can greatly impact SEO. It is a known fact that voice search has reshaped the definition of online search. A great way people all over the globe use this feature is through web search. No doubt, searching through typing is still being used; however, people are now inclining more towards voice search web browsing.
In this fast-paced era of technology, people will always prefer a tool or feature that is more time-saving and easy to use, which, undeniably, voice search assistants provide. However, a question arises: How does it impact SEO? Let’s look at some of the web search aspects that can significantly affect the SEO market:-
- Conversational Queries: Voice Search features are made to respond to speech commands; hence, they are more conversational than standard text-based searches. This can significantly challenge SEO strategists to use keywords targeted towards Natural Language Processing (NLP) that can fulfill the user’s search intent.
- Featured Snippet and Position Zero: A Voice search offers results to users, which are usually acquired from a featured snippet, position zero, and SGE. This calls for great competition among SEO web pages to be presented as a search result to the user by voice search.
- Local SEO Complexity. Voice search is heavily utilized for local search intent. “Near me” searches are becoming common in voice search intent as users look for an answer immediately while performing their daily tasks. Therefore, optimizing locally is challenging for businesses, as it requires relevant keywords and information.
- Mobile Optimization: Being mobile-friendly has always been a great way to optimize a web page, as smartphones are becoming the norm these days. However, Voice searches are taking over that aspect. A huge number of mobile searches are now done by voice assistants. Therefore, it is becoming a prime focus of any web page to be mobile-friendly.
It is true that voice search has indeed impacted SEO in appealing to its users; however, voice search has demonstrated its ability to create significant opportunities for SEO strategists. Let’s look at some of the factors of said opportunities:-
- Increased Engagement: As determined earlier, voice searches are more conversational in nature. Thus, optimizing your web page for a voice search audience can help create credibility and brand awareness among the user. Ultimately bringing organic traffic with potential leads.
- Expanding Reach: Voice Search has the potential to reach a wider audience with its user-friendly function. This opens up the opportunity to appeal to all kinds of target audiences on the spectrum, especially people who prefer talking over typing due to easy accessibility.
- Enhanced Local Visibility: Voice search is a great way to improve local business, as many nearby searchers use voice assistants for their local queries. Therefore, by focusing on voice search optimization, a business can gain its place as a primary user option.
Speak Up & Rank Up: Tips to Amplify Your SEO
Voice search is rapidly growing among users, and many are now switching their search experience from typing to speaking. With its rise, voice search assistants are always trying to improve their capabilities to appeal to existing users and attract new audiences. This can essentially create a new set of opportunities and ways to optimize and leverage them.
It has simplified and reshaped the definition of online search, which has become a valuable tool in today’s era. It essentially becomes important for SEO strategies to optimize and enhance their way of web search as well. Therefore, let’s look at some of the ways through which SEO web pages can optimize and boost their online visibility:-
- Keyword Research for Voice Queries
Relevant keywords have traditionally been essential for SEO. However, it is significant to use long-tail keywords for voice search optimization. Voice search is so popular among users because people ask their queries like it’s a human. Therefore, focusing on long-tail keywords rather than short-tail can lead to your web page being used as a source of information, ultimately building credibility with your target audience.
- Content Structure and Formatting
Quality content is indeed essential for engaging your users. However, it is crucial to structure your content with a few aspects targeting voice search users. Voice search users look for more conversational content; hence, it is essential to format your content using natural language, which the NLP feature of a voice assistant can detect. Creating an FAQ section within your content can be helpful for naturally incorporating questionnaires, which is major search intent for voice assistant’s users.
- Optimizing for featured snippets
Featured snippets have always been a big help for many users. They pull out the most relevant content within your webpage and showcase it on the SERPs. Therefore, voice assistants mainly present their answers from there. Constructing your content with more direct answers is essential, which can increase the chances of your content being used by voice search. It is also vital to use bullet points and headers to expand your content while making it easier to digest.
- Local SEO and Site Management
Local searches are the primary search intent of voice assistant users. Therefore, optimizing local SEO can be helpful for regional business growth. Relevant keywords can target nearby users, as many search for “near me” queries. Voice search relies on Google Maps or Google Business Profile to showcase the local search results. Hence, managing your site and updating information like address, contact number, and opening hours is essential.
- Technical SEO and Mobile-Friendly Experience
Technical SEO is the key to improving user experience. Maintaining your web page loading speed (also known as page speed) can create a good user journey, which can lead your website to rank higher on SERPs. It is also crucial to keep your web page mobile-friendly. A significant chunk of voice searches comes from smartphone users. Therefore, making your site more mobile-friendly can ultimately lead to being utilized by voice assistants.
Talking to Technology: The Future of Voice Search
It is apparent that voice search is reshaping the online search experience. With more than a billion users, which keep increasing rapidly, voice search holds the potential to become the new norm for standard searches. Therefore, it’s about time that the digital market grasps a new and advanced way and moves ahead with the changing era.
As we move towards the future, it is evident that voice search will challenge traditional SEO strategies; however, it will also open a new and enhanced way of user experience, which, per se, can bring ample opportunities. It is crucial to fathom that it can bring a new aspect to conversational and reliable search content to users, which can ultimately build overall credibility for businesses.
Many more advanced and tough challenges may stumble upon the SEO world. Still, the ultimate goal of SEO strategies is to give users an enhanced and refined experience, which will always lead to a satisfactory outcome.
So, without any further ado, Visit Astha Technology now and find some of the finest SEO optimization strategies to boost your online success and achieve higher ranking on SERPs. Contact us for more information or call us at +91 97276 27842 to learn more about the wondrous world of digital era.
Germany
India (Headquarter)